Principal Investigator | |
|---|---|
| Amélie Gaudin [email protected]
|
Staff | |
| Dr. Qing ZhengProject Scientist Effects of root functional traits on plant microbial interactions regulating nitrogen cycling and use efficiency Email: [email protected] 2023- present, Read more |
| Dr. Niuniu JiProject Scientist Effects of the livestock grazing on plant-soil-microbe interactions regulating Email: [email protected] 2024-present, Read more |
| Dr. Thomas FensterPost doctoral scholar Quantifying multifunctionality of sheep grazing in California's vineyards Email: [email protected] 2026- present |
Graduate students | |
| Peter Geoghan, PhD student (Ecology)Long term impacts of land management on soil functions of California veg crop systems Email: [email protected] 2022- present |
| Sarah Brickman, PhD student (Soil&BioGeochem; co advised with Dr Lazcano), FFAR fellowStacking regenerative practices in vineyards: nutrient cycling and retention Email: [email protected] 2022- present Read more |
| Katelyn Mann, PhD (Hort&Ag), Fulbright fellowCharacteristics of socio-ecological systems that support agroecological transitions. Email: [email protected] 2025- present |
| Claire Beckstoffer, PhD (Soil&BioGeochem), NSF fellowImpacts of cover crop functional traits and diversity on microbial activity and soil carbon storage Email: [email protected]du 2024- present |
| Tanya Gemperle-Goncalves, PhD (Hort&Ag)Outcomes of stacking regenerative practices in Almond systems for climate adaptation Email: [email protected] 2024- present |
| Grayson Messenger, PhD (Ecology)Quantifying how cover crop functional diversity shapes multifunctionality in almond systems Email: [email protected] 2024- present |
| Maya Shydlowski, PhD (Hort&Ag)Fallowing as a climate adaption strategy: Plant-soil dynamics and implications for drought resilience of California agricultural systems 2025- present |
Undergraduate Researchers | |
| 2025- present | Grace Kasabula (PLS/SAFS major; [email protected]) Taylor Woo (ENV Sc major, [email protected]) |
Alumni
Graduate students
Mariana Muñoz-Araya, PhD (Hort&Ag, Fulbright Fellow, 2026) Impacts and potential of agroecology to build drought resilience of irrigated landscapes Read More
Thomas Fenster, PhD (Hort&Ag, 2026) Quantifying multifunctionality of sheep grazing in California's vineyards
Alessandra Zuniga, PhD (Ecology, JDPE, 2026), NOAA-CESSRST Doctoral Fellow. Quantifying Rhizosphere Microbial Feedbacks to Drought Resistance in Processing Tomato Read More
Danielle Merrell, MSc (Hort&Ag, 2025). Yield and nutritional stability if Agroforestry systems.
Katherine Simpson-Johnson, MSc (SBG, 2023). Impact of mycorrhizal inoculants on processing tomato and soil health outcomes across different cropping systems. Read More
Sequoia Williams, MSc (SBG, 2023), Plant Science Award. Carbon and nitrogen coupling in integrated crop-livestock systems in California. Read More
Kelsey Brewer, PhD (SBG, 2023), UC Presidential Fellow. Carbon storage potential and nutrient flows in integrated sheep vineyard systems. Read More
Krista Marshall, MSc (Hort&Ag, 2022), FFAR Fellow. Managing for soil health: targets and significance in almond orchards. Read more
Alexandra Gulachenski, MSc by coursework (Ecology, 2022), Plant Science Award. Read More
Lindsay Dahlen, MSc (Hort&Agronomy, 2021), Impact of artificial selection on maize adaptation to low P. Read more
Leah Renwick, PhD/MSc (Hort&Ag- MSc IAD 2020), NSF Fellow, Plant Science Award. Impact of cropping system diversification on drought resilience and soil-plant-water relations. Read More
Jennifer Schmidt, PhD (Hort&Ag, 2020), UCD Graduate Fellow, Plant Science Award. Impact of maize domestication and breeding on rhizosphere eco-physiology and resource acquisition. Read More
