Mireya Ramirez – January, 2025
Mireya Ramirez is a third-year Environmental Science major focusing on Geochemistry, Sustainability, & Oceanography. She currently works with Dr Bracco's research group on Modeling Microplastics in the Gulf of Mexico where she uses programming to process data for where Microplastics might settle from an oceanographic model. She also works as a TA for a Lab section of Habitable Planet, a Student Assistant for the Explore LLC Program, and as the Lead RA for a freshman community on West Campus. In the past summer, Mireya had the opportunity to work at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences focusing on a geochemistry project about the photo-degradation of Oil Hydrocarbons. After graduating with her B.S. in May 2025, she plans to continue with a BS/MS before continuing to a PhD. She also loves to make jewelry, sew, and write in her free time.
Will Stevens – December, 2024
Will Stevens is a third-year undergraduate majoring in Earth and Atmospheric Science. He focusses on Paleoceanography and paleoclimatology hoping to one day contribute to solving the ever-growing problem of climate change. Will is currently working under Dr. Jean Lynch-Stieglitz on a senior thesis which focusses on creating the first core-top calibration for reconstructing past oxygen concentrations in the Florida Strait using foraminiferal porosity. He also participated in a research cruise under Dr. Martial Taillefert during the summer of 2024 where he helped assemble and deploy benthic landers, analyze sediment cores, and perform CTD casts for trace metal analysis in the North Atlantic. Aside from academics, Will is an Instructor in Training and the Communications Chair for the Backpacking sport of Outdoor Recreation at Georgia Tech where he staffs overnight backpacking trips. After graduation in the Spring of 2025, he plans to continue with a master's degree in Paleoclimatology at Georgia Tech and research how coral can be used to reveal climate trends. In his free time, Will likes to try new foods, hangout with friends, and be outside.
Nicolas Miranda – November, 2024
Nicolas Miranda is a third-year undergraduate majoring in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and minoring in Computational Data Analysis. He hopes to become a professional meteorologist, using the knowledge and skills he has gained throughout his education to save lives, be it through a government, research, or broadcast job. He is currently the CNN Weather intern, helping cover severe weather events like Hurricane Milton, researching past weather statistics to contextualize impacts, and learning how to leverage graphics and the written word to give useful, high-quality forecasts to a national audience. He is also the current treasurer of GT’s student chapter of the American Meteorological Society, the StORM Club, where he manages a club-operated weather station in order to maintain a record of Atlanta’s weather for research or educational purposes. In past semesters, he has worked as a Student Assistant for the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, done research on AI Ethics with Computer Science PhD student Kantwon Rogers, improved the Wikipedia article on Exometeorology and gotten it featured on the website’s Main Page, helped out with Dr. Handlos’ Into the Storm summer camp for high schoolers, and been a Chemistry TA for the Office of Minority Educational Development’s Challenge summer program (which he also attended before his first year). Outside of academics, he is a regular attendee and cajon player at Westminster Christian Fellowship, helps track and take care of the stray cats on campus with GT Campus Cats, has gone on observatory visits and stargazing trips with the GT Astronomy Club, loves attending football games and biking around campus, and always enjoys hanging out with his friends. He would like to thank God, his friends and parents, his professors and the instructors he has done research under, the CNN Weather team, the Wikipedia editors who reviewed his article, and the campus cats – especially Daisy, George, and Momo.
Madeline Laesser – October, 2024
Madeline Laesser is a fourth-year undergraduate majoring in atmospheric and oceanic sciences. She focuses on meteorology, and her academic interests include severe weather, weather in a changing climate, and tropical and extratropical cyclones. In this past year, she completed an internship at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Peachtree City, GA and a summer internship at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and Princeton University. Currently, she is an undergraduate researcher with Dr. Ali Sarhadi, where she is exploring the effect that climate change has on compound flooding caused by tropical cyclones. Madeline is the president of the American Meteorological Society chapter at GT, also known as STORM club, and she is the vice president of SGE, the Earth Science Honor Society at GT. She is also a TA and student office assistant for the EAS department. After graduating in May 2025, she plans to pursue a PhD in atmospheric science. In her free time, Madeline loves reading, playing tennis, movie and game nights with her friends, and going to the GT football games.
