What is your topic of research and why were you drawn to it?
My research involves extracting oxygen isotopes from stalagmites in caves, which are composed of calcium carbonate. Oxygen isotopic ratios serve as proxies for rainfall levels, allowing us to reconstruct ancient hydroclimate variability. My project focuses on oxygen isotope records from the late Pleistocene, 30,000 to 50,000 years ago.
I was drawn to this area of research because of its wider implications for understanding climate variability. The Philippines are situated in the Indo-Pacific warm pool, a mass of high-temperature surface ocean water that influences weather and climate patterns globally. Stalagmites have recently emerged as a compelling climate proxies, but most of the studies using stalagmite samples have been conducted in the Northern Hemisphere, not the Equatorial region. So the work we’re doing in Assistant Professor Dan Ibarra’s lab is providing new paleoclimate data to help validate and extend existing records derived from other archives. I’ll be continuing this work for my senior thesis, for which I will compare rainfall data from two more recent stalagmites in the Philippines.
What’s something you’ve learned?
This was my first research project; it taught me everything I know about the research process and what it means to be a climate scientist. I learned how to drill stalagmites to retrieve calcium carbonate powder; it’s amazing to me that these little specks of powder can tell us so much about the past climate. It’s exciting and validating to piece together larger trends and see the data we’ve collected stand in agreement with other studies. I’ve also discovered the importance of having a supportive advisor like Dan, he’s helped me feel at home in the lab and I’m grateful for the freedom and independence he’s entrusted me with.
Why DEEPS?
My parents are both earth scientists, so I developed a respect and admiration for the field from a young age. But I’ve also really fallen in love with my own research, and I am really passionate about climate science. I love being outside and find the adventure that comes with fieldwork exciting. Most importantly, though, the Brown EEPS department is a real community. The classes are fascinating and the professors are really invested in you and your success; they make an effort to get to know you, to check-in, and support you.
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The Student Research Stories are a new series of interviews showcasing the research journeys of undergraduate students in the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science (DEEPS). The series is organized and created by DEEPS Communications Assistants Hania Khan and Isabel Tribe.