Caitlin Peterson, PhD (GGE-IAD, 2019), NSF Fellow. Field level resilience and ecosystems services provision from integrated crop and livestock systems in Brazil. Read More
Emily Webster, MSc (Hort&Agronomy – IAD, 2017) Impact of pasture management on soil health and functioning in Nicaragua
Post doctoral fellows
Vivian Wauters, now working at UC-SAREP. Developing best management practices for cover crop systems in Almond. Read More
Vanessa Brisson, now at LLNL, Rhizosphere microbiome recruitment in maize: impacts of breeding and selection on P solubilizers. Read More
Emad Jahanzad, now at CDFA, Potential of whole orchard recycling and organic amendments to build sustainability and resilience of Almond production. Read More
Meng Li , now at AFT. Breeding for healthy soils: importance of rhizosphere microbes and functions. Read More
Andrea Leptin, now at U of Mississippi. Effects of root functional traits on plant microbial interactions regulating nitrogen cycling and use efficiency Read More
Undergraduate Students and Junior Specialists
Thea Wagner, Noah Homsy King, SAFS Major 2024-2025. Impact of sheep grazing in vienyards on biodiversity, development of a best management practice guide in collaboration with CAFF.
Ellie Coon, Junior Specialist, Gaudin and Williams Lab, Regenerative almond systems. 2023-2025
Josh Estes, Junior Specialist. Multifunctional outcomes of diversified CA vegetable and vineyard systems. 2023-2024.
Kyle Muller, the perceptions of agroecology and positionality on the Gaudin Lab team. Bowdoin College 2024
Ivan Martinez, SAFS Major 2021-2023. Impact of sheep grazing on vineyards understory and soil C cycling (CDFA)
Frances Neill, SAFS Major 2020-2022. Impact of sheep grazing of cover crops on C and N cycling of vegetable cropping systems (CDFA)
Frieda Schwebel, Plant Sciences Major 2019-2021. Impact of sheep grazing on vineyards understory and soil C cycling (CDFA)
Aaron Lee, Brady Waino, SAFS Major 2018-2020. Effects of timing and quality of compost on N leaching potential on an organic farm (Scott Park)
Jesper Richardy, Intern, University of Copenhagen 2018. Impact of organic management on tomato attractiveness to beet leafhoppers (CTRI)
Joshua Garcia, McNair Scholar 2015-2017. Antarctic rhizobacterium: evaluating potential for root growth and productivity (Creative BioSc.)
Rebekah Velasco, IAD major 2016-2018. Soil health and resilience of vegetable cropping systems (OFRF)
Anna Azimi, SAFS Major 2016-2017. Soil health and resilience of vegetable cropping systems (OFRF)
Sort term general help on various projects (2016-present): Hannah Kim, Zulema Renteria, Lupe Garcia, Vivian Thieu, Jennifer Law, Daniel O’Brien, Hanna Ibiapina de Jesus, Thais Soares
Visiting scholars
Laura Caruther, PhD scholar, University of Saskatchewan (Kate Congreve), 2024
Impact of Cover Crop Species and Diversity on 15N Recovery in Almond Orchards
Alessio Costa, PhD scholar, Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2023
Edith LeCadre, Professor and Fulbright Fellow, Agrocampus Ouest, 2023
Agroecological Management and Resistance and Resilience of Soil Functions: Microbial Network Stability Hypothesis
Daniel Ortiz Gonzalo, Postdoctoral Fellow (Marie Curie, University of Copenhagen, ICRAF), 2022
Trees4Climate: Quantifying Carbon Storage of Agroforestry Systems
Pedro de Albuquerque Nunes, PhD scholar, Department of Forage Plants and Agrometeorology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 2019
Christos Vasilikiotis, Assistant Professor, Perrotis College/American Farm School, Greece, 2018
Survey of Almond Root Colonization by Mycorrhizae