Bhavna Rawal (TAS, ’12) is a Chemistry Instructor and professor at Lonestar Community College- CyFair in Houston, TX. She recently partnered with Dr. Kevin Arrigo from Stanford University on a Polar STEAM project titled Understanding the Massive Phytoplankton Blooms Over the Australian-Antarctic Ridge.

Excerpt from the project description:

The Australian-Antarctic Ridge phytoplankton bloom is one of the most concentrated and largest blooms in the Southern Ocean and one of only three large blooms that consistently develop within offshore waters of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, yet we know almost nothing about the processes driving it. Perhaps significantly, this bloom is located directly above two hydrothermal vents that are known to release large amounts of trace metals such as iron. The primary objective of the expedition was to combine remote sensing, modeling, and fieldwork to identify the physical and chemical processes responsible for delivering dissolved iron to the site of the recurring Australian-Antarctic Ridge bloom and characterize the biological and biogeochemical responses by the bloom to that iron input.

Read Bhavna’s blog about her experience during the expedition to the Southern Ocean here.

Beyond the classroom, Bhavna’s dedication to STEM education is evident through her leadership in running STEM and Aspiring Engineers clubs, collaborative work on NASA experiments in Zero Gravity, and participation in oceanic chemistry research on a NOAA research vessel. Bhavna remains steadfast in her commitment to shaping 21st-century students through project-based learning and fostering personal connections in their educational journey.

Photo credits: Bhavna Rawal, NASA