UCSB Environmental SCIENCE Research with hannah lyford
Project Overview:
Seagrass ecosystems are a vital asset in climate action planning due to their ability to store carbon on decadal to centennial timescales. Seagrass covers less than 0.1% of the ocean surface, but makes up 10-18% of the carbon the ocean traps every year (Yau et al. 2023). We studied how the functional traits of seagrass species Zostera marina relate to the amount of carbon stored. Functional traits are measurable characteristics of living organisms, such as total leaf area or canopy height. While previous studies have examined how species and geography affect the storage of organic carbon (Krause et al. 2025), the functional traits of seagrass remain an underexplored topic. A better understanding of which functional traits are most important for storing organic carbon can help to manage blue carbon habitats more effectively.
Over the summer I worked in Hannah Lyford's lab as an assistant doing above/belowground biomass measurements, Loss on Ignition, and Grain Size Analysis. This project culminated in a final poster presentation for the UCSB Mantell Symposium in October 2025.
Research Questions:
- Which functional traits play a role in the amount of sedimentary organic carbon seagrass can store?
- How do seagrass functional traits and habitat functions change across the California coast?
UCSD COSMOS dye-sensitized solar cells
Project Overview:
I attended the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science at UCSD under cluster three: Environmental Science. Our main topic of study was the Grätzel Cell, a predecessor to the cutting edge non-silicon based solar cells which may eventually replace the highly prevalent silicon based solar cells we have today. Alternative energy options, especially solar power, are a big part of today’s energy economy. Over the course of three weeks we built and tested several different solar cells with differing dyes and electrode materials to determine which combination would have the highest performance. We tested 3 cells of each combination of blueberry or blackberry dye and soot or graphite catalysts. Of the 12 cells, those with blueberry dye and a soot backing had the highest voltage and current.
The Grätzel Cell, or dye-sensitized solar cell is an solar cell that uses titanium dioxide as its semiconductor, a dye as the light absorber, and an iodine relay as an electron shuttle. It functions by absorbing photons and transferring excited electrons through the TIO2 to perform work, like a silicon solar cell. The cell is regenerated through the anode with I-/I-3.
Problem & Hypothesis
- Problem: Which berry-based dye and carbon catalytic coating combination will result in the best current and voltage output from the solar cells when they are exposed to a black body radiator?
- Hypothesis: If we use a blueberry juice-coated electrode in combination with a soot-covered electrode, then our output will be higher than the blackberry cells because the blueberry dye appears to absorb more wavelengths.
UCSB Environmental SCIENCE Research with karina johnston
Project Overview:
This summer, I had the opportunity to work with PhD student Karina Johnston on her research revolving around the purpose of sand dunes in sea level rise, ecosystem services, and how sand grain size factors into the creation of these dunes. This research was done through drone analysis of beach topography over time, vegetation density over time, concentration of vegetation over time, and measurements of sand grain size. By working with Karina on her research During the project, I gained insight into how professionals can network with those in their field. Behind the scenes, Karina was constantly working with peers, coordinating logistics to facilitate meetings and field surveys all up and down the coast of California. She employed the help of peers with drones so that they could put their expertise to work. She also taught me how to use resources like Sandsnap, which makes it possible for us to measure sand grain size using coins (pictured above).
It was interesting to see the use of the scientific method to keep variables constant as we measured vegetation on dunes; we followed careful procedures to keep data collection consistent for the duration of the research project. During our field survey, I was happy to be given a glimpse into how sciences I have been studying can be applied to real life projects.
Research Questions:
- To what extent does sand grain size affect the formation of sand dunes that protect the coastline of California?
- What restorative practices can best preserve the integrity of sand dunes along urban shores?