Terra Ganey
Terra is a senior PhD Candidate in the Hain Lab, where her research uses carbon cycle modeling to study climate change mitigation and the long-term evolution of atmospheric CO2. Her current work focuses on the response of the Earth System to marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) technologies, including geochemical approaches like ocean alkalinity enhancement and biological strategies such as large-scale seaweed mariculture.
Terra’s Google Scholar, LinkedIn
Em Rice
Em is a graduate student principally advised by Mathis Hain and co-advised by Adina Paytan. They are interested in using computers to model the complex biogeochemical processes that take place at the interface between coastal wetlands and the ocean, and the key role these transitional zones play in the global carbon cycle. Their research focuses on lateral fluxes of carbon, alkalinity, and nutrients, and their eventual fate as they travel from the tidal estuary Elkhorn Slough into Monterey Bay.
Em’s LinkedIn
Mathis Hain
Mathis is facilitating the Earth System Biogeochemistry learning community because he is looking to learn from anyone that brings a passion for our planet. Yes, he is looking at you to help make the difference, to build deeper understanding. Please consider our community principles and reach out to talk about opportunities.
Mathis’ ORCID, Google Scholar, GitHub
Former mentees and community members
Dr. Ryan Green
Ryan graduated from the Hain Lab in 2025 (PhD), where his dissertation investigated carbon isotopes as tools for understanding ocean alkalinity enhancement — both as tracers of natural geologic carbon release during the last deglaciation and as verification tools for modern marine CDR. He is now Ocean Systems Lead at Equatic, a marine CDR startup spun out of UCLA, where he conducts the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) and environmental impact assessment of their ocean-based CDR systems.
Ryan’s website, Google Scholar, LinkedIn
Jo Holo completed a MS thesis with Jim Zachos and was part of our community.
Jo is @geojoholo on Twitter and @jo_holo on Instagram, web
Dr. Madison Wood is currently a 2025 Knauss Fellow coordinate interagency marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) research and development with OAP and the Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. At UCSC Maddie was a member of the Paytan lab and our community.
Maddie’s Google Scholar, LinkedIn
Dr. Yan Zhang worked in Christina Ravelo‘s lab, developed a global nitrogen-isotope biogeochemical model of the Cenozoic and was part of our community. Yan is currently a machine learning engineer and software builder in Palo Alto.
Yan’s Google Scolar, LinkedIn, ResearchGate
Dr. Vinícius Amaral was was a member of the Phoebe Lam’s lab and our community. He is now a data scientist.
Vinícius ORCID
Dr. Xiaodong (Daisy) Zhang was was a member of Jim Zachos’ lab and our community.
Daisy’s Google Scholar, LinkedIn
Dr. Gavin Piccione geochemist and climate scientist working as a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University and starting a faculty position at U of Pittsburgh. Gavin was was a member of Terry Blackburn’s lab and our community.
Gavin’s website, Google Scholar
David McCurdy (far left) and Colin Zerfass (center left) completed their BA theses in the Hain lab at UCSC. David is now graduate student at OSU and Colin is applying for grad school after a stint at NASA Ames.
Grace Pearsall completed a MS thesis with in Adina Paytan’s lab and was part of our community.
Gracie’s LinkedIn
Interested in joining our learning community? Learn more about opportunities in Earth System Biogeochemistry.
Braden Begbie followed his BA with a coursework MS thesis advised by Mathis and was part of our community. Braden is now a Senior Analyst at Circana.
Braden’s LinkedIn
Other former student collaborators include: Preston Kemeny, now at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute; Yingxu Wu, now Associate Professor at Jimei University; and Claudia Fry, now at Allianz.