Cristina Lazcano, Principal Investigator
Associate Professor of Soil Ecology.
Associate editor: Soil Science Society of America Journal and OENO One
Dr. Cristina Lazcano completed her PhD at the Soil Ecology research group from the University of Vigo (Spain). Afterwards, she worked as a postdoc at the Technical University of Denmark, the University of Calgary and UC Davis. Before joining UC Davis in 2019, Dr. Lazcano was an assistant professor of soil ecology at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Paige Davis, Lab Manager
Paige is a recent graduate from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Environmental Earth and Soil Science. She is a Junior Specialist currently working on a project looking at the effects of stacking different regenerative management strategies across California vineyards. Previous research experience was done during her undergrad looking at the relationship between carbon and mineralogy on fire-affected soils in the Sierras, as well as another project looking at the effects of varying compost application amounts on soil properties in degraded coastal rangelands. In her free time, she enjoys being outside as often as possible and spending time with friends and family.
Mariel Mondragon-Becerra, Junior Specialist
Mariel recently graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Management, specializing in Ecology, Biodiversity, and Conservation. Working under the supervision of Dr. Lazcano and Dr. Geisseler, Mariel is currently working on a UC-collaborative climate action project investigating the suitability of organic amendments across soils throughout the state of California for carbon sequestration and crop nutrients. Mariel has previous research experience analyzing the potential of poplar trees as bioenergy, and investigating the phenological response and adaptation of native California grasses to altered environmental conditions due to climate change.
Raymond Reis, Junior Specialist
Raymond is a Junior Specialist in the Lazcano Soil Biodiversity and Soil Health Lab. He’s a recent UC Davis graduate in Environmental Science and Management, specializing in Soil Science and Biogeochemistry. Currently, he’s working on the USDA “SW CAP” Project to understand the impact of regenerative agriculture on Napa Valley vineyard soils. His prior experience quantifying greenhouse gas emissions from almond orchards in the U.S. Dairy Net Zero Initiative Project (at the UCD Horwath Laboratory) has helped Raymond gain expertise in California agriculture’s specialty crop systems. In his free time, he enjoys gardening, basketball, fishing, and exploring the outdoors.
Axel Herrera, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Originally from Colombia, Axel earned an Agronomic Engineer degree, focusing on fruit crop physiology. His curiosity drove him to get a scholarship at China Agricultural University, where he got his Agricultural Engineer master’s degree by applying GIS and Multi-Criteria Analysis in the biogas sector. He most recently achieved his PhD at the University of Milan with a thesis titled “Environmental assessment of undercurrent agricultural technologies towards circular nutrient management,” developed under the European Horizon2020 project Nutri2cycle. He is interested in applying informatics tools (e.g., Life Cycle Assessment) to better understand the interaction and impact of emerging technologies/practices with our natural resources. Axel believes connecting with our planet and ourselves is vital for bringing together diverse knowledge areas to find harmony within our environment and productive systems.
Noelymar González-Maldonado, ORISE Postdoctoral Scholar
Noely grew up in Lares, Puerto Rico. She pursued a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, where she did undergraduate research in saline-sodic soil management in semiarid tropical agroecosystems. After her undergraduate studies, she pursued an M.S. in Environment and Natural Resources at Ohio State University with Dr. Steve Culman. Her master’s project focused on studying the long-term and temporal effects of no-till and crop rotations on soil health, focusing on labile soil organic matter dynamics and crop (corn and soybean) productivity. During that time, she co-founded the Women in Ag Science collective, a platform to connect, support, and empower women in agricultural sciences. Currently, Noely is pursuing a PhD in Soils and Biogeochemistry at UC Davis with Dr. Cristina Lazcano, where she will focus her research on management impacts on soil health and crop productivity/quality from the soil biology perspective.
Connie (Tsz-Fai) Wong, PhD Candidate
Originally from Hong Kong, Connie moved to the US upon completion of secondary education and obtained a B.S. in Biology at California State University, Fresno. During the gap years after her undergraduate studies, she had a brief experience working in the wine industry, which sparked her interest in soil science and sustainable agriculture in vineyards and other cropping systems. She pursued an M.S. in Agriculture with a Specialization in Soil Science at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and her master’s thesis focused on the effects of compost application on soil carbon and greenhouse gas emissions in a California Central Coast vineyard. She is currently a PhD student in Soils and Biogeochemistry working with Dr. Cristina Lazcano at the University of California, Davis. Her research interests are soil biology and microbiology, soil health, and sustainable and regenerative agriculture.
