PhD Student's Summer Project Results in New Ocean Acidification Sensor
Date: August 14, 2023
Time: 2:26
Throughout the course of your career, there have likely been points of friction, things that could be done better, pieces of equipment that could be improved upon, and problems that would be solved if only someone took the time to develop them. That's exactly what PhD student Josianne Haag did over the summer. She saw a gap developing in her area of research: a supplier of specialized sensors that were quite expensive to begin with discontinued their pH sensor. Josianne took the reins and developed her own sensor, code, and mechanism in her lab at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
This innovation on a simple sensor will not only help researchers, but because of the proposed cost savings, it could create a much more accessible tool for more than just well-funded scientists. Josianne’s efforts could create more access for remote communities and educators as well. Josianne is currently in the process of licensing her work to an Alaskan company to bring it to not just Alaska, but communities all over the world.
The secret to Josianne’s profound breakthrough isn't really a secret at all but a new program designed to help graduate students build sustainable systems and business models to support innovations. The Center ICE Graduate Studentship is a semester-long program that allows graduate students to explore the full potential of their research, working with experienced mentors to develop new skills, research opportunities, or translate early-stage research and innovations into readily deployable solutions.
The studentship itself is atypical of other graduate funding in that it provides tuition, health insurance, and a weekly stipend for 20 hours in the fall and spring semesters, and a full 40 hours per week in the summer. Center ICE has just recently closed fall submissions for the studentship but will be offering a spring and summer cohort next year. Click here to get up-to-date information for when registration opens.