厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补

Get to know INSTAAR鈥檚 2025 summer scholars

Gabe Allen — Thu, 29 May 2025 20:04:37 +0000

Get to know INSTAAR鈥檚 2025 summer scholars Gabe Allen Thu, 05/29/2025 - 14:04

Gabe Allen

INSTAAR 2025 summer scholars Harry Allbrook (left) and Hunter Geist-Sanchez. Photos courtesy of Harry Allbrook and Hunter Geist-Sanchez.

Each year, two INSTAAR selects two graduate students for the INSTAAR summer scholarship, which provides funding for ongoing research over the summer months. These scholars are engaged in multi-year research efforts in the Earth sciences, and the scholarship amplifies their ability to produce high-impact, rigorous work.

In 2025, PhD students Harry Allbrook and Hunter Geist-Sanchez were awarded the scholarship. Allbrook studies marine microbial communities in Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补鈥檚 lab. Geist-Sanchez is a restoration ecologist studying plant communities from a rangeland management perspective under Katharine Suding.

This week, INSTAAR sat down with Allbrook and Geist-Sanchez to discuss their summer plans.

What are you working on this summer?

Harry Allbrook: I鈥檓 analyzing data from semi-controlled mesocosm experiments, where we simulate marine environments within an enclosed space. In particular, I鈥檓 exposing marine microbial communities to environmental stressors by manipulating oxygen, PH and nutrient levels, and seeing how they respond.

This summer, I will transform raw measurements (from liquid chromatography mass spectrometry analyses) into lists of molecular identities using open-source analytical methods. This will allow me to investigate the phenomenon of 鈥渓ipid remodeling鈥� in these mesocosms, whereby microbes adapt their cell membranes in response to environmental stress.

Microbial membranes serve as a source of nutrition for higher trophic organisms, like the fish essential to marine fisheries and indigenous communities. They also serve as fingerprints of ecosystem health, which are preserved in geologic sediments for thousands of years.

Hunter Geist-Sanchez: I鈥檓 managing two research projects. In the first, I鈥檓 hoping to identify plant species that can improve rangeland restoration efforts. Specifically, I鈥檓 testing whether certain species are more successful in bare ground interspaces within semi-arid and arid rangelands along the Front Range. If we can identify species with traits that promote establishment in these bare areas, we may be able to reverse ongoing degradation in these systems and instead promote vegetation recovery.

The second project is a long-term drought study, now in its eighth year, which stems from a partnership with the international Drought-Net network and Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks. In this study, we are manipulating precipitation to simulate extreme drought and excess rainfall, respectively. We also incorporate seasonal livestock grazing. The goal is to better understand the interactions between drought, excess precipitation and grazing on plant life.

Rangelands make up about one-third of terrestrial ecosystems in the U.S. and provide vital services, such as food, clean water and outdoor recreation. Climate change is increasing temperature and precipitation variability, which makes understanding these dynamics critical to preserving the ecological, cultural, and economic value of these systems.

Suding lab members set up equipment at a research site for Drought-Net in South Boulder. From left: Hunter Geist-Sanchez, Sam Ahler, Sarah Elizabeth Stockman and Tom Merchant. Photo courtesy of Hunter Geist-Sanchez.

Harry Allbrook loads equipment aboard the German research vessel RV Sonne in the Port of Talcahuano in Chile. Photo courtesy of Harry Allbrook.

How will the summer scholarship support this work?

Harry Allbrook: The scholarship will enable me to complete a vital step in my thesis project. I鈥檓 also looking forward to developing educational outreach tools (鈥渕icrocosm in a mason jar鈥�) that enhance ocean literacy and share my team's work with middle-school students.

Hunter Geist Sanchez: With my summer funding covered by the scholarship, I鈥檓 able to use other grant funds to hire undergraduate research assistants and purchase essential equipment. This includes soil temperature and moisture sensors as well as soil nutrient testing tools to assess how drought conditions affect nutrients in the soil.

I鈥檝e hired two current 天美传媒 undergraduates and a 2025 天美传媒 graduate to assist with both projects. They will get hands-on experience in ecological research, preparing them for a career in rangeland health and management.

What do you like to do when you鈥檙e not doing research?

Harry Allbrook: When I'm not doing research, I love to rock climb, cook, collect vinyl records (particularly electronic music) and paint with watercolors!

Hunter Geist-Sanchez: Outside of research, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, hiking and doing other outdoor activities, cooking, and traveling!

To support INSTAAR's summer scholarship for graduate students, you can make a donation to our general fund here.

If you have questions about this story, or would like to reach out to INSTAAR for further comment, you can contact Senior Communications Specialist Gabe Allen at gabriel.allen@colorado.edu.

A Q&A with PhD students Harry Allbrook and Hunter Geist-Sanchez, INSTAAR鈥檚 2025 summer scholarship recipients. The scholarship will go toward the students鈥� continued research in marine biology and grassland restoration throughout the summer.

