GRADUATE STUDENTS
Rylie Ellison
Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry
rjellison@ucdavis.edu
Research Interests: Dairy manure management is a leading emitter of methane and nitrous oxide, as well as nutrient runoff in California. I am developing a process to chemically separate and stabilize manure for field application. I will then test how this affects nutrient cycling, plant growth, and gas emissions for agricultural soil. I am also interested in science communication and environmental policy, particularly at the state level.
Hobbies: Hiking and camping, listening to podcasts, reading novels, snowboarding, learning to cook international cuisine
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rylie-ellison/
Geoffrey Koch
Soils and Biogeochemistry Graduate Group
Research Interests: With solid roots at UC Davis in the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (SAFS) major as an undergraduate, I have come to see soil as the intersection of many problems and solutions in agriculture. Broadly, I am interested in the management decisions farmers and land managers make and the impacts and feedbacks that are created "on-the-ground". Conservation agriculture, soil carbon sequestration, "Healthy Soil," are all buzzwords/phrases, and rightly so. My research has focused on what those terms might really mean in different contexts. Furthermore, how to use knowledge of established and evolving science to shape policy and management regimes to improve the environment, our food system, and the health of all of those involved. I am pursuing a PhD in this field to prepare myself for a career in or adjacent to academia. Most of my research focuses on nutrient cycling, greenhouse gasses (GHG), and management techniques to augment soil health and environmental health.
Hobbies: Cooking, gardening, hiking, fishing, travel, entertaining, talking about science!
LinkeIn : linkedin.com/in/geoffkochucd
Twitter: https://twitter.com/koch_geoff
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Geoffrey_Koch
Cole Smith
Soil Science & Biogeochemistry Graduate Group
cbrsmith@ucdavis.edu
Research Interests: My research interests pertain to the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen within intensively managed agro-ecosystems, specifically vegetable cropping systems under integrated nutrient management with compost. Using a diverse set of techniques, such as 15N isotope tracing, microbial biomass measurements, and process-based modeling, I aim to understand how growers can improve their crop-soil system nitrogen use efficiency and reduce nitrogen pollution.
Veronica Suarez-Romero
Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry
Nazanin Akrami
Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry
Imane Slimani
Soils & Biogeochemistry
islimani@ucdavis.edu
I'm interested in the interaction between element cycling in natural and managed agricultural systems. Specifically, iron, carbon and nitrogen exhibit strong linkages that affect greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient availability and redox dynamics. I aim to explore these interactions in different soils across CA through the use 15N isotope tracing, enzyme assays and different other techniques.
Hobbies : Hiking, cooking, travelling and reading novels.
Feifan Yang
Soils & Biogeochemistry
Savannah Haas
Soils & Biogeochemistry Graduate Group
smhaas@ucdavis.edu
Cynthia Creze
Soils & Biogeochemistry
