2025 Internship Project Overview

This project was oriented towards identifying what environmental factors most contribute to the atmospheric gaseous molecular hydrogen (H2) uptake rate of soil microbes, namely moisture, temperature, soil texture and land use—the latter being my suggestion, which I was grateful to explore. We began with in vitro experiments with small soil portions in sealed glass bottles, sampling periodically and measuring with gas chromatography to assess H2 drawdown rate. We also collected different soil samples from a local farm, which were determined by the recency of their latest tilling. Lastly, we began sampling in situ with a large glass soil chamber to measure largely undisturbed soil environments. Throughout the project, I assisted with the subsequent data analysis and group assessment of project direction and results. The overarching goal is to determine how global soils may react to an increase in atmospheric H2 under increased hydrogen fuel use, and our wet-lab data will be incorporated into computational hydrogen models.

ORGANIZATION/RESEARCH GROUP

The Zhang Research Laboratory, Department of Geosciences, Princeton University

LOCATION

Princeton, New Jersey

 

Interns

Collin Guedel ’26
Major: Geosciences
Minor(s): American Studies, Environmental Studies, Planets and Life
"This was a fantastic inlet to soil microbiological research—an excellent way to marry my chemical and biological interests with my environmental science and climate advocacy passions. This internship directly influenced my future career and decision to apply to graduate school in environmental soil biogeochemistry. Beyond my academic and career aspirations, I learned about the creative processes of experimental design, along with the intensive demands of lab work. I truly felt like part of the lab team and had a voice in lab meetings—that freedom to chime in and ask questions made me a much better and more thoughtful researcher."

Click to view the end-of-project presentation

 

Xinning Zhang
Associate Professor of Geosciences and the High Meadows Environmental Institute

Mentors

  • Qianhui Qin, Postdoctoral Research Associate, High Meadows Environmental Institute