Get to Know James
James Landolfi is a Geosciences major who found a second home in the lab. Having engaged in multiple research opportunities in his undergraduate degree with plans to continue on the path of research at UTSA after graduation, James took full advantage of the hands-on learning opportunities UTSA provides.
Discovering Research
Through the Experiential Learning Internship, James discovered his love of research. He was matched with a research professor, which in his case was Dr. Alan Whittington, and engaged in both classroom lecture and hands-on research. The experience opened his eyes to what it’s like to be a researcher. Beforehand, he had planned to stop at an undergraduate degree, but now plans to continue his studies and research in grad school.
Committing to Research
James helps conduct research in the HAMsTER lab. HAMsTER is an acronym which stands for Heat and Mass Transfer Experimental Rheology. They conduct research on lava: how it’s produced, and how it moves on earth, the moon and other planets. Engaging in this research helped James develop his critical thinking skills, where he was required to improvise get creative when things didn’t go according to plan.
James is looking forward to continuing his studies at UTSA by pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science & Engineering, continuing his research with Dr. Whittington.