My mentoring strategies are codified in a publication I led on mentoring undergraduate research which can be found here. My mentoring philosophy revolves around building upon students’ strengths and recognizing and working with them through their difficulties. Ultimately, I let them be the driver and I’m in the passenger seat with an extra brake pedal just in case. I’ve worked with students on senior thesis projects, guided research projects, and summer internship programs.
Senior thesis projects
Steven Lott (Michigan State University) investigated the foliar characteristics that affect leaf hydrophobicity and thus influence foliar water uptake. He presented his work for a seminar and university-wide symposium. His senior thesis manuscript is currently in review.
Josie Lesage (UC Santa Barbara) determined the effects of fog drip on water relations of Artemisia californica (California sagebrush). Pictured here performing pre-dawn xylem pressure potential measurements. She is now a graduate student in Ecology at UC Santa Cruz. Her work resulted in a publication.
Guided research projects
Monica Lee (UC Santa Barbara) explored how fog-plant interactions affected fog drip chemistry in Coastal Sage Scrub species. Pictured here constructing fog drip collectors in the field.
Aria Bauman (UC Santa Barbara) surveyed and interviewed students in a field ecology class to determine the effectiveness of a field course and the value of having a field component. Pictured monitoring plant phenology to help me with summer fieldwork (on the right).
Summer internship programs
I have had a tremendous amount of help during my PhD from undergraduates at UC Santa Barbara. Many thanks to:
Jaime Voong, Kara Clay, Jeremy Dean, Kristin Arakawa, Noelle Ocen-odoge, Alex Swider, Jacob Wverka, Charlotte Jacobs, Alexa Peñalosa, Mark Mallari, Nate Mooi, and Shane Dewees.
Summer Institute in Mathematics and Science (SIMS) – Worked with four enthusiastic incoming freshman on various fog projects. (Bianca Felix, Kellie Toyofuku, Jason Dai and Jessica Bullington)
Jack Kent Cooke Bridges Mentor – Worked with four ambitious community college students looking to excel in the sciences (Carlos Godinez, Karla Elias, Atl Arredondo, Michael Morey). Pictured below is the construction of fog collectors for Josie’s senior thesis project