Kassandra Laguna

Kassandra Laguna is an MS student and graduate teaching assistant at the University of Mississippi. She began at the University in the fall semester of 2024 after receiving two Bachelors of Arts in Marine Geology and Animal Studies at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. It was there that she was able to participate in an NSF-funded research cruise to monitor the progression of the effects of the 2011 Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This opportunity allowed her to present at several conferences as a poster presenter and panelist. Kassandra also completed an internship with the Roatan Institute for Marine Science that focused on coral reef rehabilitation.

Kassandra's experiences sparked an interest in geologic hazards, specifically, volcanology and seismology, and marine sedimentology. Her current research explores seismology as she uses geophysical equipment to identify the orientations of recently discovered faults in Washington D.C. This research could impact millions of lives and the future of the United States' capitol.