My background is in film/media studies and more recently, environmental horticulture in the Southern California area.  My work experiences in the environmental horticulture field were in several complimentary capacities. I taught ecological landscape design and labs for horticulture classes at Santa Barbara City College. Managed a three-acre Lifescape Garden where students received hands-on training. Additionally, I ran my own small business working with clients on irrigation, native plant care, landscape design, maintenance, plant propagation, arboriculture, and property management. Currently at UC Davis, my focus is on comparing the accuracy of local, CIMIS, and PRISM temperature data sources to estimate growth stages for water-seeded rice. Using this data I will be creating degree day models that farmers can effectively use in tracking or estimating the growth of their different rice varieties in counties throughout the Sacramento Valley area.