Class of 2024
2024 College of the Environment Graduation Gift
In appreciation of the 2024 College of the Environment graduating class, the College is partnering with the Campus Sustainability Fund to fund the Wapato Pond project for the UW Farm, a student powered urban farm that provides locally grown produce to UW students, staff, faculty and the greater community. This gift will help fund the development of Wapato Pond, a new growing space for the cultivation of aquatic, freshwater Indigenous food crops such as wapato, increasing the Farm’s food production and diversity of produce. We are excited to support this project and the increased sustainability of our Husky community.
A letter to our graduating students
Please find below a collection of student impressions and reflections. Congratulations to our Class of 2024!
Undergraduates
Nicole Lansford
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Biology Option
Research Title: Identification and Descriptions of Multituberculate Upper Premolars from University of Washington Burke Museum and University of California Berkeley Collections Found in the Judith River Formation
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
Being in the field! Intro class trips, GeoClub Spring Break Trips, and summer field work with the Wilson Lab.
Other than all of the field trips built into classes, the Spring Break Trips along with the seminar class that GeoClub gets to be a large part of, has been amazing both years I got to participate. The first year I got to connect with peers in the department as well as with a sister research lab within UW. Both years it was nonstop learning in the field about a geologically interesting area of the US. Skills in field camps, hiking to locations, working with others, peer teaching, finding quality field samples, understanding the land management and the history of the area, and the importance of what goes into collections, processing samples, and concluding about how and why a rock or fossil is what it is all can be gained during these trips. The second year I was in a position to be heavily involved with the planning and logistics of the trip. This gave me valuable insight into planning field work and what it takes for the department to have classes up and running. Both aspects will aid me in my goal in upper level research and teaching. Not to mention that the Spring Break Trips allow a large number of undergraduates to present on the GeoClub Spring Break Trip at the ESS Research Gala.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
ESS 453 Fossil Mammals: It was highly applicable to the undergraduate research I am doing and the amount of hands on access to a wide variety of specimens was unmatched by any other paleontology or biology course I have taken. Also, the professor, Greg Wilson Mantilla, is extremely knowledgeable about the subject and pushed students to interact with the professional paleontology spaces with discussion days. The TA, Brody Hovatter, was genuinely interesting in the students understanding concepts and held lab times in a comfortable and engaging way.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
Continuing on to Masters and PhD programs to become a professor.
What do you like to do outside of school?
Hiking, Backpacking, GeoClub, Olympic Weightlifting Club, and being with friends.
Do you have any accomplishments or activities you would like to highlight?
Co-Presidency of GeoClub 23-24, Treasury of Husky Olympic Weightlifting Club, and working with the Wilson Mantilla Lab.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I have always felt welcomed and respected by peers, graduate students, professors, faculty, and staff.
Annika Jorgenson
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geology Option with Departmental Honors
Minor in Public Policy
Honors Research Title: Effects of Depositional Setting on the Isotopic Record of Western North American Lake Sediments, Navajo Nation, Arizona, USA
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
My best memories are from working in IsoLab, and getting to know members of the department.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
ESS 427 Hillslope Geomorphology!
What are your current plans post-graduation?
Heading to Indiana University Bloomington to pursue a PhD in geochemistry.
What do you like to do outside of school?
I love to hike, climb, ski, and read!
Jinqi Wu
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geoscience Option with Departmental Honors
Honors Research Title: Mg isotope behavior during subduction metamorphism
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
Preparing for ESS GALA with my mentors would be the best experience. Painful but not suffering.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
Geochemistry.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
Continue my research as a PhD student at Harvard.
What do you like to do outside of school?
Hiking and wall climbing.
Laurence Aung
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geoscience Option
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
Field camp
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
ESS 401 (Field Geology with GIS)
What are your current plans post-graduation?
Work
What do you like to do outside of school?
