Graduate student dies in rock climbing accident

Brian Ellis, a graduate student working toward his doctorate in applied linguistics, died May 7 in a rock climbing accident at Yosemite National Park. He was 32.

Ellis was known for his love of nature and the outdoors, an interest that translated into a passion for sustainable living. As a result, his decision to apply for a teaching assistant position with the Global Environment General Education cluster was no surprise to several of his friends.

The teaching assistant selection process is very competitive, with more applicants than positions, said Keith Stolzenbach, professor of civil and environmental engineering and the coordinator of the cluster.

However, he said Ellis stood out because of his prior teaching experience in a cluster on the evolution of the cosmos and his environmental studies.

This quarter, Ellis led a seminar titled “Living a Sustainable Life,” a topic he knew well based on his own desire to be more environmentally conscious.

After the news of Ellis’ death, Stolzenbach went to the seminar to talk to Ellis’ students and explain what had happened. After the initial shock, Stolzenbach said the students discussed their TA’s commitment to sustainability and his passion for nature.

“It was clear he had a very big impact on the seminar in just six weeks,” he said. “I learned a lot about him just talking to the students.”

Several of Ellis’ students also sent letters to his girlfriend, explaining how their TA made a difference in their lives and expressing appreciation for what he had taught them.

Stolzenbach said the other TAs will help to lead Ellis’ seminar for the remainder of the quarter, although Ellis had laid out a plan for how the rest of the seminar would function.

“It’s a tribute to him that the seminar was structured so well,” he said.

Ellis was born June 15, 1978 in San Francisco. Even as a child, Ellis had an adventurous spirit and liked to climb, said his girlfriend, Elizabeth Grau.

She added that many of his family photos featured him on a shed or a roof.

Ellis spent most of his early life in Sacramento and graduated from Mira Loma High School. He then attended American River College in Sacramento and transferred to UCLA.

While at the Westwood campus, Ellis took part in his departmental honors program and wanted to do research on young people in group homes, said Netta Avineri, a graduate student in applied linguistics and Ellis’ friend. She said research is telling of a student’s personality, and even then, she was struck by his caring and compassionate nature.

She also added that Ellis had a variety of interests, including environmental sustainability and animal care to neuroscience and presidential debates.

“It was cool to be a student with him because his passions were always moving and very dynamic ““ it was inspiring to be around him,” Avineri said. “It’s hard to capture in words ““ there was nobody quite like him.”

The two graduated from UCLA in 2001 and then returned to the university for their master’s degrees a few years later.

Ellis completed his degree in linguistic anthropology and then took a year off to teach in France.

During this time, he met Grau at a Thanksgiving dinner, and they started dating prior to Ellis’ departure.

Grau said the two had a lot in common, including a mutual interest in the outdoors.

“He was like my best friend, not just my boyfriend,” she said.

She said Ellis introduced her to camping and backpacking, and the couple would sometimes rock climb together. Grau emphasized that Ellis loved the challenge of how to get up the rock safely and was really interested in learning all he could about climbing and safety.

Ellis’ passion for nature was also a bonding connection for many of his friends, including Katherine Pease, a graduate student in ecology and evolutionary biology, who said Ellis once helped her to identify edible mushrooms she had collected.

After his time in France, Ellis came back to UCLA to work toward a doctorate in applied linguistics, with the eventual intention of teaching.

Outside of his academics, Ellis was interested in making his own food from scratch and baked excellent pies, said Steve Black, Ellis’ friend and fellow graduate student.

He also played the piano and enjoyed jazz and unconventional music, said Sam Torrisi, a graduate student in the neuroscience interdepartmental program and Ellis’ friend.

The two met in a syntax class in graduate school. What began as a shared intellectual connection became a friendship based on a variety of interests, including the outdoors.

“Brian didn’t fit any mold,” Torrisi said. “He was into everything nature … and had a kind heart. He was not mainstream.”

Ellis is survived by his father David, mother Mary, brother Philip, and sisters Debra Smith and Charlotte, as well as his girlfriend Grau.

A memorial service for Ellis will be held at Sunset Recreation Center at 6 p.m. on Thursday, near the sustainable garden.