2025 Internship Project Overview

The process of rock weathering and soil formation absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide—one of the important factors in controlling the global carbon cycle and ocean alkalinity on our planet. This research studied how adding basalt and mulch to soils can enhance both atmospheric CO2 capture and plant growth. We initiated 20 reactions with different amendment conditions, to study the mechanism through which adding basalt to croplands can help remove CO2 from the atmosphere. These reactions will continue for at least a year and will be kept under different water levels to mimic field conditions in wet vs. wet-dry climates. The long-term goal is to determine and then improve the efficiency of this process so that it becomes economically feasible at a large scale across the world in agricultural applications.

ORGANIZATION/RESEARCH GROUP

Molecular Environmental Geochemistry Group, Department of Geosciences, Princeton

LOCATION

Princeton, New Jersey

 

Interns

Joaquín Acuña Girault ’28
Major: Chemical and Biological Engineering
"As a first-year student, getting to work with a professor and postdoc taught me a lot about the world of academia and helped me approach learning differently. Now I see the connection between the textbook knowledge we learn in class and the real-world applications being developed right here on campus."

Click to view the end-of-project presentation

 

Satish Myneni
Professor of Geosciencesy

Mentors

  • Jianshu Duan, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Geosciences