Rachel Steffen

I achieved a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Washington and Lee University (W&L) in 2018 where I ran NCAA DIII cross country and track. During my undergraduate career, I worked in Dr. Bill Hamilton's lab researching the interaction between bison and the grassland nutrient cycles in Yellowstone National Park. This experience inspired me to continue a career in biogeochemical research. The summers I spent working at the U.S. Navy's Marine Mammal Program and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science motivated me to apply my experience in biogeochemistry to the ocean. Following graduation from W&L, I worked as a lab technician at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography under Dr. Julia Diaz. There, I studied the bioavailability of inorganic polyphosphates to diatoms and marine bacteria. I am coauthor on two publications and have presented a poster at an American Fisheries Society regional conference. In the future, I plan to continue actively conducting research which contributes to the scientific community as well as environmental health and policy.