Meet the 2010 Cohort

The 2010 Cohort has now successfully completed their participation in the IDES program we wish them the best and are sure that we'll hear great things of all the program participants!

Sarah Acker (Oregon State University)

Sarah is currently pursuing other interests, but was a 2010 IDES Cohort. In that capacity she interned with Dr. Roy Haggerty, OSU’s Geology Program, and his research group on the development of a tracer (resazurin) to measure stream metabolism.  She compared measurements made in pure microbial cultures with Raz, to measurements made with conventional techniques.  It is hoped that this will  improve the confidence in the method for use in streams.

Sarah was the recipient of the 2010-2011 OSU Undergraduate Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Creativity Program (URSIC) for her proposal entitled, "The Use of Resazurin to Asses Microbial Metabolism and Aerobic Respiration," in which she received funding for her research project. Sarah majored in Chemical Engineering.

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Yuritzy Gonzalez Pena (Oregon State University)

Yuritzy graduated Spring 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Geography with a Certificate in Geographic Information System. She is presently in OSU’s Public Health Master's degree Program - International Epidemiology Track. She also works part time as an Educational Program Assistant at OSU-Extension Services.

Through the IDES Program, while earning her bachelor’s degree, Yuritzy interned with Drs. Christopher Daly and Michael D. Halbleib, PRISM Climate Group, a group that produces among the world's best spatial climatological data. Yuritzy assessed the amount of potential biomass in the Boardman Oregon region, with a focus on agricultural residue and its availability for conversion to biofuels. She was an essential part of the team in collecting, processing and later analyzing the data. She became proficient in utilizing satellite imagery, precipitation data, road networks, national agricultural statistical data and then creating a model that provides estimates of what is likely available for biofuels conversion within that geographic region.

In 2011, here at OSU, Yuritzy was awarded the Christian John Hunt Memorial Scholarship in Geography. It is granted to a student who has demonstrated commitment to studies in their major, and it honors her dedication to learning and her passion for knowledge. Since then, Yuritzy has gone on to participate in several OSU programs: (1) A West Nile research public health internship, to determine factors to decrease the mosquito habitat; (2) As a student facilitator, with Academics for Student Athletes Program, working with students to develop study skills; and (3) As a bilingual assistant, with the Linus Pauling Institute Healthy Youth Program.

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Christopher Hunter (Chemeketa Community College & Oregon State University)
 
Chris interned with Dr. Adam Shultz at Oregon State University. Chris was working on a study of methods to improve the stability and noise levels of electrodes we manufacture to measure the Earth's electric field. He was applying statistical analyses to large groups of electrodes under laboratory conditions, and he assisted with field work where electrodes and magnetometers were installed at our field station at Soap Creek Ranch. 

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Andrea Jacobo (Portland Community College, Portland State University)

Andrea is completing a Bachelor's Degree in Education, with an emphasis is mathematics, and in the process is a math tutor for college students struggling with math classes. As the only female offering this service, she fills an important niche among her gender, and particularly among Muslim women, who prefer having a female tutor.

Andrea’s research involves developing a science module, a suitcase lesson for middle school and high school students. Her focus was on climate change awareness. Once the module was developed, it was refined by getting feedback from middle school students.

Her primary mentor was Dr. Rob Harris of OSU’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS), who provided most of her valuable support, particularly regarding science content; she also received science module development guidance from Dr. Marta Torres, CEOAS; and Dr. Ryan Collay, OSU’s Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences (SMILE) Progam, was instrumental in providing Andrea, with afterschool programs for testing the material.

Through Dr. Rob Harris, Andrea presented a poster at the American Geophysical Union, in San Francisco, in 2011. Receiving positive feedback from conference attendees during her poster session, she now uses her poster as a source of pride and inspiration, placing it where she can see it, as soon as she wakes every morning.

Though Andrea has now completed the IDES Program, she did in Summer 2014, intern as a Biotech with the National Park Service. Andrea says that her exposure to GIS through the IDES program, and her IDES internship experience, helped her “be a mentor for one of the National Park Service’s Youth Conservation Corps crew.”

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Ronnie Perry (Portland Community College, Portland State University)

Ronnie is working toward a Bachelors Degree in Education, with an emphasis in mathematics. He along with cohort, Christopher Wade conducted a joint IDES research project utilizing Google Earth, to map Portland schools within a particular district; consolidating data and information, making it accessible to parents of school age children; and making it easier to compare and evaluate local schools.

