Gregory Bratman

Greg is a doctoral student in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, and the Center for Conservation Biology. He is working to define and study “psychological ecosystem services” by examining the impact of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. He is exploring approaches for evaluating the psychological impacts of nature, and how these can best be incorporated into the paradigm of ecosystem services. Greg earned his Masters Degree from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UCSB, and his B.S. in Philosophy from Princeton University. He also writes comedies.


Current research includes the examination of change in adolescents' positive and negative affect, impulse inhibition, feelings of connection to nature, and short term and working memory after experience in nature. Greg will be using new methods, including fMRI and GPS to further this examination.