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Welcome Kylee!
Fall 2025 The lab welcomes a new graduate student this fall! Kylee Nielsen will be pursuing their M.S. degree in Soils and Biogeochemistry. Their work will focus on developing a field soil roots and fungi macrophotography protocol. Read more about them in our team page. Welcome to UC Davis and the Lybrand lab, Kylee! Inaugural SOILS Bridge Cohort Summer 2025 The lab is excited to launch the Soils & Outreach for Integrated Learning & Self-Efficacy (SOILS) Bridge project, a geosciences education program for community college students! This program aims to engage students in field excursions and laboratory activities to enhance their technical skills and soil science knowledge. SOILS Bridge also strives to connect community college students with the resources necessary to transition to a four-year university. We are thrilled to welcome our inaugural cohort of 5 students to join this program through the fall! MONet Soil Sampling Award Summer 2025 Congratulations to Maddie who was selected to participate in summer soil sampling for the Molecular Observation Network (MONet)! The lab conducted an expedition to a granitic watershed north of Tucson, Arizona to collect soil cores at existing field sites for the project “Investigating fungal contributions to mineral weathering in the Sonoran Desert.” A suite of over 30 physical, biological, and chemical soil properties are being analyzed at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL). Data from this project will be publicly available as part of MONet’s continental-scale dataset. Learn more about MONet here. EMSL Summer School Summer 2025 Congratulations to Cassie, who was selected for training at the 2025 EMSL Summer School: From Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Agent-Based Science! Topics included the fundamentals of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), large language models (LLMs), and the use of LLMs to create semiautonomous software agents to accelerate fundamental biological and environmental research. It was an amazing opportunity to network with scientists from around the US and abroad while gaining valuable hands-on training from experts in the field. Spring Teaching Term Spring 2025 The lab is excited to celebrate the close of another successful teaching term! Rebecca taught SSC120: Soil Genesis, Morphology, and Classification as well as SAS005: Extraterrestrial Soils. Cassie made an outstanding contribution as a Teaching Assistant by leading field trips and mentoring student research projects. Learn more on our Teaching Page. MONet Community Science Meeting Spring 2025 Maddie and Cassie were able to travel to the Pacific Northwest National Lab in Pasco, Washington to attend the 2025 Molecular Observation Network (MONet) Community Science Meeting! Sessions focused on the use of MONet data to enable cross-scale soil biogeochemistry research and included hands-on training in MONet data exploration. Maddie presented a poster showcasing how MONet’s advanced dataset can be applied to examining mineral weathering and soil development in contrasting bioclimates. Great work Maddie! (Learn more about the MONet community science campaign here. MONet Soil Sampling Award Fall 2024 Congratulations to Cassie who was selected to participate in fall soil sampling for the Molecular Observation Network (MONet)! The lab conducted an expedition to the coastal temperate rainforests of southeast Alaska to collect soil cores at existing field sites for the project “Assessing the bioweathering of minerals along a bioclimate gradient.” A suite of over 30 physical, biological, and chemical soil properties are being analyzed at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL). Data from this project will be publicly available as part of MONet’s continental-scale dataset. Learn more about MONet here. SSSA Bouyoucos Summer Conference
Summer 2024 Rebecca, Cassie, and Maddie recently attended the Soil Science Society of America’s Bouyoucos Summer Conference. Rebecca discussed the interdisciplinary nature of soil science research in her plenary talk titled: Connecting Soils to Life on Earth and Beyond. Cassie and Maddie both presented posters and attended a tour of the El Yunque National Forest Soils, which featured an Oxisol! Maddie was awarded a Graduate Student Travel Award to cover the cost of travel and registration. Thank you to SSSA for welcoming the lab to Puerto Rico! |
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