PAST MEMBERS
Martin Burger
Associate Project Scientist
Research Manager of the UC Davis Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility
Research Interests: Soil fertility and mineral nutrition of plants; nitrogen cycling in agroecosystems; nitrogen trace gas emissions from soil; soil-plant water relations, agricultural management practices that minimize nitrogen losses to the environment and conserve water.
Rhongzhong Ye PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Research Interest: My work has focused on the connections between soil, plant, and the surrounding environment in the context of improving the quality of all these components of agricultural and unmanaged systems. Specifically, my research interest has focus on carbon and nutrient cycling in multiple phases (i.e. solid, gas, and liquid) and their responses to management and climate variability.
Google Scholar Webpage: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=XhMbfJYAAAAJ&hl=en
Toby Maxwell, PhD Candidate
Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry
Research Interests: Nutrient cycling in agricultural and natural ecosystems, stable isotopes as indicators of biophysical processes, plant-soil-water interactions as a way of understanding environmental interactions at local and ecosystem scales.
Hobbies: backpacking, skiing, music.
Roberta Brancher Franco M.Sc., PhD Candidate
Horticulture and Agronomy
Research Interests: The main objective of my thesis research is to investigate and mitigate NOx and N2O formation and emissions from silage. This research will potentially reduce the local air pollution due to NOx emissions and reduce the emission of N2O, the most potent greenhouse gas, which has 310 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide. I also would like to consequently increase the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of the forage crops utilized for silage making. This research would benefit the dairy and beef cattle farmers by developing ensilage techniques to help prevent nitrogen losses to the environment and promote more effective application of nitrogen fertilizer to the forage crops.
Hobbies: I love swimming in lakes and rivers, I like to hike or walk with my dog in nice places and views, I like riding horses a lot, I am an animal fan (I would have all of them if I had the money and space), I love traveling to new places.
My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/roberta-franco/25/76b/636/
Hannah Waterhouse, Ph.D. Candidate
Soils and Biogeochemistry
Research Interests: Broadly, I am interested in the intersection of agriculture management and environmental quality. My main focus is on nutrient cycling - in particular nitrogen - and the transport and fate of reactive nitrogen from agricultural systems into the environment. I am interested in mitigating the impact human dominated ecosystems have on the natural environment. My work has included research in identifying agricultural management practices to reduce N2O emissions, remediating salt affected soils on subsistence farms in Bangladesh, and modeling the transport of NO3- to groundwater in agricultural systems in the central valley.
Hobbies: cooking, traveling, backpacking, biking, climbing, reading
Barbara Bomfim M.Sc., PhD Student
Soils and Biogeochemistry
Research Interests: In my PhD project I will examine how disturbance affects nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics and how these influence Amazon forest ecosystems as a result of interactions between resource availability in soils and shifting demands from vegetation at different successional stages following fire and logging disturbance.
Jordon Wade M.Sc. Candidate
Soils and Biogeochemistry
Research Interests: Soil fertility, C and N dynamics, N mineralization in California cropping systems
Hobbies: making music, being totally average at all athletic endeavors, and spending too much on coffee
My LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jordon-wade/68/a50/93a
Garret Long, M.Sc. Student
Soils and Biogeochemistry
Research Interests: Transition from conventional to biodynamic production and subsequent effects on soils and nutritional quality of fruit; nutrient cycling; agroecology; biodynamic agriculture; land and resource management; communicating science/research
My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/garett-long/28/a54/449
Ryan Byrnes, M.Sc. Candidate
International Agricultural Development
Research Interests: I am interested in understanding soil processes from from mechanistic and applied perspectives with the end goal to provide managers and policy makers with data which can help protect the environment and enhance livelihoods. Currently, I am conducting experiments to assess the role of sub-surface drip irrigation as a nitrous oxide emissions mitigation tool. I also plan to conduct an experiment to evaluate the efficacy of nitrification inhibitors across a variety of soil textures, as well, I am developing and experiment to assess the role of available carbon in low-oxygen soil environments in determining dominant nitrous oxide production pathways. Before coming to graduate school I worked abroad in Africa with farmers to develop soil and water management strategies in smallholder farming systems. I am continuing to pursue avenues for outreach and research abroad and have been awarded a USAID Fellowship to conduct an experiment that will examine different biological nitrification inhabitation strategies in tropical pasture systems.
Hobbies: When I’m not working or studying I love spending time outdoors; climbing, surfing and playing soccer. I also enjoy cooking good food, drinking good beer and wine and spending time with friends.
My Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ryan-byrnes/1a/70a/468
Jennifer Morris M.Sc.
Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry
Research Interests: Greenhouse gas emissions and the driving mechanisms/pathways of agricultural systems in the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta
Shannon Bailey M.Sc.
Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry
As a part of the Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry Graduate group I am interested in a variety of topics like soil, environmental, analytical, and wine chemistry. Right now I am working on studying the greenhouse gas emissions that occur during composting. The particular gases I am focusing on are nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide. I am working on a dynamic chamber method to measure these gas emissions. Besides research I like to swim, garden, cook, knit, crochet and watch way too much TV for my own good.
Alveiro Salamanca Jimenez PhD
Soils and Biogeochemistry
Research Interests: Effect of soil water content on soil and plant nitrogen dynamics, and how to improve the nitrogen use efficiency in tropical crops
Heather Throckmorton PhD
Soils and Biogeochemistry
Research Interests: Soil organic matter, soil carbon turnover and stability, forest soils, microbial C, organo-mineral interactions, analytical pyrolysis-gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS-IRMS)
Garrett Liles PhD
Soils and Biogeochemistry
Research Interests: Forest soils, thermal analysis of soils and soil organic matter, quantification and prediction of forest soil C with colorimetry, thermodynamic characterization of SOM
Quenby Lum PhD
Ecology
Research Interests: Ecosystem nutrient cycling, climate change, biodiversity conservation.
Yumiko Henneberry PhD
Hydrologic Sciences
Research Interests: Dissolved organic carbon interactions with metal hydroxides, carbon stabilization in wetland environments, mercury cycling/speciation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Julie Bower PhD
Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry
Research Interests: Thermal analysis of biogeochemical materials, yard waste compost, organo-mineral interactions, C-13 stable isotope tracers.
Hobbies: Food preservation, gardening, animal husbandry, home renovation, playing outside with my son and pets.
My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/julie-bower/a/425/b34
Yascov Assa (Kobi) M.Sc.
Soils and Biogeochemistry
Research Interests: Organic farming and soil fertility managment.
Specific area of research: Greenhouse Gas Emissions from rice farming systems under different managment practices.
Jiro Ariyama M.Sc.
Hydrologic Sciences
Research Interests: Water Resource Management and Groundwater Recharge
Hobbies: Soccer and piano
