Undergraduate researcher uses lasers to detect lead in waterfern, environment

Haley Currier presenting research at the Consortium for Monitoring Technology, and Verification conference.

University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa undergraduate student Haley Currier was awarded funding from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to support her project that will test two laser systems’ ability to detect physiological changes in Azolla, a type of waterfern, caused by lead contamination and determine how these systems can be used to detect environmental contamination.

UROP provides merit-based scholarship funds to UH Mānoa undergraduate students who successfully propose a faculty-mentored research or creative work project. 

Currier, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences, will work in earth sciences professor Henrietta Dulai’s laboratory with doctoral student Kelly Truax. The ultimate goal of this project is to test the capabilities of the lasers at various distances and light conditions and to determine the plant’s sensitivity to different concentrations of heavy metals.

The UROP project grew out of Currier’s prior experience assisting Truax with her research on heavy metal detection in moss using Laser-Induced-Fluorescence (LIF). Currier helped run experiments and collect data, performed computer coding, and eventually created a poster that she presented at the Consortium for Monitoring, Technology, and Verification (MTV) conference in Michigan.

The Consortium for Monitoring Technology, and Verification (MTV) is a consortium of 14 universities, including UH Mānoa, and 13 national laboratories whose mission is to develop new technologies that detect and deter nuclear proliferation activities and to train the next generation of nuclear professionals.

“Learning about the work that Kelly has done using LIF and getting to work alongside her have been my favorite parts of my job,” said Currier. “Presenting at the MTV conference was one of the most rewarding moments of our research–and my life! Never did I believe that I’d be able to work with such a great group of people and learn so much at the same time.”

Originally from San Clemente, California, Currier has wanted to be a scientist since first grade.

“Growing up, I collected and studied rocks from my backyard and my love for nature only grew with time,” she said. “I decided to get my degree in Earth Science because of my passion for preserving our planet and learning more about the world around us.”

This past summer, Currier helped organize events and workshops and assist with field trips for the 2022 Earth Science on Volcanic Islands Research Experience for Undergraduates program directed by Earth Sciences professor Bridget Smith-Konter. There, Currier got to meet like-minded students from around the country, learn a lot and have fun doing it.

“To this day, Henrietta, Kelly, and Bridget have been the most influential women in my life that motivate me to keep pursuing my goals even when times get rough,” Currier said.

With the goal of graduating in Spring of 2023, she plans to attend graduate school to pursue environmental engineering or geophysics. 

Read more on UH News.