Summary
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Affiliations
Presentations
Leadership roles
Extracurricular volunteering
Awards
Publications
Professional references
Software
Timeline
Generic

KESEGO PEARL LETSHELE

Summary

Hydrogeochemist with over three years of experience designing and executing water quality and management experiments. Proven expertise in isotope systems as process tracers and geochemistry, particularly in arid, estuarine and carbonate systems within karst environments. Successful track record contributing to local and international projects.

Work History

Research Assistant

University of California, Davis
  • Planned and prepared field trip for sample collection of surface, groundwater, soil, and air.
  • Mentored undergraduates in sample collection and analysis
  • Conducted oxygen and hydrogen analysis using the stable water isotope analyzer (Picarro)
  • Analyzed water and carbonates for carbon and oxygen isotope analysis using Picarro and Optima IRMS
  • Conducted photo-spectrometry analysis on water samples
  • Vacuum line extraction of carbon dioxide from water samples
  • Measured water for major cations and anions using ion chromatography
  • Alkalinity test
  • Micro drilling stalagmite thin sections for carbon and oxygen isotopes
  • Confocal and epifluorescence microscopy
  • Prepared detailed scientific reports or presentations based on findings.

Teaching Assistant

University of California, Davis
01.2022 - Current
  • Engaged and led students in course discussion sessions
  • Prepared and taught geology laboratory sessions
  • Graded labs, class projects, quiz and exams
  • Proctored exams

International Research Work

University Of California, Davis
06.2022 - 07.2022

The research was focused on investigating and elucidating how anthropogenic activities affect the hydrogeochemistry of water, sediments, and carbon cycling in estuarine environments

  • Planned sampling plan prior to Cameroon and at the field (Wouri Estuary)
  • Trained graduate students from Yaoundé University with sampling equipment (digital titrator, sediment sampler, multiparameter probe) before the commencement of sampling
  • Conducted water and sediment sampling
  • Assisted with abstract writing, presentation skills and resumes
  • Analyzed the samples back in the US and presented the findings at conferences

Research Assistant

Botswana International University of Science and Technology
08.2020 - 02.2021
  • Subsampling sediment cores
  • Preparation of samples for Inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry analysis
  • Grain size analysis using Mastersizer
  • Acid digestion of sediments
  • Loss and ignition analysis on river sediments

Education

Master of Science - Geology

University of California
Davis
12.2022

Master of Science - Geology

University of Delaware
07.2021

Bachelor of Science - Geology

Botswana International University of Science and Technology
11.2019

Skills

  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Time management
  • Problem-solving
  • Data collection
  • Multitasking and organization
  • Analytical thinking
  • Data analysis
  • Statistical analysis
  • Literature reviews
  • Scientific writing
  • Fieldwork experience
  • Scientific experiments
  • Lab equipment operation
  • Teaching assistance
  • Research design
  • Adobe applications
  • Grant writing
  • Water quality analysis
  • Soil sampling
  • Geochemistry
  • Data analysis
  • Rstudio
  • ArcGIS
  • Microsoft office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Publisher)
  • Principal Component Analysis (PCA)
  • Canvas
  • OriginPro software

Certification

  • Basic First Aid
  • ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) -Alison
  • ISO 45001: 2018 Principles of Occupational Health and Safety Management System - Alison
  • Project Management in Practice (Planning, Scheduling and Resource Management)- Alison
  • Diploma in Project Management- Alison

Affiliations

  • Geological Society of America (GSA), 2020, Present
  • American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2022, Present
  • Pan African Game Changers (PAGC), 2021, Present
  • Effective and Efficient Writers, 2021, Present

Presentations

  • Stalagmite-Based Multi-Thermometer Reconstruction, Central Sierra Nevada, California, Speleothem Summer School, 08/01/23, Kesego P. Letshele, Yuval Burstyn, Barbara Wortham, Daniel Stolpher, Cameroon B. de Wet, Eliot A. Atekwana, Isabel P. Montañez
  • The temporal variations of hydrogeochemistry of a tidal mangrove creek in the Wouri estuary, Cameroon, Geological Society of America (GSA) Oral Poster Presentation, 10/01/22, Letshele, Kesego, AGIY, Pauline, Atedjoe, Fabienne, Castellano, Sandy, Gillen, Spencer, Huck, Lori, Elat Mekong, Hugues, Sunjo, Claris Nyuysoni, Wukong, Stephanie Akwi, Agbogun, Henry, Ali, Hendratta, Atekwana, Eliot, Njilah, Isaac

Leadership roles

  • Anti-Racism Committee, University of California, Davis, 2021, 2022
  • Executive committee member (Treasurer), Effective and efficient writers, 2021, Present
  • Executive committee member (Treasurer), BIUST student chapter-Society of Exploration Geophysicist, 2019
  • Peer mentor and living and learning community ambassador, BIUST, 2018, 2019
  • Resident assistant, BIUST, 2018, 2019
  • Library ambassador, BIUST, 2019

Extracurricular volunteering

  • Member of the Pan-African Game Changers (PAGC), 2022
  • Founding member of Effective and Efficient Writing Support Group, 2022
  • Palapye Half Marathon, 2018

Awards

  • Earth Scholar (Institute of the Environment), $8000, 2024
  • Durell Award (Earth and Planetary Science), $2500, 2023
  • Past Global Changes (PAGES), $500, 2023
  • Durell Award (Earth and Planetary Science), $1600, 2023
  • GSA graduate research grant, $2000, 2022
  • Durrell Award (Earth and planetary department), $2500, 2022
  • Khoemacau Copper Mine Award-Best student in the department of earth and environmental science, 2019

Publications

  • Rajesh, H.M., Safonov, O.G., Belyanin, G.A., Letshele, K.P., Vorster, C., 2024, Metasomatism of mafic-intermediate rocks in the Motloutse Complex, Botswana: Effect on ore mineralization and implication for the Paleoproterozoic Large Alkali Metasomatic Province (LAMP) in southern Africa., Precambrian Research, 406, 107402
  • Letshele, K.P., Atekwana, E.A., Molwalefhe, L., Ramatlapeng, G.J., Masamba, W.R., 2023, Stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes reveal aperiodic non-river evaporative solute enrichment in the solute cycling of rivers in arid watersheds., Science of the Total Environment, 856, 159113

Professional references

Provided upon request.

Software

Canvas

Rstudio

ArcGIS

OriginPro

Timeline

International Research Work

University Of California, Davis
06.2022 - 07.2022

Teaching Assistant

University of California, Davis
01.2022 - Current

Research Assistant

Botswana International University of Science and Technology
08.2020 - 02.2021

Master of Science - Geology

University of California

Master of Science - Geology

University of Delaware

Bachelor of Science - Geology

Botswana International University of Science and Technology

Research Assistant

University of California, Davis

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