Day 1 – Introducing “12 Days of CWS”

By Christine A. Parisek and Miranda Bell-Tilcock

The California WaterBlog celebrates its 15th anniversary this January 2026, and so we thought we’d try out something a little special and festive this month. This December, we’re piloting a new short-post format series that will open up a small window into a day in the life of the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS), the organization that produces this blog. The posts will celebrate our community – both past and present – and offer some holiday cheer!

Each day, for the next 12 days, we’ll share a brief post from a current or past CWS member that, with a scoop of merriment and a dash of mischief, gives our readers a glimpse into what we do. You’ll see a range of posts over the next few days that will give you a fish eye’s view of the world, offer an ode to gulls, give a sneak peek into a day in the life of an indoor ecologist, celebrate winter seasonal fishes of Suisun Marsh, feature tasty recipes, and more.

To celebrate 15 years of the WaterBlog during this season of giving, consider making a gift to the Center to help us create more meaningful opportunities for students across our programs.

A gift to Friends of CWS will support:

Ecogeomorphology classes that teach cross-disciplinary collaboration in expedition settings
Research to solve water problems in California and the Western US
Student and public engagement in California and Western US water problems
Strategic initiatives and support

As always, but especially during “12 Days of CWS,” we’d love to hear from our readers too! Whether you’ve been part of CWS before or just love observing the seasons, appreciating a nice lake, or have your own naturalist adventures, drop us a comment below. Share with us a surprising nature encounter, your favorite aquatic species, or a bit of mischief – someone else might nod along and share a smile!

We’re excited to share “12 Days of CWS” with you, and for you to be a part of it too!

**Top, from left to right:** 1. Director Karrigan Börk, PhD Candidate Brandi Goss, and Junior Specialist Daniel Consolvo discuss in-depth the variety of cookies everyone made and brought to the inaugural CWS Cookie Exchange. 2. Dr. Sarah Yarnell at the International Symposium of River Science conference poster session. Dr. Yarnell was one of the main conference coordinators for this event. 3. Director Karrigan Börk and Junior Specialist Larissa Thacher take in the art at the Shrem Museum during a break from Field Safety Training. 4. Dr. Kohma Arai making a bag of candy at the Candy Social. **Bottom, from left to right:** 1. Deputy Director Miranda Bell-Tilcock prepares for the inaugural CWS Cookie Exchange with a plethora of her own baked goodies! 2. Senior Researcher Dr. Jonathan Walter with a visitor at the Putah Creek Animal Adventures outreach event’s coloring station. 3. Rachel Alsheikh, and Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology staff and students, showing off herpetological, bird, and mammal specimens at the Putah Creek Animal Adventures outreach event. 4. Senior Researcher’s Drs. Carson Jeffres and Rachel Johnson, Director Karrigan Börk, Undergraduate Researcher Kelly Valdez, and Carson’s good dog Stella show off their costumes at the Halloween Party.

About the Authors

Christine A. Parisek is a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at the University of California Davis, a Science Communications Fellow at the Center for Watershed Sciences, and Managing Editor of the California WaterBlog.

Miranda Bell-Tilcock is the Deputy Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences. Prior to this position change, her research at CWS focused mainly on fish eye lenses and isotopes, such as Chinook Salmon eyes, to reconstruct their life history. Her work on fish eyes and isotopes was featured on National Public Radio’s Science Friday. Miranda enjoys hanging out with her three children when she’s not working, as well as baking bread and other tasty treats.

Further Reading

Mount, J. 2017. 20 Years Ago, a Pretty Good Idea: The UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. California WaterBlog

Parisek, C.A. & S. Sanchez. 2023. How the Grinch Saved the Creek: A Collection of California Water Fables. California WaterBlog.

Börk, K., J. Durand, J. Lund, C.A. Parisek, AL. Rypel, K. Schaefer, J.A. Walter. 2024. Dear Santa: A California Water Holiday Wish List. California WaterBlog

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About Christine Parisek

Christine A. Parisek is a postdoctoral scholar at UC Davis and a science communications fellow at the Center for Watershed Sciences. Website: caparisek.github.io

View all posts by Christine Parisek →