Justen Whittall ’96 discovered his passion for conservation during a field botany course at Santa Clara. During college, Whittall was hiking in Santa Teresa Park when he found a rare succulent, Dudleya setchellii, which inspired his commitment to protecting endangered species. Now a biology professor at SCU, Whittall is leading a three-year project funded by a 2023 Bureau of Reclamation grant to save the same plant. With the help of his students, he’s studying its genetics, pollinators, and habitat needs to reintroduce it into the wild and ensure its survival.