Dr. Erin Black
Assistant Professor
Lab Lead
2018 Ph.D. Chemical Oceanography MIT/WHOI Joint Program
2008 M.S. Earth Sciences Dartmouth College
2006 B.A. Geology Skidmore College
People
Liang Cao
B.S. Geosciences, University of Rochester
I am a joint research assistant in the TRACER and Trail Labs. My research focuses on mineralogy, high-temperature geochemistry, and trace-element partitioning. I have expertise in Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry, (SEM-EDS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). I am helping with project-specific research tasks and radiation safety In the TRACER Lab.
Samantha Zack
UR Class of 2028
Sam joined the lab in 2026 and currently working on coastal plastics research. She is a UR Undergraduate Research Ambassador and EES teaching assistant. Sam sailed on the RV Hugh Sharp in the summer of 2026 and assisted in zooplankton and plastics identification, filter procesing, and radioisotope analyses.
Mariya Cyriac
Ph.D. Student
2019 M.S. Hydrochemistry Cochin University of Science and Technology
2017 B.S. Chemistry St.Aloysius College Edathua – Mahatma Gandhi University
Research: Uranium in the Arctic Ocean; Radioisotope adsorption to plastics and implications for marine tracer studies.
Karine Holmes
Ph.D. Student
2022 B.S. Geology, Meteorology Minor Iowa State
Research: Applications of radioisotopes for constraining coastal carbon budgets
Former Lab Members:
Sarah Mason (B.S. 2025) – Started her Ph.D. at TAMU in the Rising Fluids (Oppo) in 2026.
Nuo Chen (B.S. 2024) – Went on to obtain a master’s at UPenn and landed a job with ERM.