Assistant Professor of Environmental and Ocean Sciences
University of San Diego Faculty
Claudia Avila, PhD, is a soil biogeochemist investigating carbon dynamics and metal transformations within native and agricultural soils. Claudia is an interdisciplinary researcher guided by environmental justice issues and a passionate teacher. Her research focuses on soils as a resource and the fundamental biogeochemical processes controlling a soil's ability to store carbon and/or release naturally occurring contaminants. She hopes to inspire students to pursue environmental science careers and causes. She teaches EOSC 175 (Sustainability and Climate Change) and EOSC 300 (Environmental Issues) as well as a Soils and Society course. Claudia is building her XingonxDirtSci Lab and welcomes undergraduate researchers looking for lab experience. Please note that the USD EOS department does not have a PhD program.
Soils are arguably one of the most important yet overlooked resources on Earth. Soils are living, dynamic bodies of inorganic and organic components that filter water, provide medium for crop and vegetative growth, are used as engineering medium, and are necessary for a functioning ecosystem and society. The components of soil (carbon + metals) are impacted by human activity.
Although Claudia uses soil biogeochemistry as a tool, her central research focus is environmental justice and aims to build community around identifying and resolving issues at the intersection of people and environment and to understand the role that soils play in society.