Karina was an undergraduate joint concentrator in Earth and Planetary Science and Environmental Engineering who has been working with the Johnston Group since her sophomore year. Her interests in biogeochemistry carries across sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen cycles in different biospheres, but mainly falls within oceanic processes. She is interested marine geochemical cycling and stable isotope fractionation within the water column as well as interactions with the sediments.

Her thesis with the Johnston Group is focused on N and O stable isotope systematics of abiotic nitrite reduction coupled with anaerobic iron oxidation. This research was completed at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with Dr. Johnston's former post-doc, Dr. Scott Wankel. Kalina hopes to continue her research in biogeochemistry and apply it to nutrient cycling within the ocean, chemical interactions between biospheres, and the stable isotope signatures of microbial N and S reduction processes.

Karina is now on a Fulbright in China and then will start a PhD with Colleen Hansel at MIT/WHOI.