Student Research 2023
Undergraduate Kristina Tsakos Investigates Strategies for Reducing Road Salt Pollution
During the summer of 2022, Kristina worked as a field technician at the University of Michigan’s Biological Station in northern Michigan, focusing on invasive cattails.
Story by Alex Quebbeman
Kristina Tsakos, a senior majoring in environmental science focusing on conservation and restoration ecology, had always wanted to do research but wasn’t sure how to get involved. When she first toured Loyola, she was drawn to all the labs and hands-on opportunities for students in the School of Environmental Sustainability (SES). She was also looking for a way to get involved with conservation in a city landscape, so Loyola was the perfect fit.
After taking an environmental statistics course with Dr. Brian Ohsowski, Kristina applied for a spot on his research team, called Team Typha, and joined the team in her sophomore year. Within Team Typha, Kristina studies invasive cattails in the Great Lakes region. She looks at factors contributing to the plant’s proliferation across many habitats.
Kristina also applied for and received a two-year Carbon Fellowship for STEM research at Loyola and a Wetland Scientists Student Award. The awards gave her funding to do vital wetland ecology research. Her project under the Carbon Fellowship is about biochar, biomass that has undergone incomplete combustion. She is investigating whether biochar impacts sodium or chloride output, which could indicate that it is helpful with remediating road salt pollution in soil and water systems.
“The study of biochar is still in its infancy. We see its effects, but we don’t really know why these things happen yet. That’s what I am trying to figure out with this research,” Kristina explained.
In February of 2023, Kristina took her biochar research to the Wisconsin Wetland Association’s Wetland Science Conference, where she won the best student poster presentation award. She was also part of a team that presented research at the 2023 Wild Things Conference in Chicago.
Kristina is studying invasive cattails with Team Typha.
In the next phase of her work, Kristina will run experiments using buckets with varying amounts of biochar and soil amendments to test the effectiveness of biochar’s remediation abilities. She will run water with a high salt content through them to simulate the chloride rate in salt-polluted areas in the field. Along the way, Kristina will collect water samples from the buckets to see if biochar has a maximum capacity to impact salt. She will put the samples through an ion chromatography machine to analyze the chloride and sodium levels.
“If there’s a reduction in either of them, that could point to biochar’s ability to adsorb harmful elements found in road salt,” Kristina said. “Every pollutant has a cascade of effects in an ecosystem. Road salt pollution can contribute to water quality degradation, which subsequently reduces biodiversity. This is why this research is important.”
Kristina’s work with Team Typha has also bolstered Kristina’s research skills. This past summer worked with the team as a field technician at the University of Michigan’s Biological Station in northern Michigan. She had the chance to work with another researcher on an observational project on the invasive European frog-bit plant. While there, she was able to do a lot of planning and brainstorming with other researchers about the details of her biochar project.
Her favorite part of doing hands-on, holistic wetland ecology research was waking up and doing something that she’s always been passionate about. “Being surrounded by people who also care about things I’m interested in and being out in nature was wonderful. Being knee-deep in mud every day was fun, and getting closer to my team was a life-changing experience,” Kristina said.
Being involved in research is meaningful for Kristina beyond the results of her project. “Even if I don’t get the findings I expect, my engagement in environmental research is still an advancement of the field, which is so important because it’s still a growing discipline that has yet to be taken as seriously as it should be in terms of sustainable policy,” she said.
On a more personal note, participating in environmental science has helped her understand her capabilities and weaknesses while figuring out what she wants to do with her career. “One of the best parts of my research experience has been getting over that imposter feeling and finding a sense of belonging.”
Kristina said her research at Loyola has helped her understand what to expect from a career in science.
“Before joining Team Typha, I underestimated how much time is dedicated to planning experimental timelines and labeling tubes,” she said. “Conducting the actual experiments is just a fraction of what it means to be a scientist. Science takes time, and undergraduate research has taught me how to be patient in order to gain meaningful results.”
Her experience at Loyola has also equipped Kristina with knowledge, skills, and confidence that will serve her well in her future career.
“Being an undergraduate researcher has taught me how to advocate for the science I study and for myself. I’ve found a voice in science, and it has led me to be more confident in what I do. I’ve had the pleasure of talking to established professionals in my field, which has helped me discover what careers I may want to pursue in the future,” she said.
