David (he/him) is a first-generation college graduate with indigenous and Hispanic roots. Growing up in Southern California, he developed a passion for the outdoors. His early experiences in National Parks led him to pursue a PhD in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at UC Irvine.
Additionally, David collaborated with Save the Redwoods League to assess restoration efforts in redwood forests. In his research with community partners, he used metagenomic techniques to fill important knowledge gaps. His work has shown that mycorrhizal fungi, which support plant growth, are sensitive to restoration efforts.
As a Sustainability Fellow at USC, David will incorporate metagenomic data to enhance models predicting sea level rise impacts in Southern California. To accomplish his research goals at USC, he will use an interdisciplinary approach combining biology and engineering.
Research Assistant
Eileen Yang
Eileen is a third-year student majoring in Applied Math and Linguistics, minoring in Dance and Artificial Intelligence Applications, and specializing in Applied Analytics. She has also worked with various professors on other research projects at USC, and plans on further developing her research abilities as a PhD candidate in the future. Her extracurriculars include serving as Secretary for both USC Taekwondo and USC Kung Fu as well as Treasurer for Undergraduate Students in Linguistics at USC.
In addition to academics and extracurriculars, Eileen enjoys finding new books to read and new places to eat. She hopes to eventually become a professor of linguistics at a research institution like USC.
Fellowship Mentors
Mentors:
Cameron Thrash
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Felipe de Barros
Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Kathleen Treseder
Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology