Iris Holzer joined the UCSB Environmental Studies Program as an Assistant Teaching Professor in 2023, after completing her Ph.D. in Soils and Biogeochemistry at the University of California, Davis. She also holds a B.A. in Geology from Scripps College. At UCSB she teaches a variety of undergraduate courses in soils and environmental chemistry, and her soils courses are cross-listed in Geography. Iris is committed to increasing student access to field science opportunities, and she enjoys teaching and learning across the varied landscapes of the Central Coast.
Research
Dr. Holzer's research focuses on rock weathering, soil formation, and carbon dynamics in the soils of agricultural and natural systems. Broadly, her work is driven by a desire to better understand weathering — the process of mineral transformations at the surface of Earth — and its connections to elemental cycling, hydrologic systems, and the broader biosphere. One of her major areas of study is the carbon dioxide removal potential of enhanced rock weathering in cropland soils. Other current topics of interest include rock-derived nitrogen release in terrestrial ecosystems and interactions between weathering and salinity in irrigated drylands.
Education
- Ph.D., Soils and Biogeochemistry, University of California, Davis
- B.A., Geology, Scripps College
Courses Taught
- ENV S 15A: Environmental Chemistry 1
- ENV S 15B: Environmental Chemistry 2
- ENV S 114A: Principles of Soil Science
- ENV S 114B: Soils of California: Formation, Morphology, and Management
- ENV S 190: Colloquium On Current Topics In Environmental Studies