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Ecosystems after the asteroid

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 17:16:00 +0000

Ecosystems after the asteroid Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/21/2023 - 11:16

A team of paleontologists explore the fossil-rich Corral Bluffs near Colorado Springs, Colorado. Photo: Rick Wicker (DMNS)

A new research grant will fund an investigation of the ecological and environmental changes that occurred on land after the asteroid impact and mass extinction event at the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary. Led by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS), the research will include biogeochemist and paleoclimatologist Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补 (INSTAAR Fellow and GEOL Associate Professor) as well as scientists from five other collaborating institutions. The grant is from the National Science Foundation's Frontier Research in Earth Sciences program.

During the K/Pg mass extinction, which occurred 66 million years ago, roughly 75% of all species on Earth went extinct, notably including all non-avian dinosaurs. This event completely changed the trajectory of the evolutionary tree of life, leading ultimately to the formation of today鈥檚 extraordinary mammal diversity. The aftermath of the K/Pg mass extinction represents a natural laboratory in which ecosystem reorganization can be studied in high resolution.

This award will allow my research team (Organic Geochemistry Lab) to trace how temperature, precipitation, and forest fires responded to the catastrophic environmental events caused by the asteroid impact, and how they influenced the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems in the aftermath of this event.
--- Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补

The collaborative research grant will fund important work in paleontology across the Rocky Mountain region in the western United States. This includes extensive fieldwork to study ancient life, as well as various chemical analyses. The goal is to understand how and when ecosystems recovered after a major extinction event. Not only will this project help researchers understand the evolution of many modern plants and animals but will also provide unique insights into the current biodiversity crisis facing the planet, as ancient extinctions can teach about the extinctions happening today.

This ambitious five-year research project has assembled a large, multidisciplinary team of scientists and is being led by DMNS Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, Tyler Lyson. "We are tremendously honored and excited about the opportunities this grant offers our team. Over the next 5 years, we are looking forward to building some amazing datasets to expand our knowledge of how and when life on land rebounded after Earth鈥檚 last mass extinction event 66 million years ago. And we can鈥檛 wait to share our amazing fossil discoveries with the world," said Lyson.

At 天美传媒 Boulder, Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补 and a graduate student will investigate a series of molecular fossils (biomarkers) preserved in ancient soils that can record past changes in climate and environmental conditions. 鈥淭his award will allow my research team (Organic Geochemistry Lab) to trace how temperature, precipitation, and forest fires responded to the catastrophic environmental events caused by the asteroid impact, and how they influenced the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems in the aftermath of this event,鈥� said 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补. Along with two ongoing NSF awards, his team is now uniquely positioned to address some long-standing questions about the timing of environmental and biotic responses to extreme and abrupt climate change in both terrestrial and marine realms.

The scientists across the seven institutions have decades of cumulative experience in their various field areas and the skill sets necessary to address these questions. Furthermore, the team will incorporate their findings in classrooms, museum exhibits and outreach at their home institutions to reach audiences of multiple ages and backgrounds. "We are committed to sharing our discoveries with the world and inspiring people to connect with the natural wonders that surround us," said George Sparks, president and CEO of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. "This research project will allow us to engage with a global audience, fostering meaningful connections with science, nature and our planet's history."

Collaborating institutions include Brooklyn College - City University of New York, College of Charleston, Colorado College, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, University of British Columbia, 天美传媒, University of Oregon, and University of Wyoming. The project will span from September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2028.

See also:

Denver Museum Of Nature & Science receives its largest research grant ever from the National Science Foundation
- 鈥�The INSTAAR news story you are reading is based on this DMNS press release.
You鈥檙e reading this because an asteroid killed the dinosaurs, allowing mammals to dominate the Earth. But why?
- A Q&A by collaborator Kendra Chritz (Univ of British Columbia) explains how clues may lie in the fossilized teeth of mammals
Collaborative Research: How did terrestrial ecosystems rebuild following the Cretaceous/Paleogene Mass Extinction?
- The award's page on the National Science Foundation website includes a project abstract.

Hundreds of complete fossil animals have been found at Corral Bluffs near Colorado Springs, Colorado. Discoveries include the four mammal skulls above that tell the story of how and when mammals increased in body size. Photo: Frank Verock (Howard Hughes Medical Institute).

Exquisitely preserved fossil plants like this fern have been recovered from Corral Bluffs near Colorado Springs, Colorado. Photo: Frank Verock (Howard Hughes Medical Institute).

Panoramic view of Corral Bluffs near Colorado Springs, Colorado. This area has produced a wealth of fossil plants and animals that tell the story of how life recovered after the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Photo: Rick Wicker (DMNS)

Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补 (INSTAAR Fellow and GEOL Associate Professor) is part of a team of scientists from seven collaborating institutions who were awarded a new research grant that will fund an investigation of the ecological and environmental changes that occurred on land after the asteroid impact and mass extinction event at the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary.