Soccer
Alyssa Mollnow
Bachelor of Arts in Earth and Space Sciences
Minor in Urban Ecological Design
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
My best memory is from a field trip to Whidbey Island. The drive there, to our different locations and back had great energy. All day was so fun looking at the different rock types and how the stratigraphy was made. We got to walk along a beach and enjoy the waves and sunny day.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
My favorite class I took was a GIS class. The content in the class was really fun and learning about how the GIS program works was so interesting to me. I enjoyed and learned so much in that class that inspired me to do a research project with GIS this last quarter.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
My current plans for after graduation are to work with a city with GIS or consulting on landscapes for including more native plants into designs.
What do you like to do outside of school?
Besides school work I enjoy photography, reading, fashion, and hiking
Do you have any accomplishments or activities you would like to highlight?
I am a first-generation student.
Anything else you would like to add?
This year I have made it a priority to explore more of my environment and enjoy the state of life that I’m currently in 🙂
Nolan English
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geoscience Option
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
UW 2023 Field Camp, spending time and camping out with my friends was such a great memory to look back on.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
Space and Space Travel (ESS 102), learning the foundations of space and the history of space flight helped me form the foundations of my love for space.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
Begin working with USGS.
What do you like to do outside of school?
I love rock climbing, hiking, and working on The Dreamwalker Podcast.
Ruby Leotta
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geoscience Option with Departmental Honors
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
ESS field camp!
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
ESS 520 (Application in GIS for Earth Science) because it helped me learn valuable GIS skills that I am now using in my career.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
I am working on GIS mapping of rivers and floodplains as an environmental scientist for King County!
Do you have any accomplishments or activities you would like to highlight?
I graduated with departmental honors and completed an undergraduate research project focused on mapping shoreline changes with GIS.
Shay Rice
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Biology Option with Departmental Honors
Minor in Paleobiology
Honors Research Title: Silicate Dissolution in Glacial Bedrock: Effects of Bacterial Spores and Geomicrobiological Implications (honors research)
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
ESS 213 (Evolution of the Earth) has a special place in my heart as my first in-depth introduction to deep time, the sedimentary record, and the stories that they tell about ancient life. 213 brought together so many of the things that I had loved in introductory earth science classes, helping me realize my passion for sedimentary rock and fossils– ultimately leading me into my paleobiology minor and vertebrate paleontology research. Tied to my interest in the sedimentary record of earth’s past life and surface, I’m always interested in exploring the chemical stories preserved in rock about the place and time that it was deposited. For this reason, I also especially enjoyed the environmental geochemistry series (ESS 457 and 482,) for letting me think about all the various factors of surface chemistry that could influence (or be influenced by) the deposition of rock.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
I’m going to spend the next year building lab and teaching assistant experience, preparing for graduate school as I research and apply to programs. Though exact plans aren’t yet set, I’m currently working on some exciting research in the vertebrate paleontology lab and am hopeful about the experience that I can gain from this and future projects.
Do you have any accomplishments or activities you would like to highlight?
I feel that I really made use of the opportunities that the ESS department had to offer in terms of both coursework and research. Not only have I taken and applied myself deeply to so many interesting classes, but I’ve taken on multiple research projects in various areas of interest. I’ve been told that I’m “always working on something,” and I think that my commitment to balancing involvement in so many things is a huge accomplishment.
Melissa Mendoza
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geoscience Option
Minor in Climate Science
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
My favorite experience has been doing my research project titled “Constraining Water Isotope Diffusion in Million Year Old Ice” with my mentor, Liam Kirkpatrick.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
One of my favorite classes was Geoscience Communication (ESS 418) with Kate Huntington. I learned so much about effective writing skills and was able to do a project on local sea level rise impacts that was super interesting!
What are your current plans post-graduation?
I plan on continuing to live in Seattle and hopefully working as a field geologist after doing some traveling this summer!
What do you like to do outside of school?
I love to go to concerts, go to the theater, and spend time with friends/family!
