Masters Student
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Research interests: Atmospheric microplastics

Biography
I graduated from UCSC in 2023 with my B.S. in Earth Science. Through the UCSC ‘4+1’ program I will earn my M.S. in Earth Science studying atmospheric microplastics. My research interests include anthropogenic effects on the environment and science communication. I strive to bridge the gap between the research community and the general public. I begun my atmospheric microplastic research as an undergraduate and I’m excited to continue this research and hope to spread knowledge about plastic pollution.

Research
I focus on terrestrial versus coastal deposition of atmospheric microplastics. Microplastics accumulate in the ocean and on land, and once they reach a specific size (1um- 5mm diameter) can be suspended in the air and carried for hundreds of miles. Microplastics are manufactured to that size or originate larger plastics that undergo physical degradation from the ocean, wind, or fires. We collect aerosol samples from Lake Tahoe and UCSC Coastal Science Campus to compare terrestrial versus coastal deposition of atmospheric microplastics in ‘pristine’ environments. Other locations, like Jordan and Bermuda, are analyzed to compare the global effects of plastic pollution. We use a fluorescent microscope paired with NileRed dye to count the plastic particles from environmental samples. Larger plastics are extracted to be analyzed by ATR-FTIR to determine polymer type. Quantifying atmospheric microplastics is essential to understanding the anthropogenic effects on the environment. I hope to bring awareness about atmospheric microplastics to the general public.