In Their Words: Justin Luong

Name: Justin Luong

Department: Environmental Studies

What Scholarship or Award did you receive? David Gaines Award

What year are you (1st year, 3rd year)? 1st year PhD Student

College: Graduate Division

Where do you call home? Santa Cruz

What is your field of focus? Ecosystem services associated with ecological restoration and potential trade-offs in services

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? I came here to specifically to work with the advisors I am working with, although the amazing redwoods and beaches were also a great incentive!

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? After I graduate I hope to take on a natural resource management job where I can conduct long term environmental research or work as a professor doing environmental research while facilitating student research and field work.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? The magnificent day where it hailed while sunny.

How will this scholarship/award impact your academic life/research? The David Gaines award will allow me to purchase supplies that will allow me to start working on my research in my first year Spring 2018. I will use the money to purchase micro-lysimters which are used to collect water volume underwater, to determine whether there are trade-offs associated with grassland restoration.

For research awards, please include a one paragraph description of your research written for a general audience. My research focuses on grassland habitat restoration which is used to restore ecosystem functions and services including, but not limited to: increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration and water resource management. The research this award is contributing to is concered about determine whether there are potential trade-offs in ecosystem services with grassland restoration which provides climate mitigation services through C sequestration, but could potentially decrease sub-surface water infiltration. However, the research may also show that grassland restoration can provide a WIN-WIN in ecosystem service returns.