Scripps Student Spotlight: Raymond Leibensperger III

Raymond Leibensperger III is a fifth-year PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, hailing from Arvada, Colo. He pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Miami, double majoring in marine science and applied physics. Leibensperger is currently on the climate sciences track investigating sea spray aerosols at Scripps and is advised by atmospheric chemist Kimberly Prather and physical oceanographer Grant Deane. During Leibensperger’s second year at Scripps, he was funded through the San Diego Fellowship and also received the Peer Mentor of the Year award from Scripps. At the 2022 American Geophysical Union (AGU) annual meeting, Leibensperger received the Outstanding Student Presentation Award for his presentation titled, “Sea Spray Aerosol Production Estimates in the Scripps Ocean-Atmosphere Research Simulator.” He is also a member of the NSF Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment (CAICE).

explorations now (en): Why did you choose to attend Scripps?

Raymond Leibensperger (RL): I chose to attend Scripps because there is no better place to learn about climate change and the air-sea interface. Once I learned about the Scripps Ocean-Atmosphere Research Simulator (SOARS), I knew there was no other opportunity I wanted to explore more. Additionally, my advisor Kim Prather is a big name in the climate community, particularly in the aerosol community. I knew this would be a great trajectory for my future career in atmospheric science.

en: What are you researching at Scripps?

RL: I research the physical production mechanisms of sea spray aerosols in the laboratory. I look at the production of these small particles of salt, water, and other things such as microbes and organics produced from breaking waves. I am particularly interested in using the SOARS instrument to replicate surface ocean conditions in the laboratory with unparalleled control, enabling me to identify the influences of environmental factors on sea spray production.

en: How did you become interested in science and your field of study?

RL: Growing up in Colorado, I was always fascinated by what I couldn’t study: the ocean. When I moved to Miami for my undergraduate degree, I was introduced to aerosol studies through harmful algal bloom research. I learned the intricacies between aerosols, human health and climate. I learned there is a lot of uncertainty about aerosols in our climate system, and I wanted to devote my life to learning as much as I could and decreasing these uncertainties.

en: What’s life like as a Scripps student? Describe a typical day.

RL: I’d like to say I visit the beach every day as part of my research and life at Scripps, but mostly I work in my lab or office and look out to the ocean for inspiration. I am an experimentalist, so each day is wildly different, which keeps it interesting and keeps me wanting to come back for more. Broadly, each day is focused on calibrating and checking on my instruments, running an experiment to look at one facet of sea spray generation, and then working up my data to compare to models and previous studies.

en: What’s the most exciting thing about your work (in the field or in the lab)?

RL: The most exciting part about my work is working with so many instruments, especially SOARS. No two days at Scripps are the same, so it’s never boring. It always requires me to be on my toes and think on my feet. The ability to see the wind and waves in action and visualize the sea spray I’m measuring is super cool!

en: Are there any role models or mentors who have helped you along the way?

RL: My undergraduate advisors, Cassie Gaston and Kimberly Popendorf, at the University of Miami helped me a lot. By sparking my interest in performing research, figuring out how to run experiments, and connecting laboratory results with the real world—they inspired me to be a scientist and be the best scientist I can be. 

en: What are some of the challenges you face as a student?

RL: As a student, I struggle the most with prioritizing each of my tasks, especially when I’m bogged down in the details. Everything feels like it should be a top priority, so it’s hard admitting that you’re unsure what to do first. I’ve learned that it’s important to push yourself to figure it out but it is also important to ask for help and guidance—that’s the point of the advisors and the graduate school support system.

en: What are your plans post-Scripps?

RL: After my time at Scripps, I plan to continue doing research as a postdoctoral scholar. Ideally, I’m going to continue at a national laboratory. In the long term, I hope to be a principal investigator of a laboratory working on combining aerosol measurements and models to improve both. I would like to work at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in my home state of Colorado.

You can find Leibensperger on Instagram @raymondleibensperger, as well as the CAICE lab @caice_cci. Leibensperger and CAICE are also on X @RLeibensperger3 and @CAICECCI.