EES Student Spotlight: Graduate Student Kirsten Fentzke
Kirsten Fentzke is a graduate student that studies Chemical Oceanography. Kirsten was drawn to Dr. Dalton Hardisty’s lab by the integration of laboratory sciences within the field observations and being able to get out and gather real time data that helps further our understanding of earth processes. “The entire process is incredibly rewarding, and I have been so happy to be able to use my knowledge from undergrad and apply it to a collaborative project.”
“My project is focused on understanding modern iodine cycling within the surface ocean, specifically in the Atlantic Ocean. I gathered samples on a 6-week cruise from the Falkland Islands to Southampton, UK and I have been using a series of laboratory methods to understand speciation, mechanisms, and rates of iodine cycling within the study area. Understanding modern cycling of iodine as a tracer will have impacts on how it is used in our interpretations of palaeoceanographic observations.”
“I have loved being able to take ownership over my work and having the freedom and support to take a project from proposal to publication. As an undergraduate, real-time research was something I thought was inaccessible to me and I have been extremely happy to let that belief go.”
“This degree has taken my skills in research and has allowed me to apply them in a collaborative setting that will prepare me for the next steps in my career. As I continue my next steps in the academic space, I am grateful for the skillset, experiences, and friendships that I have been able to cultivate here.”
For Kirsten, one of the best parts about the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is the unwavering support that has been given by peers and mentors. “I really want to thank everyone that has supported me through my undergraduate degree here and into my master's program, I would not have been able to take that step as smoothly without that support.”
When not in the lab or classroom, Kirsten can usually be found surrounded by friends or out in nature camping and hiking, enjoying the sights and sounds!
