[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.22.7″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/Holding-Water-Samples-Ella-Larson.jpg” title_text=”Holding-Water-Samples-Ella-Larson” _builder_version=”4.13.1″ animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_image][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-30px||-75px|||” custom_padding=”1px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”25px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Larson is a\u00a0graduate\u00a0student in the\u00a0AU\u00a0Geochemical\u00a0Lab led by\u00a0Dr. Ann Ojeda<\/a>\u00a0of the College of Science and Mathematics\u2019\u00a0(COSAM<\/a>) Department of Geosciences.\u00a0Larson joined the lab in August 2020 after completing her B.S.\u00a0in Geology\u00a0at\u00a0Grand Valley State University<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Allendale,\u00a0Michigan.\u00a0Larson thrived in the small, but robust geology department at GVSU\u00a0that offered an array of geology tracts from the\u00a0more\u00a0traditional petroleum and hard rock geology world as well as the\u00a0emerging world of\u00a0environmental geology, of which she was\u00a0particularly\u00a0interested.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Larson participated in undergraduate research during her time at GVSU and remembers, \u201cmy summer field work solidified my path in environmental geology.\u201d Her work involved groundwater monitoring and estimating erosion by spring-fed streams. This project was funded by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) as part of the\u00a0Michigan Space Grant Consortium<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/Undergrad-Research-Ella-Larson-with-Dr-Colgan.jpg” alt=”Undergraduate Research at Grand Valley State University” title_text=”Undergrad-Research-Ella-Larson-with-Dr-Colgan” _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Larson with her former advisor at Grand Valley State University, Dr. Patrick Colgan, estimating stream flow using a dye test for part of her undergraduate research. Photo Credit: Ella Larson<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Larson attended the National Geological Society of America Conference as a Junior and Senior where she initially\u00a0discovered\u00a0Auburn University and the\u00a0many\u00a0opportunities\u00a0the Department of Geosciences had to offer for graduate school.\u00a0Following the\u00a0event,\u00a0she\u00a0contacted\u00a0Dr. Ojeda\u00a0and the rest is history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For Larson\u2019s M.S. thesis, she studied\u00a0E. coli<\/i>\u00a0contamination in Choccolocco Creek using human proxies and sterols. Larson was able to determine much of her thesis methodology, including sampling frequency, location, laboratory procedures, and the specific method for\u00a0E. coli<\/i>\u00a0testing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Larson\u2019s work is based upon the assumption of defined human signatures. This presumes any pharmaceuticals or personal care products measured in water come from a human source such as a septic tank or wastewater treatment. This makes them useful for tracking human sources of\u00a0E. coli<\/i>\u00a0contamination. For her research, Larson utilized the presence of ibuprofen, caffeine, acetaminophen, and sterols (a lipid that maintains structure in eukaryotic cells) as human signatures.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/Water-Sample-Collection-Choccolocco-Creek-Ella-Larson.jpg” alt=”Undergraduate Research at Grand Valley State University” title_text=”Water-Sample-Collection-Choccolocco-Creek-Ella-Larson” _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Larson collecting water sample on Choccolocco Creek with undergraduate field technician, Sidney Millner. Photo Credit: Ella Larson<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Furthermore, Larson explained that certain water quality parameters can be utilized to determine source. Septic tank signatures\u00a0will be enriched in ammonium due to their anoxic (lacking oxygen) nature and copper due to chemical septic cleaning solutions, while a wastewater treatment plant signature will be more oxidized (containing oxygen). Therefore, Larson also measured ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen as well as metals including copper as additional signatures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Larson and her field technician, Sidney Millner – a Senior in the AU Environmental Sciences program, sampled monthly from April to September at 9 sites along Choccolocco Creek. They collected 1 gallon of water for lab analyses for human signatures as well as 1-2mL triplicate water samples for\u00a0E. coli<\/i>\u00a0testing using\u00a0Coliscan<\/a>. Currently, Larson has completed her field work and is running final analyses and interpretation for her upcoming thesis defense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/Drone-Footage-Ella-Larson.jpg” alt=”Drone Experiment with Dr. Edna Fernandez-Figueroa” title_text=”Drone-Footage-Ella-Larson” _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Dr. Edna Fernandez-Figueroa (left) joined Larson and Millner during some of their field work to investigate the effectiveness of drone imagery at some of their sampling sites. Photo Credit: Ella Larson<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n When asked what the highlight of her graduate school experience was thus far, Larson responded, \u201cThere has been so much I\u2019ve enjoyed about grad school: I\u2019ve gained so much confidence from managing my research project and truly enjoyed interacting with community members in the field and meeting so many great people here at Auburn.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n During her graduate school\u00a0experience,\u00a0she has also served as the Vice President of the Graduate Water Resources Club, an organization founded in 2020 by AU graduate students across multiple colleges on campus looking for an outlet to share water-related\u00a0research,\u00a0professional development, and\u00a0fellowship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Larson\u2019s\u00a0anticipated\u00a0graduation\u00a0date\u00a0is Spring 2022. After graduation, she hopes to gain some industry experience, more specifically,\u00a0conducting environmental consulting as a hydrogeologist.\u00a0Larson also\u00a0is not\u00a0ruling out a PhD. She\u00a0has especially enjoyed\u00a0being a Teaching Assistant during graduate school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n