For geoscience graduate student Piper Irvin, growing up in Southern Nevada meant understanding the importance of water resource management from an early age. Visits to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead as a child sparked her curiosity about the region’s water resources and the role they play in the community.

“By the time I was in middle school I knew I wanted to be a scientist, so I explored a variety of Earth science topics during my time as an undergraduate and ultimately realized I was passionate about researching water as it directly impacts our local community and I feel like I am making a real difference with my work,” Irvin says.

That early interest led Irvin to UNLV. She had several UNLV alumni as elementary school teachers who often shared stories about their experiences and the quality of their education. Their enthusiasm, combined with her interest in the research being conducted in the geoscience and anthropology departments, made UNLV a natural choice.

The support and sense of belonging she found as an undergraduate made continuing to the master's program feel like a natural next step.

“I would tell other first-generation students to take advantage of every opportunity you can, whether it's to attend conferences, do research, join a club, or anything else UNLV has to offer. I have found that saying yes to opportunities always pays off!”

Now, Irvin is making the most of the opportunities that first drew her to UNLV. 

Tell us about your research.

My research focuses on sediments in the Las Vegas Wash, a local channel that returns urban runoff and wastewater to Lake Mead. In Lake Mead, sometimes harmful algal blooms occur, which are a type of toxic algae that will grow when there is an excessive amount of phosphorus in the water.

My research focuses on understanding if the sediments in the Las Vegas Wash are connected to the phosphorus in Lake Mead. Our goal is to determine if the sediments have the potential to release an excessive amount of phosphorus if they were to be introduced into the lake one day.

By understanding the influence that the sediments have on nutrient cycling to the lake, we can prevent these toxic blooms in the future to keep Lake Mead’s water quality healthy and safe.

What excites you about your research?

My research directly benefits my community here in Southern Nevada, which is really exciting. Harmful algal blooms are a worldwide problem, so I feel like I’m tackling a real-world issue with my research. My project also has a pretty diverse set of research methods, allowing me to work outside at the Las Vegas Wash to collect samples and also in a chemistry lab where I process the sediments to extract phosphorus from them.

I really enjoy being in the lab, when I was younger and imagined becoming a scientist, it was the exact type of work I pictured doing!

Why should your research matter to the general public?

Our main goal is to protect the water quality of our freshwater resources like Lake Mead. Almost all of our drinking water comes from the lake, so it’s important to prevent toxic algae from blooming so that it is safe to consume — not only for the general public but also for local wildlife.

By understanding nutrient cycling in the Las Vegas Wash, we are able to create a stronger understanding between the wash and Lake Mead and implement remediation/protective techniques to manage excess nutrients. Therefore, whether you’re concerned about drinking water quality or recreational activities at the lake, we are able to protect the water and keep it safe for everyone.

What are you working on next?

So far, a lot of my research has been working in the field at the wash and in a chemistry lab to determine the concentration of phosphorus in my sediment samples. Now, I’m planning to use an electron microprobe to determine the elements associated with the phosphorus in each of my samples to better understand the overall composition of these sediments. This will help us determine the potential environmental factors that can influence the phosphorus release in the future.

Tell us about working with your faculty mentor, Zach Perzan, and what that has taught you about mentoring other students.

Zach has been a fantastic mentor! He is incredibly knowledgeable and is great at breaking down complex topics and skills in a way that is easy to learn.

I have had the opportunity to have undergraduate students work on my research with me, and I always try to apply that same method to teach them about our research methods. I love being able to teach science to others, so it has been great to have such a knowledgeable advisor to learn from.

What are some of your proudest moments in your academic career so far?

I have had the opportunity to present my research at the geoscience department’s yearly conference, both in the form of a poster and a talk, and even won awards for the best presentation in those categories. I really enjoyed sharing my research and being able to receive feedback from many experts in my research field.

Overall, I have really enjoyed my time at UNLV, and I am incredibly grateful for all of the opportunities that I’ve had as a student here!