My name is Trinity Ortega and I am a Senior at Arizona State University studying Environmental Science. I am from Las Vegas, NV, and I moved to Arizona in 2023. I have done a little bit of research at my time here at ASU. I have participated in research with the WAESO program this past year. Within the WAESO program, I have worked with the Bureau of Land Management in the Sonoran Desert Monument Preserve. With the Bureau of Land Management, I was able to study and record the species within two sites: burned and unburned. In both of the sites, I was able to study the species diversity with the use of line transects with the help of Dr. Maria Sanín. Also, I have also been employed underneath Dr. Yujin Park at the ASU Polytechnic campus. I am a research aide that helps process food waste in order for it to be turned into fertilizer in order for sustainability to reach agriculture.

Research Interests

This summer I will be developing and creating a methodology for cement slabs  that are possibly going to be implemented within the ocean at the end of the summer. I am tasked to create a clay or cement slab for substrate friability. I have always been interested in research within the ocean, and this allows me to explore more of the methodology of research. A lot of the labs and classes that I have taken, the methodology is already spelled out, so this creates an opportunity outside of my classes. I am excited to create and develop the measurement protocols for this research project which will further my knowledge and abilities in the scientific community. I am excited to be involved in this research and further my career.