Francesca M. Hopkins, Ph.D.
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Graduate Students
Alyssa Valdez
Alyssa Valdez earned a B.S. degree in Earth System Science at UC Merced. During and after undergraduate, she worked in Professor Sora Kim’s stable isotope laboratory, spending time studying shark teeth to learn about their habitats. Alyssa is interested in isotopes, understanding intersections between environmental justice and science, and hopes to contribute to our understanding of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management in California agriculture. Alyssa hails from Fremont, CA, and enjoys cooking and spending time with her dog Miso.
Mariana Reyes
I graduated from UCR in 2021 where I received a bachelor's Degree in Geology in the Earth and Planetary Sciences department. As an undergraduate, I worked on analyzing geophysical data to characterize the lithosphere-atmospheric boundary. During his time I also took various global climate change courses which further interested me to pursue climate change research. In Hopkins Climate Change and Sustainability lab, I am researching Methane emissions from landfills in California. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, working out, and trying new foods.
Diana Rodriguez Amezquita
Diana graduated in 2017 with an Environmental Engineering from El Bosque University, located in Bogota, Colombia. Upon finishing her undergraduate studies, she worked in the industry of studies required for environmental licensing of different types of projects, such as Roads, Solar Parks, and Eolic Parks. Working with nonconventional renewable energies developed in her a great interest in Climate Change issues. Diana worked in research during her undergrad in the environmental laboratory in which she studied the potential for biofuel from the waste of Coffee production. In her personal life, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and trying new food
Heaven Denham
I received my B.S degree in Environmental Science: Geoscience at the University of Washington Tacoma. As an Undergraduate I researched dry deposition on Spirit Lake at Mount Saint Helens to analyze total nitrogen and phosphorus entering the lake through dry particulate matter. I have also done various research on freshwater quality and was a lab assistant at the Center for Urban Waters in Tacoma, Washington. At the Greenhouse Gasses Lab I am interested in air quality and environmental justice. In my free time I enjoy various artistic hobbies and hiking.
Juliana Guerra
Juliana Guerra completed her B.S. in Environmental Science and Technology from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2023. While at Maryland, she worked in Dr. James Farquhar’s PanoLab, researching methane emissions and sourcing in sewage networks in College Park, Maryland. Through this experience, Juliana became interested in urban greenhouse gas emissions and tracing sources through isotopes and other gases. In the Hopkins Lab, Juliana plans to continue exploring her research interests in urban greenhouse gas apportionment through various projects. During her downtime, Juliana enjoys reading, practicing astrology, caring for her plants, and socializing with friends.
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Dr. Afsara Tasnia
I completed my PhD in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from UC Riverside in 2024. The primary goal of my research was to develop sampling and data analysis techniques to understand trends and the chemistry of source-specific Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) across environments, ranging from remote to urban areas and western conifer forests, over recent to decadal timescales. In the Hopkins lab, I am currently working on measuring greenhouse gases emitted from dairy farms to evaluate the effectiveness of Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry interventions. My approach involves using a dispersion model to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from various sources within a dairy farm. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, traveling, listening to music, and attending concerts.
Personnel
Ryan Sendejas
Hello, world! I’m Ryan Sendejas. I hold a BA in Environmental Studies & Geospatial Analysis from Cal Poly Humboldt, and for the past decade, I’ve been dedicated to advancing socially conscious environmental projects spanning academic research, food sovereignty, and sustainable development. I’m passionate about integrating policy, science, and community engagement to create solutions that address complex environmental and social challenges. Currently, I'm thrilled to be working on California's Fifth Climate Change Assessment: Inland Deserts with Dr. Francesca Hopkins. Outside of work, I enjoy exploring horror and sci-fi genres, refining my photography skills, and discovering abandoned places through urban exploration.
Alumni
Graduate Alumni
Isis Frausto-Vicencio, PH.D. Dec 2022​
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Valerie Carranza, PH.D. DEC 2022
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Tahla Rafiq, PH.D. SEpt 2022​
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Michelle Carr, M.S. June 2022
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Michael Rodriguez, PH.D. DEC 2023
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Past Affiliates
Undergraduate Alumni
Michael Torres
Julie Nguyen
Skyler Kim
Preston Begishe
Melissa Chou
Neha Khuslani
Shafaq Syed
Sara Doering
Vero Sanchez
Tanisha Joshi
Sergio Gomez beltran
Patrice Barnett
Cindy Yáñez
Sharon Zhao
Casaundra Caruso
Elise Lee
Celia Limon
Lupe Abonce
Tiffany Larrabee
Maddie Haddad
Andrea Delgado
Adrian Nuñez
Javier González-Rocha, Ph.D.​​
Alondra Moreno​
Kourosh Vafi, Phd​
​Arvin Ocampo
​Nidia E. Rojas Robles, Ph.D.
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