Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation

Fellowship Year: 2012

Academic Background: UC Santa Cruz - Ph.D 2013 (anticipated)- (Environmental Geochemistry and Hydrogeology)

Current Position: PhD Candidate, Earth and Planetary Sciences , University of California, Santa Cruz

Currently Working On: Transport and Fate of Mercury in the Environment / Surface Water-Groundwater Interaction

Priya is a Ph.D. candidate in the Earth and Planetary Sciences Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is interested in linking physical and geochemical processes in aqueous systems to determine how their interaction affects the bioavailability of contaminants. For her dissertation research, Priya is investigating mercury transformations at the land-sea margin with a focus on quantifying the form and mass of mercury discharged to the ocean via coastal groundwater. Additionally, she is exploring the interaction between barrier beach lagoon surface water and coastal groundwater to determine how seasonal changes in water quality may influence nearshore mercury cycling. This research is adding to a growing body of literature documenting the importance of groundwater as a source of mercury to marine ecosystems. Priya is also interested in terrestrial watershed dynamics and has been involved in several mine site remediation projects in the California Coast Ranges. For her Master’s degree research, she studied mercury transport and cycling at the abandoned New Idria Mercury Mine, which is now an EPA Superfund Site. After completing her MS, Priya was employed as a geologist at the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board where she worked on large-scale mine site and wetland remediation projects. She also gained experience in environmental regulatory permitting at a number of industrial sites, including chemical plants, refineries, tank facilities, and landfills. Priya would like to combine her background in science and policy to continue working on multidisciplinary environmental restoration projects.

Expertise: Engineering / Chem / Toxicology, Coastal & Marine Issues, Water Resources