Department of Applied Environmental Science
ESTP Student Conducts Award Winning Research
Lisa Irvine, a current Environmental Science, Technology, & Policy major, recently won the Outstanding Research Poster Award at the UROC Summer Symposium. Her project, “Bathymetric Sedimentation Rates in Scott Creek Coastal Estuary Post 2020 CZU-Complex Lighting Fire (2020-2023),” was completed under the mentorship of Dr. James “Jimmy” Guilinger, an AES assistant professor.
We reached out to Lisa to learn more about her work with Dr. Guilinger. Check out her interview below!
In 3-4 sentences, please summarize your research.
The research that I have been a part of since the beginning of 2023 has been on the Bathymetric Sedimentation rates in Coastal estuaries post Wildfires. Our specific study site was the Scott Creek Coastal Estuary in Santa Cruz County, which had a CZU-Complex Lightning fire in 2020 that burned much of the Scott Creek watershed. We want to know the impact of these increasing wildfire events in estuaries given that there hasn’t been much research on the topic. We would like to see how much sediment gets transported into the estuary in post fire situations and how it might affect the delicate balance that an estuary is known for.
What did you gain from this experience and does this experience contribute to your career goals?
This was an overall amazing experience that I was so glad that I was able to participate in. I got to learn how to use new tools for the field and multiple analysis methods including ArcGIS Pro and CloudCompare. All the things that i learned will also help me in the future
What was your favorite part of the symposium?
My favorite part of the symposium was all the people sharing their research. There were so many ideas and topics from different majors which was really interesting to see.
What are your future plans (career, academic, etc.)?
My initial plan is to do a season or two of being a wildland Firefighter to gain experience working with fires and the people that are managing the fires. I want to take some time and do some internships to gain experience and figure out what area I really want to go into and then maybe get my masters.
Any advice for fellow students interested in participating in this type of research?
Some advice that I would give to fellow students interested in research is to try and get your foot in the door with connections. You don’t need to do anything but reaching out to teachers that either teach a subject you’re interested in or if they know anyone that you could talk to about how they got to where they are today and if they have any opportunities that you might be able to participate in.
Congratulations, Lisa! We look forward to seeing where your professional and academic endeavors will take you!