Whenever Izzy Xiong’s high school English teacher let her choose a topic to write about, she says she always chose something about the environment or global issues surrounding climate change. Over time, her desire to learn more about the natural world grew, leading her to the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) to study Earth and environmental science. Now, that curiosity is leading her to pursue local research that could help guide real-world impact in one of Duluth’s most beloved parks.

“Studying environmental science and knowing how I can help,” has motivated her throughout her studies, she said. “I want to be part of the change that we see in the world.”

Now in her fourth year at UMD, Xiong was awarded an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) grant to study the accumulation of sediment in Hartley Park. The work will support a larger multi-stakeholder effort examining alternatives to the Hartley Pond Dam, which negatively impacts the habitat and range of native trout populations.

Xiong is working under the guidance of William Daniels, PhD, and John Swenson, PhD. Together, they are mapping sediment characteristics near the pond and using coring tools to extract intact layers of sediment that can be studied in the lab. While they are using hand tools this fall to establish a baseline of the landscape, they plan to use a state-of-the-art vibracore machine later this year to extract deeper sediment layers.

“That's something that hasn't been done [in Hartley] yet,” Xiong said. “I'm really excited to be able to do that and bring more to the table than what they already know.”

Conducting research in Hartley feels especially impactful for Xiong, who worked as an intern at Hartley Nature Center improving pollinator habitat, maintaining trails, developing lesson plans, and sharing her love of the outdoors with area youth.

When she’s not in the field or the classroom, Xiong wakes early most mornings to run along Duluth’s Lakewalk, an 8-mile stretch of paved trail connecting Canal Park and Brighton Beach. Running near the shore as the sun rises over Lake Superior is another way for her to connect with the outdoors, and serves as a restorative part of her routine.

“I just feel rejuvenated,” she said. “It’s a happy place for me.”

Between her research, life on campus and in the community, she’s found a perfect fit. “I plan on staying in Duluth,” she said. These core experiences “made me really want to be in this environment.”