www.pamelapalma.com www.pamelapalma.com 
While my interests are broad, most of my professional career has focused
on three broad themes:
Ecological Research
Interdisciplinary Institute Building
Environmental Sustainability.
In all areas, I approach problems with a netowrk or 'systems’ perspective
to connect the dots among problems, concepts, people, or projects and create
synergy.
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I am the founding director of the first University of California research facility in Yosemite National Park. The mission of the Sierra Nevada Research Institute’s Yosemite Field Station is to foster synergistic links among science, art, education, minority outreach, and natural resource management. In addition to defining, developing, and implementing the vision of this research station, I act as a liason between UC Merced and Yosemite National Park.
One of my major research interests is related to the ecological adage that “everything is connected to everything else.” How interconnected are the species in an ecosystem? What does this connectivity mean for how natural ecosystems respond to human impacts ranging from species introductions or over-harvesting to climatic change? These are some of the questions related to Ecological Networks that I (and collaborators) investigate.
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Another major research interest of mine is to help bridge the gap between science and wilderness preservation. My work has focused on two general aspect of protecting high elevation wilderness meadow ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The first is to use science as a mediation tool to help resolve conflicts about management policy. The second is to help separate climatic from local impacts to wilderness ecosystems.
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I work with Telemarkzone, a non-profit network of backcountry telemark ski instructors, and guides dedicated to environmental stewardship. Our "Ski for Nature" partnerships foster sustainable, "positive impact" ecotourism in emerging wilderness tourism markets such as Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.
The Swall Institute is a residential work/play retreat designed to foster creative work in the inspirational setting of California's Eastern Sierra. The sustainably designed space is intimate in scale with stunning views of 14,000 ft peaks and the deepest valley in North America. The house is located 20 mi south of Mammoth Lakes, CA at 6,900 ft. It is equipped with work space for 4 people and can accomodate small, informal working groups or retreats for weekly or monthly visits. To rent the Swall Institute, visit the website below.
I am part owner of the new Awaken Café, a green business in downtown Oakland. Awaken Café’s Phase I (small espresso bar) was voted Best Café and Best New Business in the East Bay for 2008 East Bay. Phase II will expand into a 3500 sq ft historic lounge to include an eatery, art gallery, performance space, meeting place, and CoWorking environment – a space that merges elements of an interdisciplinary institute, an eco-start-up incubator, and a coffee shop.
