Katherine Coyle

SLC President

Katherine Coyle is an M.S. student in the Plant and Soil Science department of Texas Tech University. Her research aims to refine and use the waste from municipal wastewater treatment plants, which is abundant in critical plant nutrients, as agricultural fertilizer in the area. Two solids produced by chemical engineers from wastewater, nutrient-loaded zeolite effluent and electrochemically treated waste activated sludge, will act as adsorbents for nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon. Her research will illuminate the adsorption capacity of these materials and their effect on nutrient availability in the soil. The ultimate goal of the study is to obtain a fundamental understanding of the chemical interaction of these novel products and the soil.

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Katherine holds a B.S. (2022) in Geosciences with a concentration in Geology from Texas Tech. She has always had a passion for the environment, and how science and society intersect. She published two papers during her undergraduate education about potassium (K) adsorption and the mechanisms by which these ions adsorb to a newly formed mineral surface. She hopes to fight environmental injustice in minority communities and help create a more sustainable way to supply food to the world. She currently serves as the SLC’s Diversity and Culture of Inclusion Lead and aims to ensure that every student in CASFER feels included and respected.