Anton Teplouhov
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Physics Option
Minor in Applied Mathematics
Vigash Ravi
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geology Option with Departmental Honors, Baccalaureate Honors – Magna Cum Laude
Minor in Environmental Studies
Honors Research Title: Provenance of Illicitly Smuggled Scales of African Pangolins , Reconstruction of Paleoclimate in the Salar de Atacama desert, Chile
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
If there is one thing that I am going to miss the most in terms of community and the environment, it would definitely be IsoLab. My best memories there was figuring out isotopic concepts with my mentors, IsoLab has led me to grow and mature as a young scientist and I am so grateful for all the mentorship I got at IsoLab.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
Definitely ESS 463 (Structure and Tectonics). Prof. Cowan who instructed the class took us to Death Valley National Park for a field trip and it was so fun to actually see structural characteristics in person for the first time especially from the structure and tectonics GOAT (greatest of all time)!
What are your current plans post-graduation?
I plan to initially enter the resource industry in the energy space and return to graduate studies soon after to continue research which has always been my passion.
What do you like to do outside of school?
I love being in the outdoors hiking or climbing! I also play badminton and squash.
Do you have any accomplishments or activities you would like to highlight?
My team and I successfully made it to the Environmental Innovation Challenge 2023 as finalists. Our idea was to use isotopes as a tool for provenance in an industrial setting for supply chain verification.
Anything else you want to add?
I really enjoy doing field work in extreme climates; hyper-arid and high elevation, bring it on!
Rosie Ramos
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geoscience Option
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
The field trips with the ESS program stand out as my fondest memories, offering an amazing hands-on learning opportunity. Our trips took us to the geological marvels of Eastern Washington, where we were captivated by Snoqualmie Falls, and to the tranquil parks of Seattle, such as Discovery and Carkeek Park. These excursions were crucial in bringing the theoretical aspects of Earth sciences to life, turning what we learned in textbooks into tangible, real-world insights.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
My favorite class for the ESS major was ESS 427 Hillslope Geomorphology with Alison Duvall. The subject was fascinating, and Professor Duvall’s enthusiasm made learning about geomorphology fun and deeply engaging. Her ability to bring complex concepts to life and inspire curiosity was the highlight of my academic experience in the ESS program.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
After graduating, I plan to gain practical experience by working for about a year. During this time, I’ll look into opportunities in the geotechnical field, which fascinates me. My long-term goal is to return to graduate school and pursue an advanced degree in geoscience.
What do you like to do outside of school?
Outside of school, I enjoy activities such as working out, hiking, traveling, reading, and being with friends and family.
Fikri Roslan
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geology Option with Departmental Honors
Honors Research Title: Could enhanced rock weathering sequester CO2 and reduce the hazard of naturally occurring asbestos downstream of the Swift Creek Landslide?
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
My best experience with the ESS program is during the Field Geology with GIS (ESS 401). I got to see many different types of formation in Washington and gathered some collections of rare rocks and fossils.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
Engineering Geology (ESS 447). This class offers on hand experience in geology for development.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
Working back in my home country, Malaysia.
What do you like to do outside of school?
Dancing is one of my hobby but I do like a night out in Seattle.
Siti Rahayu Mat
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geology Option with Departmental Honors, Baccalaureate Honors – Cum Laude
Minor in Data Science
Honors Research Title: Discerning Fault vs Liquefaction Features through Geomorphic and Isotopic Analysis in a Geothermal Setting, Dixie Valley, NV
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
My best experience was going to the field and doing geology! Most of the classes have at least one field trip, and that’s the main reason why we all like this major, right? I had the opportunity to go to the field and help out with research projects, and that was great! You get to do science that’s not just for a class assignment and see some amazing views in the field!
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
ESS 203 and ESS 401 have the best field trip. Highly recommend! ESS 454 (Hydrogeology) is my personal favorite. It’s really refreshing to learn some new concepts + a good intro to another field in geology.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
I will be going back to Malaysia and work as an exploration geologist!
What do you like to do outside of school?
