NASA JPL Practicum Team
In recent years, there has been a rise in the prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARBs) that is jeopardizing our ability to treat infections and diseases (Meek, et al. 2015). We need to understand how ARBs are transported through the environment in order to research the effects they have on the human body. During storm events, ARBs that accumulate on land enter coastal waters through runoff pathways and can be ingested or inhaled by people during recreational ocean activities. An example of an antibiotic resistant bacteria is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which causes skin infections and can be life-threatening. A prior practicum team found that people who surfed during and soon after wet weather events were over six times more likely to carry MRSA in their nasal cavities than surfers who avoided the water during this time.
Our practicum team will use findings from the previous project and couple it with new remote sensing satellite data to expand future water quality analysis. Currently, easy and immediate access to information on water quality is unavailable. Field sampling provides accurate water quality data, but it can be costly and is infrequently collected. A cheaper, more accessible option for analyzing water quality is remote sensing, which involves collecting imagery of large spatial areas from NASA’s satellites. The relationship between harmful contaminant plumes and satellite data will be investigated by simultaneously collecting water samples as satellites pass over the Southern California coast. This project aims to advance the application of satellite data modeling for public health, and has the potential to better inform the public about how they can protect themselves from harmful pathogens in coastal waters.
Student Team: Kierstin Blatzheim, Albert Cao, Jasmine Summer-Evans, Max Menczer, Rachel Han, Cade Mills, Savannah McCarthy, and Sophia Winter
Client: NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Advisor: Yuwei Kong
Project Proposal
We are the UCLA IoES 2021-2022 Water Quality Monitoring with Remote Sensing practicum team. With the help of the NASA JPL and UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, we aim to engage the public in water quality research through a resourceful and interactive website. This scientific communication resource relays the importance of understanding coastal water quality benefitting the environment and public health!
Watch the video below to understand the origins of our practicum research and our project goals
Team Members
Kierstin Blatzheim is a southern Delaware native graduating from UCLA with a degree in Environmental Science and a concentration in Environmental Engineering. She believes in approaching problems from a variety of perspectives and especially enjoys design work. When she isn’t collecting water samples or in the lab, she likes going to the beach, camping, and hiking.
Albert is graudating with a B.S. in Environmental Science, a B.S. in Statistics, and a minor in Environmental Engineering. He's passionate about using data visualizations and modelling to tackle real-wrold problems. Albert enjoys skiing in winter and hiking in spring and fall!
Rachel Han is graduating UCLA with a BS in Environmental Science and a concentration in Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences. She is really passionate about projects focusing on air quality and water quality, and is pursuing a career prioritizing the planet and addressing climate change. Outside of the lab, Rachel enjoys traveling, playing softball, and going on food adventures with her friends.
Savannah is graduating from UCLA in June 2022 with a B.S. in environmental science with a concentration in environmental health science. Beyond her work in the lab, she is the student supervisor for UCLA’s COVID-19 wastewater epidemiology program and fundraising director for UCLA’s chapter of Surfrider. She will be pursuing a Master’s of Sustainability from the University of Sydney upon graduation and is hoping to pursue a career as a sustainability consultant. Outside of her classes, she enjoys surfing, hiking, and sustainable fashion.
Max is graduating from UCLA with a BS in Environmental Science and a concentration in Environmental Engineering. He is passionate about equitable access to clean water and designing sustainable urban water management systems. Max will continue his education next year at Berkeley for an MS in Environmental Engineering. In his free time, Max enjoys traveling, going to the movies, and rock climbing.
Cade is from San Clemente, CA, and has a passion for all things to do with the ocean. He will graduate UCLA with a degree in Environmental Science and a concentration in Environmental Health, and plans to pursue a career that blends his interests in the environment and human medicine. Outside of the lab, Cade likes to spend his time surfing, camping, and traveling.
Jasmine is graduating from UCLA with a BS in Environmental Science and a concentration in Environmental Engineering. She is interested in the intersection of ecology and hydrology, and she plans to pursue a career focused on improving water access and quality. After graduation, she is excited to continue learning about microbial water issues in the field as an Assistant Hydrologist with the National Park Service. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, pottery, and reading.
Sophia is graduating from UCLA with a BS in Environmental Science and a minor in Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences. After graduation, she will be working as a remote sensing consultant for the United Nations on a project creating interactive crop suitability models focused on climate resiliency. She is also interested in carbon sequestration technology and the emerging blue carbon market and hopes to eventually return to academia to further her understanding in those fields. Sophia enjoys running, reading, and playing with her dog, Geo.
Yuwei Kong is a first year PhD student studying Environmental Engineering. She received her MS in Civil Engineering at UCLA. She is interested in the utilization of remote sensing tools for coastal water quality monitoring around SoCal and antibiotic resistance gene transportation and fate.