Laboratory Policies (click to open)
Lab Members
Dr. Ken Czapla, Postdoctoral Scholar
Ken is a postdoctoral researcher examining the impacts of wildfires on nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas emissions. He is interested in biogeochemistry and microbial ecology across a variety of ecosystems to examine how human activities impact natural environments and global climate. He completed his Ph.D. in 2020 at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at William & Mary, focusing on salt marsh carbon and nitrogen cycling, and did a postdoc at Stanford (2020–2023) researching nitrogen cycling in South San Francisco Bay benthic sediments
Dr. Elizah Stephens, Postdoctoral Scholar
Elizah is a postdoctoral researcher studying how wildfires change soil nitrogen cycling and microbial community processes, as well as investigating the functional roles that pyrophilous microbes may play in greenhouse gas emissions in post-fire environments. In her work, she is integrating novel isotopomer approaches to understand the role of pyrophilous or "fire-loving" fungi in denitrification.
Dr. Kai Huang, Visiting Postdoctoral Scholar
Kai is a visiting postdoctoral researcher, studying the effects of warming on nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas emissions (CO2/CH4/N2O). He is interested in carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles in forested ecosystems in response to global changes, including warming and shifts in precipitation patterns. He completed his Ph.D. in 2023 at the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, focusing on the effects of temperature and moisture on soil NO and N2O emission in temperate forests (2017-2023), and did a postdoc at IAE (2023–2024) researching gaseous nitrogen (NO/N2O/N2) release under soil warming in a temperate forest in northeast China.
Chloe Reid, Research Specialist
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Chloe received her B.S. degree in Environmental Sciences with a focus in Soil Science from UCR in March 2022. She is interested in how environmental stressors, anthropogenic activities, and changes in nutrient availability might affect soil microbial processes and biogeochemical cycling.
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Aral C. Greene, Ph.D. student
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Aral graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Ecology and Evolution from UCSB. She has worked as a field technician in the Arctic and as an intern for the TRACE project in El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico. In addition to leading research projects on soil greenhouse gas emissions, she is also studying nutrient cycling in a rainfall manipulation experiment. Her research interests include soil biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling.
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Mason Laurin, Ph.D. Student
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Mason graduated with a B.S. in biological sciences at CSUSM. He is an avid ecologist fascinated by soil and nutrient cycling. He is interested in the biogeochemistry of landscapes in post-fire environments and in determining their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
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Jingwen Xu (Mia), Visiting Ph.D. Student
Mia is a visiting student from China, who graduated with a B.S. in Ecology in 2021. She is pursuing her Ph.D. degree at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences since 2021. Her research focuses on soil nitrogen and carbon cycles, particularly in response to nitrogen enrichment. In her free time, Mia enjoys cooking Chinese cuisine and watching movies.
Undergraduate students
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Rahma Ahmed, Undergraduate Research Assistant Ellen Nguyen, Undergraduate Research Assistant, NSF REU 2024 Yareli Olazabal, NSF REU Ciara Soto, Undergraduate Research Assistant |
Past lab members
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Krish Patel, Undergraduate Research Assistant 2023-2024 Jamie Irby, M.S. 2024, is now a Research Scientist with Dr. Tamara Harms Dr. Alex Krichels, postdoc 2019-2023, now a Research Ecologist at the US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research station. Tony Calma, NSF REU 2021 Danni Ortiz, Undergraduate Research Assistant 2023 Yanira Herrera, NSF REU 2023 Felix Osuna-Lopez, UC Natural Reserves Internship 2022 Demiana Dannoun, UCR Undergraduate Mentoring Summer Research Internship Program 2022 Sharon Zhao, B.S. 2020, NSF REPS Fellow 2021-2022, is now a Laboratory Research Technician at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Johann Püspök, M.S. 2021, is now a Plant Ecologist with the Federal Institute for Forest Research, Vienna Jacob Velasquez (undergraduate research assistant 2021) Karen Argumedo (undergraduate research assistant 2020) is pursuing an M.S. degree at Cal State L.A. Nikki Shelton (undergraduate research assistant 2020) is now an undergraduate student at UCLA Heather Haro (undergraduate research assistant 2020) is pursuing an M.S. degree at University of San Francisco Kobe Luu (undergraduate research assistant 2018) is at Wichita Sate pursuing a graduate degree |