Halima Malal, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Halima is a postdoctoral researcher and former lab member who has returned to lead a CIG project investigating the impact of vermicompost on soil health and plant growth across 12 perennial and annual field sites between California and Washington state. Born in Morocco, Halima began her academic journey with an associate degree in industrial and biological engineering, followed by an engineering degree in Industrial and Food Safety from the Faculty of Science and Technology of Marrakech. Driven by a passion for environmental sustainability, particularly sustainable agriculture and healthy food production, she earned her PhD in Environmental Science from Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, Morocco, where her research focused on the impact of vermicompost on soil microbiome and plant growth in semi-arid regions. This directly informs her current work, which aims to develop evidence-based recommendations for farmers seeking to enhance soil health while reducing dependency on synthetic inputs.
Amanda Rodriguez, PhD Candidate
Amanda is a PhD student in the Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry Group at UC Davis. Before pursuing her doctoral degree, she attended the University of Florida, where she earned her B.S. in Environmental Science with a minor in Chemistry and her M.S. in Soil and Water Sciences with a focus on Agroecology. Her master’s research aimed to improve fertilizer recommendations in Florida by assessing phosphorus sorption characteristics. During her time at the University of Florida, she also evaluated the relationship between iron oxide-impregnated filter strips and other soil phosphorus extractants for U.S. soils of varying textures. Her current research focuses on developing a mechanistic understanding of the effects of regenerative agriculture on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization and grapevine nutrient and water use.
Sarah Brickman, PhD Student
Sarah is curious about the potential for regenerative practices to increase agricultural resilience through improvements in soil health; she aims to support farmers in their efforts to adapt to climate change. As an aspiring agroecologist, Sarah is excited to learn from producers throughout California and work to understand how agricultural practices can better serve both people and the planet. Before joining the lab, Sarah earned a B.S. in Earth Systems at Stanford University and an M.Sc. at the University of Vermont, where she studied greenhouse gas emissions in response to different nitrogen sources and application methods on hayfields in the northeastern U.S. Sarah grew up in Florida and enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, and connecting with family and friends.
ALUMNI
Patrick Makiri, Junior Specialist (2022–2024). Currently Specialist at the Bowles lab, UC Berkeley.
Ivan Martínez, Lab Manager (2023–2024)
Nall Moonillal, Postdoctoral Scholar (2022–2024)
Imane Slimani, Postdoctoral Scholar (2023). Currently at FAO.
Sangeeta Bansal, Postdoctoral Scholar (2022–2023). Currently Assistant Professor of Soil Health at Fresno State.
Leo Wallo, MS student in Viticulture and Enology (2022–2023)
Ivy Israel, Student Research Assistant (2022–2024)
Bruna Albuquerque-Vaz, Visiting Student, Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil)
Alicia Hans, Student Research Assistant (2021–2023). Currently Soil Scientist at the US Forest Service.
Courtney Emerson, MSc Student (2020–2023). “Soil Biogeochemistry in California Processing Tomatoes Under Deficit Irrigation.”
Luisa Robles, Junior Specialist (2022–2023). Currently graduate student at Penn State.
Yuhan Bian, Student Research Assistant (2022–2023)
Leqian Zhang (Nono), Student Research Assistant (2022–2023)
Claire Kisliuk, Student Research Assistant (2022–2023)
Anna Marrs, Student Research Assistant (2020–2022). Soil health and water management in California processing tomatoes.
Erika Yao, Junior Specialist (2020–2022)
Geneva Iversen-Krampitz, Student Research Assistant (2022)
Emma Finlkalng, Student Research Assistant (2022)
Anthony Alameda, Student Research Assistant (2020–2021). “Effects of tillage and grazing on metabolic diversity of the soil microbial community in a Mediterranean vineyard.”
Eric Boyd, MS Student (2017–2020). “Exploring the relationship between soil-borne disease resistance and the rhizosphere microbiome of modern strawberry cultivars.” Current position: San Luis Obispo County Ag Commission.
Marissa Yim-Sun, Lab Research Assistant (2020). BS in Environmental Science and Management with an emphasis on Ecology, Biodiversity, & Conservation.
Holly Deniston-Sheets, MS Student (2016–2019). “Short term shifts in soil nematode food web structure and nutrient cycling following sustainable soil management in a California Vineyard.” Current position: Data Analysis and Tactical Operations Center Coordinator, Citrus Research Board, California.
Ian Mann, Undergraduate Researcher. Analysis of the production and recycling of bagasse in wineries of San Luis Obispo County (California).
Adriana Delucchi, Undergraduate Researcher. AMF colonization and plant interactions across soil textures and soil moisture regimes.
Angus Chang, Undergraduate Researcher. Chemical changes during composting. He currently works in Yakima Valley, Washington as a quality assurance assistant for the many hop farms in the valley and surrounding areas.