I am a biogeochemist interested in the feedback between soils and climate change. My dissertation research aims to elucidate the metabolic controls on nitrous oxide (N2O) production and consumption in soils, with a special focus on N2O fluxes from drylands. I use a combination of gas sampling, isotope analysis, numerical modeling, and metagenomic analysis to study N2O processes in soils in my two field sites: the Mojave National Preserve and the Santa Cruz coastline. By studying the relationship between observed geochemical processes and the metabolic potential of the soil microbial community, the results of my research may be used to improve parameterization of N2O processes in biogeochemical models, and may eventually provide insights into how the soil metagenome may be manipulated or otherwise managed to reduce N2O emissions from landscapes.
In addition to scientific research, I am also active in climate and energy policy. I'm broadly interested in climate change mitigation through renewable energy policy and end-use electrification, with a particular focus on building decarbonization. I believe that we are in a pivotal moment of human history and that protecting this planet for future generations requires mass mobilization, transformational societal change, and centering the voices and experiences of frontline communities. This belief dictates how I conduct my day-to-day work, as well as my role as an activist in my community.
