Houston. June. Three weeks ago I graduated from Rice University with a degree in Earth Science. The celebration was fantastic. I got to say goodbye to everyone at Rice who made my time fantastic, who encouraged me to pursue Jesus Christ, Earth Science, and life-giving hobbies (kombucha! running! writing!). It was emotional leaving people who I lived through four years of intense joy, sorrow, and sleeplessness with. And all of the amazing relationships that I made as a barista, a student, and someone in deep need of guidance and love. I look forward to continuing some of these relationships in the next chapter of life, and starting new relationships as circumstances change, too. BREAD PT 1. This summer, from June to September, I am working in the Earth Science department at Rice, continuing soil science research with Dr. Masiello. I am exploring how biochar interaction with minerals affects the water retention capacity of soils. Basically: But soil is complex. Soil is not just dirt, but a mixture of many different components from a variety of sources: weathered rocks and minerals, dead and living plant material, microbes, water, and nutrients in the form of organic compounds. Any of these components, but especially soil minerals, can potentially prevent biochar from doing its job (bad, because farmers are paying $ to put biochar in their dirt). Above: a complicated soil particle. My job is to figure out how exactly soil minerals impact biochar's environmental benefits (e.g. water retention) in a controlled environment (e.g. the lab). In addition to this lab work, I'll also be acting as co-editor, along with Cin-Ty Lee (cintylee.org), of the inaugural Earth Science department magazine. The point of the magazine is to make Earth Science research accessible to the broader community (Rice, Houston, and beyond). I tried to do this in the above description of my work. How did I do? The magazine will also feature discussion with professors and department members, so we can all get to know the human side of each other more intimately. I can't wait to start interviewing people and designing the first issue. Above: an idea I had for the logo of the magazine!
Thank you God for the provision of work You've given me this summer. In my next installment I'll explain the other task before me this summer, something much more intimidating to me than the vast questions of science: fundraising.
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Author/soil science research assistant @ Rice U/ Archives
March 2017
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