Alicia De Toro

About Me

As a former De Anza student, I do my best to work with my students to help them to understand the materials covered in my classes and to show them their own capabilities. My educational background is in environmental science and ecology, evolution, and marine biology. As a student, I participated in study abroad programs focused around tropical ecology, studied restoration ecology, with an emphasis on pollution prevention. I have worked in the private, public and academic sectors, which allows me to bring a unique perspective to my classroom. The primary focus of my career prior to becoming an instructor was in integrated waste management in the private sector. Upon my hire for my tenure track teaching position, I began exploring the intersection of environmental science and equity. My interest led me to continue my studies at the University of San Francisco, School of Education. In the Spring of 2018, I successfully defended my dissertation (link provided below) and earned my doctoral degree in Education in Organization and Leadership. 

The focus of my work post-doctorate is around applications of equity in the classroom, in the field, and in organizations. Below I have provided links to examples of the projects I have collaborated on with my students in addition to my independent work. 

Ed.D, Organization and Leadership, University of San Francisco, 2018

B.S., Environmental Studies (Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology emphasis), University of California Santa Barbara, 2001

Examples of student work:

• Camera Trapping
  • Wildlife project shows videos of creatures around campus. La Voz, Jan. 2019
  • ca_wildlife_cams (Instagram) 
  • Arastradero- Student-created ESRI Story Map presented at the ESRI Education User Meeting, San Diego, July 2019
• Cheeseman Environmental Studies Area (ESA) -Student-created Story Map presented at the Environmental Science Research Institute- 2019 Education Summit, San Diego, July 2019
• Clothing vs the Environment-Student-created ESRI Story Map, Fall 2019
• De Anza College Environmental Sciences -ESRI Products for Data Collection, Presented at Environmental Science Research Institute- 2019 Education Summit, San Diego, July 2019
• De Anza Garden to Table- Collaborative project with food services.
• The Little Piggy with a Big Idea, 2014
• Watershed Action Day, South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition, August 2019 (ESRI Story Map)

In Memoriam:

• Healing Through Loss- Dia de Los Muertos Altar, De Anza Kirsch Center, Fall, 2019 (Photo 1, Photo 2)

Classes I Teach

Winter 2024

CRN	Course	Sec.	Title
38116	ES 1	04Z	Introduction to Environmental Studies
37037	ES 2	50Z	Introduction to Sustainability
38260	ESCI 1	0	Environmental Science
38856	ESCI 1	05Z	Environmental Science

Fall 2023

CRN	Course	Sec.	Title
25401	ES 1	50Z	Introduction to Environmental Studies
26061	ES 2	50Z	Introduction to Sustainability
27793	ESCI 1	01Y	Environmental Science
27795	ESCI 1	50Z	Environmental Science
27821	ESCI 1L	1UM	Environmental Science Laboratory