Meet our April 2018 STEMSEAS participants!
Instructors
Dr. Stephen Pekar, a geology professor at Queens College, has been investigating past climate and oceanographic changes during times (16- 45 million years ago) when CO2 was as high as what is predicted for this century (500-1000 ppm). As CO2 is rising rapidly today, which is predicted to be like putting our climate on a “hot plate,” exploring these times for him is like “Looking Back to Our Future.” To investigate climate change of the past, he looks at sediments, microfossil, and geochemical data obtained from cores obtained from near-shore to deep-sea locations ranging from the tropics to Antarctica. His research has taken him on expeditions around the world, including four to Antarctica, during one of which he was project leader.
Dr. Joe Montoya
Drake Lee-Patterson
Students
My name is Beatrice Araceli Becerra but I go by Bea. I am 20 years old and love art and nature. Some of my favorite things to do include exploring flea markets and new coffee shops and hiking in the local Arkansas wilderness. I am passionate about geology and environmental science. I grew up in Bentonville, Arkansas and graduated from Bentonville High School with high honors and an International Baccalaureate diploma. I came to Northwest Arkansas Community College two years ago and I will graduate this May with an Associates of Science with Liberal Arts and Sciences. In spring 2017, was named the All-Star student for NWACC which opened up new opportunities for furthering my education. This summer, I will transfer to the University of Arkansas with a full tuition scholarship to finish my undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering with a minor in mathematics.
Natalie was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She moved to Washington state for college and is currently a sophomore at Western Washington University. She hasn’t decided her major yet and is frantically trying to figure it out! In her free time, she enjoying mountain biking, paragliding, and fishing. In the summer months, she is a fishing guide in Alaska.
My name is Leah and I was born and raised in Texas but move to Seattle in 2016. I have an associates degree and am trying out different fields of Geology until I find my favorite before I get my B.S. I am a current student at Highline College and taking courses in Watercolor Painting and Drawing so I will be able to sketch in the field better. In the Summers, I teach science, art, theater, and cooking to kids at the local community center. I am a member of the IAGD (International Association for Geoscience Diversity). With them, I was able to do field projects in Arizona and Western Ireland to better include those with physical disabilities in the field of Geoscience.
Hey there! My name is Adriana Nieves, I’m 18 years old and from Puerto Rico. I am currently studying my bachelors degree in Geology at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. Some of my hobbies are exploring my beautiful island, hanging out with friends and taking pictures.
Kate Scully a returning student who has recieved two associates degrees from Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, with the most recent being an Associates in Geology. She will be attending New Mexico Tech in Socorro to further her education, and work towards her bachelors and beyond. She is driven by adventure and experience and hopes to find herself in the remediation field one day. Kate practices ethical foraging and identification in the temperate deciduous forests of upstate New York, and holds a huge appreciation for all of the things this planet has to offer.
Chanel Vidal is working on her B.S. in geology at Iowa State University. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading anything J.K. Rowling or Douglas Adams, and occasionally flying airplanes. She is passionate about exploring, and hopes to explore the solar system by studying planetary geology in her future!
Emily Waggoner will graduate from the University of Southern California this June, with her B.S. in Environmental Studies and minor in Science Visualization. Driven by her curiosity for the ocean, Emily has explored everything from gray whales to natural greenhouse gas production in marine sediments, and is thrilled to continue her ventures with STEMSeas!
Jacob Feltner – Bio Coming
Anisha Bafna is a student at University of California Irvine majoring in Earth System Science.
