Angela Garcia

Q
What do you find most rewarding or gratifying about being a mentor/mentee?
A

The most rewarding part of my research experience is that for the first time in my undergraduate career I was able to be the producer of knowledge. I learned first hand about the value of hard work and diligence it takes to enable advancements in my field of study.

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Questions & Answers

Q
What achievements and/or successes have resulted from being a mentor/mentee that you would not have had otherwise?
A

Being a mentee has provided the resources and support that has led to my research achievements. Over the past few years I have coauthored seven published conference abstracts and will be coauthor on two peer reviewed journal articles that are currently in process. I also have a 2017 summer Mars research internship with Jacobs Engineering Group hosted at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Finally, in the fall of 2017 I will be attending Idaho State University in Pocatello to obtain my master’s degree in Geology.

Q
If someone asked you to give them an elevator pitch on your research in 3 sentences, what would you say?
A

I am currently involved in research under the advisement of Dr. Elisabeth Hausrath and Dr. Zoë Harrold concerning topics relating to geoscience, chemistry, and astromicrobiology. We want to better understand how microbial communities survive in and impact cold environments, and how their functions have led to changes in global fresh water availability, climate, and sea level. To accomplish this goal we conduct both field and laboratory work to study interactions between snow algae communities and aeolian mineral dust.

Q
Share something about yourself that you won't find on your resume.
A

Something about myself that you wont find on my resume is that I was born in Hokkaido, Japan and was raised on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada after I graduated high school and love it here! In my spare time I go camping, hiking, and trail running in the surrounding mountain ranges. The people I have met here have been incredible, and they continue to support my aspirations of one day becoming a NASA research scientist.

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