Hi, my name is Staten Baker, and I am a rising senior from Fairhope, Alabama, currently attending the University of Alabama. In my free time, I enjoy being on the water whether that’s fishing, wakeboarding, or spending time with friends. Growing up on the coast has shaped many of my interests, particularly my concern for environmental issues. I am especially interested in microplastics, as they directly impact coastal ecosystems, local fisheries, and the waters that have always been an important part of my life.

My name is Sarah Garton, and I am a rising sophomore studying materials engineering at Cal Poly SLO. I am passionate about addressing environmental pollution that impacts vulnerable communities, and I plan to obtain a PhD in sustainable materials science after I complete my undergrad. In my free time, I enjoy playing instruments, rock climbing, and spending time with my friends. I hope to use the research skills I gain through USA’s REU program to conduct similar sustainable research for my local community.

I am a rising junior at Lafayette College, majoring in environmental science and minoring in geology. Outside of academics, I am a leader and mentor in community engagement programs, a peer-to-peer sustainability mentor, a director of community engagement in Alpha Phi, and a member of an outdoors society. I enjoy learning about human-driven environmental change and its impact on landforms, species, and communities. I am particularly interested in researching the distribution of microplastic pollution and its impacts on vital oceanic species. I hope to use the experience and skills gained during the USA REU to pursue graduate studies in and a career in conservation. 

My name is Hilary McGivern. I am a rising junior studying chemistry and chemical engineering at Saint Mary’s College and the University of Notre Dame, but I am originally from New Lenox, Illinois. I make an impact on my college environment as part of the Band of the Fighting Irish in the piccolo section, a board member of The Saint Mary’s Affiliate of the American Chemical Society, and working as a physics teaching assistant. Some of my favorite things to do outside of class are to play pickleball or badminton, be outside, workout, and see my friends and family. I am very interested in helping conserve the environment and I am excited for this opportunity as an NSF REU fellow at USA to develop my research skills and grow in my knowledge and practice of sustainability. I know my experiences at USA will help me in my career and I am eager to begin research in microplastics.

I am Hari Charan Atmakuri, a computer engineering student at the University of South Alabama. At the university, I am part of the Honors College and the IEEE-HKN Theta Lambda Chapter Honors Society. I am also part of the Jaguar Satellite Research team, where I am specifically working on embedded systems to program the satellite. I am skilled in designing artificial intelligence systems, specifically within the areas of agents and workflows. I am very eager to be part of the NSF REU program at the University of South Alabama, where I can actively perform research on the methods of utilizing AI systems to address the microplastics within the Gulf Coast regions. 

My name is Kaylin Defore, and I am a rising junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at the University of South Alabama. At the university, I have worked as an undergraduate assistant in identifying microplastic particles across different filtered water samples. With this amazing opportunity at the REU, I hope to further hone my own research skills and aid in developing ways to clean up microplastic pollution for a better environment and encourage more sustainable practices in our daily lives and the industry. Outside of academics, I enjoy creative writing, drawing, and playing a variety of indie videogames!

My name is Nelia Peng, and I am a rising sophomore at the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Civil Engineering. I am actively involved on campus as a member of the Cal Steel Bridge Team and the ASCE Executive Board. I am particularly interested in exploring innovative ways to repurpose microplastics into useful and sustainable materials rather than allowing them to remain pollutants in our ecosystems. After completing my bachelor's degree, I plan to get a masters in Structural Engineering. 

Hello there! My name is Tommy Carmichael and I am a rising junior at Boston University studying Chemistry on a materials and nano-science track. My goal is to eventually work for the FBI in hazardous materials response doing forensic chemistry. I grew up in Mobile, so I know and love the region very well. In my free time I love to play volleyball, soccer, guitar, and magic the gathering, and design and build costumes. 

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, my name is Kate Dufour, and I am a rising junior marine biology student at the University of Washington. I serve as a research assistant in UW's Ocean Data Lab, where I process acoustic data to support Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) research and contribute to monitoring the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales. I am involved on campus in other roles and work as the Coalition Coordinator for WashPIRG’s “Save the Orcas” campaign and an international University Ambassador for Women in Ocean Science. In my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking, tidepooling, and photography. I am excited to participate in this NSF REU at USA because I hope to tie together a pervasive problem in future graduate studies: microplastics and megafauna. 

Hello! My name is Lee Nagel, and I am a rising junior at the University of Alabama, majoring in computer engineering. I love to be curious, constantly dabbling in mini projects and research to gain a greater sense of the science and philosophy of the world. My favorite areas especially are information transmission, AI safety and training, moral futurology, GPU software optimization, and I have recently become interested in Homotopy Type Theory. Outside of the lab/my computer, I like to go hiking, do ham radio, listen to/play music, and cook. Within this REU, I am interested in researching methods for detection and categorization of microplastics, especially those that can run on the edge autonomously in distributed nodes. I believe that this will allow me to gain a greater understanding of data sensing and processing, getting me closer to my dream of a career in ASIC design.

Sofia Dahl-Santoro is a dual-degree student at Saint Mary's College pursuing a B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in policy. She has a strong interest in combining disciplines with law and policy and plans to pursue environmental policy after graduation. She has actively contributed to her own independent undergraduate research project, focusing on the identification and distribution of microplastics in the tissues of smallmouth bass. Outside of her academic pursuits, she is a Section Leader for the trumpet section of Band of the Fighting Irish and is a choreographer with the Notre Dame/Saint Mary's Irish Dance Team. In her free time, she enjoys listening and adding to her vinyl collection.