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The secret stories of ocean microbes (Research & Innovation Community Talk on YouTube)

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 22:47:02 +0000

The secret stories of ocean microbes (Research & Innovation Community Talk on YouTube) Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 02/23/2023 - 15:47

As part of 天美传媒 Boulder's annual Research & Innovation Week (October 17鈥�21, 2022), the 2022 Faculty Fellows gave short TED-style talks in the Gordon Gamm Theater at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder. In this talk, Dr. Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补 describes the microbes that fill our oceans, the impact of climate change on the ecosystems that depend on those microbes, and his research group鈥檚 work to better understand how we can all contribute to protecting our oceans and our planet.

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Angevine Middle School students visit INSTAAR for hands-on science

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Angevine Middle School students visit INSTAAR for hands-on science Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/21/2022 - 00:00

Shelly Sommer

200 students from Angevine Middle School criss-crossed INSTAAR space this morning, engaging in hands-on science activities. Students touched and smelled permafrost, looked at algae through microscopes, tested water pollution in local streams, investigated soil texture, learned about chickadees, and checked out weather and climate measurements in fast-paced, hands-on activities.

8th graders touching, smelling, and learning about permafrost. Most common question: 鈥�is there animal poop in there?鈥� Most likely. 鈥淐ool鈥� they said.

The students participated in the INSTAAR Open House, a cherished tradition of INSTAAR that brings middle school students into our labs and workspaces. The event was the first after a two-year hiatus because of the COVID pandemic.

After 19 years of successful collaboration with Southern Hills Middle School in Boulder, INSTAAR is now partnering with Angevine Middle School in Lafayette for the Open House. More than half of the student population of Angevine are from traditionally marginalized backgrounds, including many from low-income families. Angevine has a focus on college and career readiness for their students, especially those traditionally underrepresented in higher education.

Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补 and Wendy Roth led an organizing committee to plan and carry out the day. Dozens of faculty, staff, and graduate students united to lead the activities and escort small groups of students from place to place. After the students returned to school, the INSTAAR team gathered for tacos and burritos, tired but exhilarated.

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2022 Research & Innovation Office Faculty Fellows cohort unveiled (RIO)

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000

2022 Research & Innovation Office Faculty Fellows cohort unveiled (RIO) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/19/2021 - 00:00

Biogeochemist Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补 (INSTAAR & GEOL) is one 17 天美传媒 Boulder faculty members selected by the Research and Innovation Office as their 2022 RIO Faculty Fellows cohort. The program supports faculty in achieving their research/innovation goals and promotes collaboration, all through tailored training, experiential learning and leadership development opportunities. 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补 and his cohort kick off 2022 with an intensive three-day retreat in January, followed by several more focused retreats and a variety of informal networking activities.

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Earth scientist to use NSF award to dive deep into oceanic change (Colorado Arts & Sciences Magazine)

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Earth scientist to use NSF award to dive deep into oceanic change (Colorado Arts & Sciences Magazine) Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/02/2021 - 00:00

The health of the ocean is fundamental to life on the planet鈥攜et much remains unknown about how the ocean and marine life will cope with a rapidly changing climate. An award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) will help Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补 start solving that crucial puzzle.

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Ancient plant DNA and pollen found under Baffin Island lake show a greener Arctic (ArcticToday)

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Ancient plant DNA and pollen found under Baffin Island lake show a greener Arctic (ArcticToday) Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/08/2021 - 00:00

The snowy landscape of the Arctic was greener more than 100,000 years ago and could get there again as the climate warms and plants migrate further north, new research suggests. Plant DNA taken from soil 10 meters below a lake near Clyde River shows dwarf birch shrubs used to grow up to the northernmost point of Baffin Island, according to research led by Sarah Crump, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The samples, more than 100,000 years old, were found in soil and were more intact than samples from permafrost, suggesting they may have remained unfrozen.

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Arctic was once lush and green, could be again, new research shows (天美传媒 Boulder Today)

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Arctic was once lush and green, could be again, new research shows (天美传媒 Boulder Today) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/17/2021 - 00:00

Imagine not a white, but a green Arctic, with woody shrubs as far north as the Canadian coast of the Arctic Ocean. This is what the northernmost region of North America looked like about 125,000 years ago, during the last interglacial period, finds new research from 天美传媒 Boulder led by Sarah Crump. Researchers analyzed plant DNA more than 100,000 years old retrieved from lake sediment in the Arctic and found evidence of a past ecosystem. As the Arctic warms much faster than everywhere else on the planet in response to climate change, the findings, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may not only be a glimpse of the past but a snapshot of our potential future.

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Someday, even wet forests could burn due to climate change (天美传媒 Boulder Today)

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Someday, even wet forests could burn due to climate change (天美传媒 Boulder Today) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/30/2020 - 00:00

Millions of years ago, fire swept across the planet, fueled by an oxygen-rich atmosphere in which even wet forests burned, according to new research by new PhD graduate F. Garrett Boudinot and Julio 厂别辫煤濒惫别诲补. The study, published today in Nature Geoscience, provides geochemical evidence showing that forest fires expanded dramatically, potentially burning up to 30 or 40 percent of global forests during a 100,000 year interval more than 90 million years ago. While today's fires are exacerbated by dry conditions, they found that forest fires during this period increased even in wet regions due to changes in global climate.

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