Marcus Kurth – September, 2024
Marcus Kurth is a fourth-year solid earth and planetary sciences undergraduate with a minor in international affairs. His academic interests include seismology, geomorphology, and tectonics. He has conducted research in Dr. Lang's lab determining sediment provenance using Raman spectroscopy as well as worked as a seismometer technician for Dr. Newman's lab group. He received the President's Undergraduate Research Award in Fall 2023 to fund his continued research. Currently he is a researcher for an NSF REU, spending his summer conducting field work in Greenland to study the structure of fault zones which he will present at AGU in Washington, D.C. this December. Outside of research, Marcus has been an Earth Processes lab TA for two years, a GT tour guide, and enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and playing music in his free time. He is set to graduate in Spring 2025 and plans to pursue a PhD in geophysics.
Isaac Sipp-Alpers – August, 2024
Isaac Sipp-Alpers is a fourth-year EAS undergraduate with a minor in chemistry and biochemistry. His academic interests revolve around the usage of chemistry to understand the past and present of Earth’s oceans and climate. Isaac conducts paleoceanography research with Dr. Lynch-Stieglitz’s lab group, with a focus on changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation during the Last Interglacial Period. He received the 2023-2024 Rutt Bridges Award, with which he funded a research trip to Boulder, Colorado in February 2024. He is also a recipient of the 2024-2025 Rutt Bridges Award, which he will use to fund a trip to present his research at the AGU Fall Meeting in Washington, D.C., in December 2024. Isaac intends to graduate in Spring 2025 and then go on to pursue a PhD in oceanography. In his free time, Isaac enjoys watching and playing baseball, reading, cooking, swimming, and camping.
Quincey Nielson – July, 2024
Quincey Nielson is a rising fourth-year undergraduate majoring in Solid Earth and Planetary Science whose academic interests include subduction zone seismicity and bathymetric data analysis. She is an undergraduate researcher working under Dr Newman to study the tsunamigenic properties of normal faults along the Puerto Rico Trench. Quincey is currently a field engineer intern for EarthScope Consortium and is spending the summer repairing GNSS stations and seismic monitoring equipment throughout Alaska. Quincey is set to graduate in Fall 2024 and plans to pursue a master’s degree in geophysics. In her free time, Quincey is involved with several organizations, including Yellow Jacket Roller Derby, Pride Alliance, and the Honors Program’s HLC, while also working at the CRC rock wall. Quincey would like to thank Dr Newman, Dr Ingall, and Dr Wray for being engaging professors and encouraging mentors throughout her time at Georgia Tech.
Kylee Graham – June, 2024
Kylee Graham is a fifth-year EAS undergraduate with a concentration in environmental science set to graduate in the Fall of 2024. Her academic interests include biogeochemistry, waste-water management, and environmental health. Kylee is an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Glass’s lab studying methylotrophic microorganisms and REEs under master’s student Leilani Warters. She is also currently interning at an environmental consulting firm. Kylee is involved as a member of SGE and Alpha Omega Campus Ministry. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in EAS. In her free time, she enjoys caving with ORGT, cooking, thrifting, and hanging out with friends. Kylee would like to thank God, her professors, and her friends who enriched her education and made her time at Georgia Tech worthwhile and exciting.
Madison Richardson – May, 2024
Madison Richardson is a fourth-year EAS undergraduate with a focus in meteorology and a minor in philosophy. Her academic interests include weather forecasting and STEM education. She interned with the CNN weather and climate team during the spring of 2023 where she published articles on weather events, practiced creating weather graphics, and filmed demo reels of weather hits. In addition to her weather media internship, she worked as a lab TA for Intro to Environmental Science for two semesters, guiding students through hands-on labs and explaining course concepts. Madison plans to graduate in May of 2024 and will be pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching for secondary STEM education at the University of North Georgia. In her free time, Madison enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, and crocheting.
Elliana Hebert – April, 2024
Elliana Hebert is an EAS major set to graduate May 2024 with a focus in atmospheric science. She has conducted research in aerosol chemistry under Dr. Weber and Dr. Dingilian, served as an EAS 1600 TA for three semesters, and currently interns for CNN Weather. She is also involved as a member with StORM Club, Westminster Christian Fellowship, and the Emerging Leaders Advisory Board. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and hanging out with friends. After graduation, Elliana hopes to pursue a career in bettering weather and climate communication to the public. Elliana would like to thank the EAS professors who poured their time and knowledge into her education and the peers who encouraged her passion for weather along the way.
