Feb 3
Chemistry Department Seminar: Yuichiro Takeshita '08
We have entered the Anthropocene, an era of unprecedented change due to anthropogenic activity. As the world’s ocean continues to warm and acidify by absorbing CO2, marine ecosystem health and function are threatened. Understanding how CO2 is distributed and transported throughout the marine carbon cycle is critical to make accurate projections on how the ocean will change in an uncertain future. In situ chemical sensors provide a powerful tool to observe the chemical distribution and variability in marine ecosystems with temporal and spatial resolution not possible using traditional methods. Rapid strides in chemical sensing technology have been made in the past decade or so, enabling high quality autonomous measurements that rival traditional benchtop systems. In this talk, I will describe my experience with the Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (ISFET) pH sensor, an extraordinarily stable pH electrode. Specifically, I will describe my efforts in integrating ISFET technology into autonomous sensors, and the development of the Benthic Ecosystem and Acidification Measurement System (BEAMS) to quantify benthic metabolic rates in coral reef ecosystems. Finally, as a some-what recent alumni of Carleton, I will attempt to provide advice on selecting graduate programs and pursuing a career in academia.