Over a handful of years, Audrey Garrison has gone from a high school student with an interest in chemistry to a scientist taking on the pollutants in our water and soil. One of the Winter 26 term’s Undergrads of the Quarter, Audrey has been working in the lab of Dr. Jennifer Field, researching per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the ways they permeate groundwater and other environmental systems. She’s been doing similar work with Dr. Serhan Mermer, focusing on interactions between contaminants, soil, and plants.
Audrey’s fascination chemistry began when, as she puts it, “I had a teacher who sparked my curiosity for the subject, which has grown with every science course I take.”
After completing high school in her hometown of Portland, Oregon, Audrey chose OSU for its forensic science option, and for the many chances OSU would give her to do rewarding undergraduate research. Once she found labs whose research intrigued her, she reached out to express her interest and was working for one of the labs within a month.
Audrey has been a critical part of the university, both in the lab and as a teaching assistant for Dr. Alison Bain and Dr. Claudia Maier. She’s also a part of OSU’s club tennis team, making friends and forging a community on campus.
When she isn’t working, studying, or playing tennis, Audrey is baking, reading, and spending time with her loved ones. Her current favorite book is Sabaa Tahir’s All My Rage, and her favorite food is just about any kind of pasta.
Once she graduates, Audrey intends to spend a year or two in the workforce, then head to graduate school and continue her studies in forensic science.