Kristina will complete her undergraduate degree in May 2023. Over the summer, she will work as a stream restoration and fisheries technician for the University of Wyoming, where she will research low-tech, process-based restoration. In the future, she plans to continue fieldwork and research and hopes to pursue a master’s degree in environmental science or ecology.
Story by Alex Quebbeman
Kristina Tsakos, a senior majoring in environmental science focusing on conservation and restoration ecology, had always wanted to do research but wasn’t sure how to get involved. When she first toured Loyola, she was drawn to all the labs and hands-on opportunities for students in the School of Environmental Sustainability (SES). She was also looking for a way to get involved with conservation in a city landscape, so Loyola was the perfect fit.
After taking an environmental statistics course with Dr. Brian Ohsowski, Kristina applied for a spot on his research team, called Team Typha, and joined the team in her sophomore year. Within Team Typha, Kristina studies invasive cattails in the Great Lakes region. She looks at factors contributing to the plant’s proliferation across many habitats.
Kristina also applied for and received a two-year Carbon Fellowship for STEM research at Loyola and a Wetland Scientists Student Award. The awards gave her funding to do vital wetland ecology research. Her project under the Carbon Fellowship is about biochar, biomass that has undergone incomplete combustion. She is investigating whether biochar impacts sodium or chloride output, which could indicate that it is helpful with remediating road salt pollution in soil and water systems.
“The study of biochar is still in its infancy. We see its effects, but we don’t really know why these things happen yet. That’s what I am trying to figure out with this research,” Kristina explained.
In February of 2023, Kristina took her biochar research to the Wisconsin Wetland Association’s Wetland Science Conference, where she won the best student poster presentation award. She was also part of a team that presented research at the 2023 Wild Things Conference in Chicago.
In the next phase of her work, Kristina will run experiments using buckets with varying amounts of biochar and soil amendments to test the effectiveness of biochar’s remediation abilities. She will run water with a high salt content through them to simulate the chloride rate in salt-polluted areas in the field. Along the way, Kristina will collect water samples from the buckets to see if biochar has a maximum capacity to impact salt. She will put the samples through an ion chromatography machine to analyze the chloride and sodium levels.
“If there’s a reduction in either of them, that could point to biochar’s ability to adsorb harmful elements found in road salt,” Kristina said. “Every pollutant has a cascade of effects in an ecosystem. Road salt pollution can contribute to water quality degradation, which subsequently reduces biodiversity. This is why this research is important.”
Kristina’s work with Team Typha has also bolstered Kristina’s research skills. This past summer worked with the team as a field technician at the University of Michigan’s Biological Station in northern Michigan. She had the chance to work with another researcher on an observational project on the invasive European frog-bit plant. While there, she was able to do a lot of planning and brainstorming with other researchers about the details of her biochar project.
Her favorite part of doing hands-on, holistic wetland ecology research was waking up and doing something that she’s always been passionate about. “Being surrounded by people who also care about things I’m interested in and being out in nature was wonderful. Being knee-deep in mud every day was fun, and getting closer to my team was a life-changing experience,” Kristina said.
Being involved in research is meaningful for Kristina beyond the results of her project. “Even if I don’t get the findings I expect, my engagement in environmental research is still an advancement of the field, which is so important because it’s still a growing discipline that has yet to be taken as seriously as it should be in terms of sustainable policy,” she said.
On a more personal note, participating in environmental science has helped her understand her capabilities and weaknesses while figuring out what she wants to do with her career. “One of the best parts of my research experience has been getting over that imposter feeling and finding a sense of belonging.”
Kristina said her research at Loyola has helped her understand what to expect from a career in science.
“Before joining Team Typha, I underestimated how much time is dedicated to planning experimental timelines and labeling tubes,” she said. “Conducting the actual experiments is just a fraction of what it means to be a scientist. Science takes time, and undergraduate research has taught me how to be patient in order to gain meaningful results.”
Her experience at Loyola has also equipped Kristina with knowledge, skills, and confidence that will serve her well in her future career.
“Being an undergraduate researcher has taught me how to advocate for the science I study and for myself. I’ve found a voice in science, and it has led me to be more confident in what I do. I’ve had the pleasure of talking to established professionals in my field, which has helped me discover what careers I may want to pursue in the future,” she said.
Kristina will complete her undergraduate degree in May 2023. Over the summer, she will work as a stream restoration and fisheries technician for the University of Wyoming, where she will research low-tech, process-based restoration. In the future, she plans to continue fieldwork and research and hopes to pursue a master’s degree in environmental science or ecology.