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Olivia Poblacion (Oregon State University)

As a geography major, Olivia plans to graduate in 2013, and says she is “passionate about discovering a broad view of the Earth.” So for academic year 2012-2013, Olivia is studying in Morocco. She is participating in a journalism program that focuses on covering underreported stories in the region. This opportunity was made possible, in part by a grant through the OSU Gray Family Geography Fund. Olivia, says, “I am looking forward to adding an international component to my interest in geoscience communication, and hope to report on stories related to the environment, natural resources, and science."
 
Olivia says, "In gaining a better understanding of Earth systems through my involvement with IDES and the Ecoinformatics Summer Institute, I have become increasingly committed to communicating geosciences to diverse audiences.  I am now minoring in writing…”.
 
Dr. Julia Jones, OSU’s Geography program, is Olivia’s IDES mentor, and under her guidance, Olivia was able to pursue her interest in outreach, education, public understanding of science and soils. Through IDES, she was: (1) developing texts and photographs for a new interpretive trail being established in the oldgrowth forest near the headquarters site at the Andrews Forest, to understand and express basic ideas about oldgrowth forest ecosystems including roles of geology, soils, disturbance, in simple messages understandable to the public; (2) preparing a module on soils, as part of a daylong activity for middle school students, in which she described some soil profiles in and near the H.J. Andrews headquarters site; (3) participating in providing leadership to the EcoInformatics Summer Institute students, with projects involving moth response to climate variability. Her IDES fieldsite experience, use of GPS, plant sampling, moth sampling, and analysis of climate data was valuable in this capacity. Olivia’s IDES fieldwork would involve her residing at the Andrews Forest, over the course of two summers. A presentation of her research while in IDES was showcased at the 2012 IDES Symposium.
 
She was the recipient of the 2011 Excellence Award in Earth Science by OSU’s Department of Geosciences. Olivia is an avid runner, who competes for OSU indoor, outdoor, and cross-country track teams. She is also a member of the OSU Student Sustainable Initiative Fee Board.

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Amber Ross (Oregon State University)

Amber graduated in December 2012, with a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science, as well as a Certificate in Geographic Information System. She says, "I am working for the Oregon Department of State Lands (Eastern Region) as a Natural Resource Specialist 1 - Rangeland Technician. I will be completing rangeland analysis and monitoring projects for approximately 30,000 acres of Oregon's state lands this field season. I want to point out that when they hired me having GIS courses/certificate on my resume is something that made me stand out, and will be a part of my job...I am so thankful that the IDES program introduced me to the world of GIS because it really is giving me a competitive edge in the workforce."
 
Amber’s IDES internship was with Energize Corvallis - Environmental Center, running the Community Carbon Challenge, a simple, easy way to get Corvallis residents engaged in reducing their home energy use. Amber took the lead on developing maps of the neighborhoods involved in the program and designing the materials that canvassers used when working with residents. Her mentor was Cary Lettero, Program Manager of OSU’s Environmental Humanities Initiative. Amber was a Program Leader for the Summer of Solutions program component, helping design, train, and facilitate the eight-week summer internship program.

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Chris Wade (Portland Community College, Oregon State University)

Chris has completed a Bachelors Degree in Education, with an emphasis in mathematics, and has gone on to earn a Master’s Degree, in the same field. From Fall 2013, he will be teaching middle school mathematics.
                
While participating in IDES, Chris along with IDES Cohort Ronald Perry conducted a joint project utilizing Google Earth, mapping Portland schools within a particular district; consolidating data and information, making it accessible to parents of school age children; and making it easier to compare and evaluate schools.

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Kevin Weldon (Oregon State University)

Kevin majored in Geosciences with a Geology focus at Oregon State University. His academic interests are focused towards volcanology, and geochronology. Kevin had two advisors, the first summer he worked with Bart Willis, USFS; and during the academic year, with Shan de Silva. His internship was with the United States Forest Service on the Deschutes National Forest in central Oregon working as a forest geologist in training under the SCEP (student career education program). Kevin's research project was to understand the high silica magma system of Newberry Volcano through geochronology and petrology.

Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree, Kevin is now employed at Prescott National Forest as a field geologist with the National Forest Service. Among his most recent accomplishments is a USDA Certificate of Appreciation - In recognition of Exemplary Efforts and Outstanding Accomplishments, regarded above and beyond the traditional Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Assessment, in an effort to reduce impact to life, property, and national resources from post burn conditions of the Little Bear Fire (July, 2012). Kevin has also been recognized with a USDA Certificate of Appreciation – Exceptional teamwork involving Minerals and Land Management at Prescott National Forest (November, 2013); and was also voted into a board member position for the Soil and Water Conservation Society – Arizona Chapter (2013).