Freedman Prize Research Digs Into Soil Science and Student Discovery
From fieldwork in forest soils to lab-based analysis, Miakoda Feldman ’26 turned hands-on curiosity into meaningful scientific research through support from the Freedman Prize Award for Student-Faculty Research.
As an environmental studies and sustainability major with a minor in geology, Feldman undertook the project in collaboration with Zsuzsanna Balogh-Brunstad, professor of geology and department chair, and Stephanie Carr ’06, associate professor of biology, exploring how soil fungal communities interact with phosphorus-rich minerals.
Titled “Rhizosphere Community Response to Phosphorus Hotspots in Bottomland Forests in Western Kentucky,” the project examined how fungi respond to phosphorus-containing minerals in floodplain ecosystems. Feldman’s work included collecting soil samples, retrieving mineral mesh bags after a year of incubation, and analyzing them for microbial and mineral changes using genomic DNA extraction, bioinformatics, and scanning electron microscopy. The project also contributed to a broader, multi-institutional collaboration focused on greenhouse gas fluxes, hydrology, and nutrient dynamics in wetland forests.
Feldman described the experience as a valuable, career-shaping opportunity. “This project has given me hands-on experience with field work,” Feldman said.
“I’m currently looking at next steps in my career path, so this skill is very helpful to me when looking for a job. My goal is to be a field technician, and having this sampling experience will really help me achieve this goal.”
Miakoda Feldman ’26
Environmental Studies and Sustainability Major, Geology Minor
