Climate & Sustainability
A 25-year commitment
UC Santa Cruz alumnus and Director of the Año Nuevo Reserve Patrick Robinson shares what philanthropy makes possible for the reserve and why he gives.
Director of the Año Nuevo Reserve Patrick Robinson (Rachel Carson ’03, marine biology; Ph.D. ’09).
Patrick Robinson (Rachel Carson ’03, marine biology; Ph.D. ’09) knows UC Santa Cruz from nearly every angle as an undergraduate alumnus, a graduate alumnus, a postdoctoral researcher, and now as a member of the staff. He arrived in 1999 and today serves as the director of the Año Nuevo Reserve. That 25-year relationship shapes everything about how and why he gives.
Robinson has seen firsthand what philanthropy makes possible and how many small donations can result in tangible impacts. His contributions go to the UC Natural Reserve System, and the motivation is close to home. His giving is rooted in his own experience as a student.
“I want every undergraduate to have the same field experiences that inspired me to pursue a career in the natural sciences,” he says, “and to become one of the next generation of researchers, teachers, and engaged citizens.”
For Robinson, giving starts with personal connection. He supports what he knows, and he gives where he believes a contribution, even a modest one, can make a real difference or inspire someone else to do the same.
He cares most about outcomes that are concrete and student-facing: degree-defining field experiences and broader access to senior thesis projects. For many undergraduates, a field-based thesis is the moment a career stops being abstract and starts feeling possible. Robinson wants more students to have that moment.
The research, the teaching, the community access, all of it depends on infrastructure that does not fund itself.
“Philanthropy is what drives the UC Natural Reserves to succeed,” Robinson said. “It helps provide the behind-the-scenes infrastructure to support research, teaching, and public service in these outdoor classrooms.”
As the director of the Año Nuevo Reserve, Robinson has watched donor support make that work possible in ways that are both tangible and lasting.
For those considering making a gift, Robinson points to what drew him in: a place and a program he genuinely cares about.