Alex Crow: planting the seeds for success

Alex Crow

Bianca Antunez/Contributing Writer

It is often said that to make big changes in the world, you must start with what you have in front of you; that is the same approach that Florida International University junior Alex Crow has towards the environment.

Alex Crow is majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Natural Resources.  When it comes to nature, Alex knows about all aspects. Should it be seeds underground or pollution in the air, you name it and he will most likely be able to tell you about it with ease.

This past summer (2017), Crow participated in a research experience for undergraduates with CREST CAChE (Center of Research Excellence in Science and Technology and The Center for Aquatic Chemistry and the Environment). Alongside Dr. Scinto and Dr. Datta Mudi of FIU, he checked for microbial activity within the soil in the Everglades.

“What was really cool about what I did was that I never really did research before and this gave me the opportunity to see what that was really all about and talk to people who do it for a living.”

Alex also mentioned that they ended up with information that no one else knew about before. “It was new, it was fresh, it was among the cutting edge of what is known. So I discovered something new.”

Crow’s studies this summer concluded that the respiration and enzymatic activity and the soils downstream of the Tamiami trail and the Everglades are actually limited by Labile Carbon and not Phosphorus. “This is what you usually see in soils more north of that.”

Alex is not only abundantly involved in the outer environment of FIU, but lucky for us Alex also has taken steps inside of our campus to help raise awareness for the environment and its importance to our lives. He is involved in the Agroecology program.

“We look at sustainability and ecology and agricultural systems. I want to do my research there on pollination or fungi in soil in agricultural systems.”

Crow is also the Council of Student Organizations for the Bee Keeping Club at FIU. “We are trying to get a bee hive here on campus, hopefully that’s in the plans for the near future.”

It does not stop there; Alex is also a participant in the Professional Horticulture Workshop. He is also involved in the Garden Club, and works on the organic garden (next to the Nature Preserve) on campus.

Because Alex had the summer experience studying with wetland soils, the Agroecology program through U.S. Department of Agriculture Hispanic Serving Institution is sending him to Texas to compete in the Regional Soil Judging competition at Texas A&M University.

“In the future I am hoping to continue my research for a bit. I am planning on getting a master’s degree in Environmental Policy or Environmental Management. If not, one in Ecology or Biology. I would like to either pursue research into getting more into Pollination Ecology and pollinators and bees and butterflies and hummingbirds.”

It is no secret that Crow knows what he wants to pursue in the near future. He also mentioned his thoughts about maybe even going to law school to study Environmental Law so he could serve the community in a different way.

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