David Shaw

Research Interests

Agroecology; Permaculture Design; Human rights; Tri-lateral Sustainable Development; Dialogue; Participatory processes in the classroom, with emphasis on The World Cafe and Open Space Technology; Intergenerational collaboration; Sustainability; Urban gardens; Community resilience.

Biography, Education and Training

David Shaw is a Continuing Lecturer at Kresge College, Coordinator of the Common Ground Center, and Coordinator of the UCSC Right Livelihood College (known as the 'Alternative Nobel Prize'). His courses focus on ecological sustainability, collaborative learning, social justice, and economic prosperity. David has been teaching at UC Santa Cruz since 2004, and in 2012 founded the Kresge College Common Ground Center, offering a suite of programs for social justice, economic resilience, and ecological sustainability. He coordinates Environmental Studies internships in coordination with the UCSC college gardens and Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems. 

David is a Permaculture designer and educator with his company, Santa Cruz Permaculture, and the Regenerative Design Institute. David is also an active member of the global World Cafe Stewardship Council, a group dedicated to hosting inter-generational dialogue on questions that matter. David holds a MS in Integrative Eco Social Design from Gaia University, and continues his community based action-research on the theory and practice of social justice and sustainability. In order to meet the challenges of today, he is creating an urban farm and inter-generational learning center that fosters hands-on farm and wilderness skills, cultural competence, entrepreneurial spirit, conversational leadership, and collective action. He lives happily and humbly on a 2-acre homestead in Santa Cruz.

• Kresge College, Lecturer (2008-Present)


• Kresge College Common Ground Center - Co-Director (2012-Present)


• Right Livelihood College - Program Coordinator (2013-Present)


• World Cafe Community Foundation - Stewardship Council Member (2015-Present)


• Program In Community & Agroecology - Program Coordinator (2015-2017)


• Santa Cruz Permaculture - Principle (2016-Present)

• M.S. Integrative Ecosocial Design, Gaia University (2008)


• Certificate in Ecological Horticulture, UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (2005)


• B.A. Community Studies and Social Ecology, With Honors, UC Santa Cruz (2004)

Selected Publications

Howard, P., Galarneau, T., Perez, J., & Shaw, D. (2005). Integrating Open Space Technology and Dynamic Facilitation. Participatory Learning and Action, 53, 68–73.

Selected Presentations

Learning as if Whole Systems Mattered: Permaculture in Schools and Universities (Ecological Farming Conference, 2015)

We Are Wiser Together: Igniting Possibilities through Intergenerational Partnerships (Bioneers Conference 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)

Courses Taught