Our Research Staff keep our labs and programs running and ensure the quality of research results. Many also train students in the lab and field as well as engage in public outreach and tours. They represent a source of knowledge, talent, and experience that's critical to INSTAAR’s mission. Current staff with questions or concerns should contact Sylvia Englund Michel (Staff Representative). Prospective staff should check the Jobs page and consider contacting individual INSTAAR Faculty.

People A to Z

Sander Aplet

Field Technician
Professional Research Assistant

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research

Henry Brandes

Professional Research Assistant

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Specialty

Long-term Climate Monitoring; Snow & Mountain Hydrology; Data Acquisition; Field Instrumentation and Sampling methods

Nicole Brooks

Professional Research Assistant

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Specialty

Micropaleontology, Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, Foraminifera, Marine sediment cores, Paleoceanography, Paleoclimateology

Patrick Cappa

Professional Research Assistant, Professional Scientist, Wet Lab Manager, Lab Chemist
Professional Research Assistant
Professional Scientist

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Laboratory for AMS Radiocarbon Preparation and Research (NSRL)

Specialty

Wet lab chemistry, isotope chemistry, maintenance and production of primary and secondary hOX radiocarbon standards and various other radiocarbon standards, lab glassblower, lab archivist.

Justin Reid Clark (he/him)

Professional Scientist I
Professional Research Assistant

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Stable Isotope Laboratory

Specialty

The measurement and analysis of stable isotopes of atmospheric methane using gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

Nadia Dildar

Research Associate

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Organic Geochemistry Group (Sepúlveda Lab)

Stephanie Dykema

Lead Limnology Technician
Professional Research Assistant

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Specialty

Understanding interactions among terrestrial and freshwater systems particularly in the context of climate change; Biogeochemical drivers of aquatic community structure; Lakes as sentinels of change; Shifting phenology; Plant restoration techniques; Native seed harvesting

Sarah Elmendorf

Information Manager
Research Associate

Departments/Academic Programs

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research

Specialty

Plant ecology, climate change, tundra

Chris Florian

Research Associate

Departments/Academic Programs

Geological Sciences

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Amino Acid Geochronology Laboratory

Eric Hutton

Chief Software Engineer, CSDMS
Research Associate

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System

Seth Kurtz

Lab Technician
Professional Research Assistant

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Stable Isotope Laboratory

Leanne Lestak (she/hers)

GIS / