Channing Prend is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and physical oceanography PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He studies how ocean mixing processes impact the growth and distribution of microalgae called phytoplankton. These tiny organisms form the base of marine food webs and help regulate the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When he’s not doing research, Channing writes about earth science for Oceanbites and CollegeBoard. Previously, he was content manager of the Columbia Science Review and helped design public education campaigns as an intern at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability