A Summer in the Arctic Soil

The Research Traineeship Experience (RTX) at the Jackson School of Geosciences is a nine-week summer program that provides students with research and technical skills. Each participant conducted an independent research project under supervision from mentors in the Jackson School.

For my project, I had the opportunity to travel to northern Alaska to do fieldwork with my mentors, Dr. Bayani Cardenas and Neel Mukherjee. We stayed at Toolik Field Station, a research station dedicated to Arctic sciences. I spent four days exploring the Imnavait Creek watershed, surveying wells and collecting soil samples. Since we were visiting in the summer, our field clothes consisted of mosquito jackets and muck boots to navigate the muddy Arctic tundra. Back at the research station, I’d analyze my samples for hydrologic properties that are relevant for groundwater flow and transport estimates. My work is just a small part of a bigger effort to better understand groundwater and carbon flux in the Arctic, where soils are rich in carbon. I am continuing this research into the 2024-2025 school year for my EVS Capstone project and Jackson Honors thesis.

Overall, the RTX program helped me establish myself as a researcher and find my place in the geosciences. I am grateful for my time in Alaska, where I was surrounded by such knowledgeable scientists that made me feel included and answered my many questions. I would also like to extend a huge thank you to Scarlette Hsia, Lisa Pausback, Jessica Rowling, and Veronica Vasquez for putting together the RTX program this summer.

Sydney Villaruel
Undergraduate student