| Earlier this year, SCIPP faculty member Shiva Abbaszadeh (Electrical and Computer Engineering) won a three-year $3.7M Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Earthshot award with a proposal to resolve the paradox of rhizosphere effect on soil carbon cycle. |
| Abbaszadeh’s proposal “addresses the core mission of the Energy Earthshot by understanding how plant roots affect soil organic carbon (SOC) and the mechanisms that regulate SOC dynamics in the rhizosphere.” By implementing dynamic Positron Emission Tomography (PET), researchers will be able to observe directly the distribution of a radiotracer within the rhizosphere. |
| As Abbaszadeh explains, this particle-based imaging technique will allow the team to quantify SOC stabilization and destabilization rates in previously unattainable ways, offering insight into soil carbon sequestration strategies. The findings of this research also address various uncertainties and inconsistencies in existing soil carbon modeling, providing insight for global soil carbon monitoring efforts. |
| According to DOE Office of Science, “DOE’s Energy Earthshots are designed to drive integrated program development across DOE to address tough technological challenges and cost hurdles, and rapidly advance solutions to help achieve our climate and economic competitiveness goals.” The DOE awarded a combined $69.1 million to various researchers at institutions across the country to fund those efforts. |
| Read more here. |