Going to national parks+spending time with my cats
Grace Nice
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geoscience Option
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
ESS 433 (Environmental Change in the Glacial Ages) field trips. The first was to Whidbey Island to evaluate sediment stratification and the second to Leavenworth to record boulder erosion, count, and relocation caused by the advance of historic ice sheets.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
ESS 420 (Intro to GIS for the Earth Sciences) or ESS 311 (Geomechanics), both of them for their variety of concepts and enthusiastic professors.
What do you like to do outside of school?
Refereeing (shout out UW intramurals!), going to concerts, traveling, working outside, and playing basketball.
Katie Lambert
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Science, Geoscience Option
Minor in Disability Studies
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
My favorite part of the ESS program was attending field trips and gaining hands-on experience in the field.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
ESS 420 – Introduction to Geographic Information Systems for the Earth Sciences ESS 520 – Application in Geographic Information Systems for the Earth Sciences I enjoyed learning to map and exploring all the ways GIS can be used. I greatly appreciated the accessibility of Steven Walters’ course and his unwavering willingness to help.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
To get outside and enjoy summer 🙂
What do you like to do outside of school?
Explore low-tide, hike, camp, road trip, garden, play video games, cook and spend time with my partner and dogs.
Anything else you would like to add?
Favorite rocks: Coquina & Gneiss
Favorite minerals: Gypsum & Amethyst
Graduates
Erich Herzig
Doctor of Philosophy in Earth and Space Sciences
Dissertation
Using Landslides Induced by Earthquakes for Paleoseismology, Hazard Prediction, and Spatial Analysis
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
Hiking in the landslides of Seattle.
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
Alison Duvall’s Hillslope Geomorphology class (ESS 427). Alison is a great teacher and the class really helped me get started with my research. It also had some fun field trips.
What do you like to do outside of school?
Hiking, running, playing board games and video games
Kelsay Stanton
Doctor of Philosophy in Earth and Space Sciences
Dissertation
Identifying the signature and mechanism of long-term permanent strain along the Cascadia coastline, southwestern Washington
What are your current plans post-graduation?
I will continue working as the Mining and Minerals Program Manager at Washington Department of Natural Resources.
What do you like to do outside of school?
Rock climb, hike, camp, work in my yard, read.
Jonathan Gates
Masters of Science in Earth and Space Sciences, Research Option
Thesis
InSAR-detected resurgence adds new chapter to 25-years of magmatic inflation at the Three Sisters, Central Oregon Cascades
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
Tsunami Deposit Field Trip with Brian Atwater
Favorite class you took for the ESS major and why?
Early Earth Evolution with Roger Buick, the exposure to the discourse in the scientific community about the origins and history of our planet was fascinating.
What are your current plans post-graduation?
The current plan is to work for the USGS as a Physical Science Technician
What do you like to do outside of school?
Look for cool rocks! What else would a geologist do outside of school?
Tristan Bench
Doctor of Philosophy in Earth and Space Sciences
Dissertation
In-Situ Sampling and Spatially Resolved Measuring Approaches for Optical Surface Exposure Dating for Late Quaternary Applications
Susannah Morey
Doctor of Philosophy in Earth and Space Sciences
Dissertation
The legacy of megafloods in the eastern Himalaya: from erosion to deposition
What is your best memory or experience with the ESS program?
I loved being a part of the ESS community–as a student myself, as a TA for undergraduate/graduate courses, and as a representative to the Faculty. I also got to do field work in the eastern Himalaya with Karl Lang (ESS grad alum) and Monica Hill (ESS undergrad alum).
What are your current plans post-graduation?
I have a position at the University of Colorado Boulder as a Postdoctoral Scholar working with Greg Tucker to determine the topographic signature/influence of landslides on landscapes at geologic timescales.
Do you have any accomplishments or activities you would like to highlight?
Julian D. Barksdale Distinguished Service Award – 2023
Howard A. Coombs Endowed Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching – 2021
Jay Fennell
Master of Science in Earth and Space Sciences: Applied Geosciences