T H E   T E A M

Principle Investigator
Dr. Melisa A. Diaz
Dr. Melisa Diaz earned her PhD from the School of Earth Sciences and Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center at The Ohio State University in 2020 as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. She then received a prestigious award for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Postdoctoral Scholar program. Dr. Diaz is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, affiliate faculty of Environmental Engineering, and a Fellow of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado Boulder. 

Dr. Diaz is a geochemist, specializing in surficial processes in Antarctica, Greenland, urban systems, and for Ocean Worlds. Her research is mainly aqueous geochemistry focused (both water and sediment) and integrates field campaigns and measurements, lab studies, and modeling. She is an active member of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). As an Afro-Latina, she is dedicated to creating and fostering supportive academic systems for marginalized scientists.

Outside of work, Dr. Diaz is an avid juggler, enjoys playing recreational soccer, and curates a social media account for her two cats. 

Current advisees

Denise Mondragon - MA student
Denise is a current Masters student who earned a BSc from the University of California Irvine. Her thesis is focused on developing methodology for lab-based studies on Antarctic dust weathering.

Group Members

Sofia Vakhutinsky - Researcher
Rajan Patel - Undergraduate