PhD student Justine Grabiec studies at the USCHelium Lab. Her focus is on California geology and the formation of Southern California, occurring around 100 million years ago. To do this, she explores rocks of the Sierra Nevada and Santa Catalina Island 🌄🏝🪨 🔹 Catalina Island is a unique destination for campers, hikers, and snorkelers. Serving as an environmental and Earth science hub, research takes place on marine & terrestrial ecosystems, sustainability, and geoscience. 🔹 Catalina was home to the Tongva Tribe for thousands of years before settlers arrived. They used rocks to form bowls, hunting tools and as canvases. Tongva petroglyphs (carvings) seen in red. 🔹 According to @catalinaconservancy, “the island ecosystem includes native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses, ferns, mammals, insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fungi, and lichens,” like prickly pear cacti, fox, fish, and deer. Buffalo were originally brought to the island in 1920. 🔹 Catalina tends to be arid and dry...