Teaching

Courses I Teach

I teach courses on rivers (ENVS 194, spring quarter) and Sustainable Infrastructure for Water Energy Food Systems (ENVS194). In the Environmental Studies Program at UCSB. My courses combine science with real-world problem-solving, giving students the tools to understand freshwater systems and their role in global challenges. I enjoy weaving in field trips, GIS and data labs, and discussions that make rivers come alive in both local and global contexts.

You can see more on the courses I teach below:

Mentoring Philosophy

I strive for developing a supportive relationship that help students grow as researchers and professionals. I aim to create an open, collaborative environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, trying new approaches, and developing their own research directions. My role is to challenge and guide, while making space for creativity, independence, and diverse perspectives. I encourage students to present their work at conferences, publish, and connect their projects to the broader conversations around rivers and sustainability.

Click below to see some examples for my collaborative, student-led/mentee-led research projects that led to peer-reviewed publications

Collaborative Publications:

Carlino, A. (Postdoc), Schmitt, R., Clark, A. (Undergrad RA, Stanford University), & Castelletti, A. (2024).
Rethinking energy planning to mitigate the impacts of African hydropower.
Nature Sustainability, 1–12.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01367-x
Ding, Z. (Postdoc), Angarita, H. Montesinos (Postdoc), C. Lavado, W., Goldstein, J. A., Batista, N. (Master Student, Stanford University),
Wu, T., Baudoin, A. (Postdoc), Zheng, H., Schmitt, R. J. P. (2024).
Navigating trade-offs and sustainable development pathways in the Andean water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus.
Nature Communications, Earth and the Environment.
Langhans, K. E. (Ph.D. student, Stanford University), Schmitt, R. J. P., Chaplin-Kramer, R., Anderson, C. B., Vargas Bolaños, C., Vargas Cabezas, F., Dirzo, R.,
Goldstein, J. A., Horangic, T., Miller Granados, C., Powell, T. M., Smith, J. R., Alvarado Quesada, I., Umaña Quesada, A., Monge Vargas, R., Wolny, S., & Daily, G. C. (2022).
Modeling multiple ecosystem services and beneficiaries of riparian reforestation in Costa Rica.
Ecosystem Services, 57, 101470.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2022.101470

The Schmitt Lab
for River System,
Science and Sustainability

teaching

Courses I Teach

Mentoring Philosophy

The Schmitt Lab for River System, Science and Sustainability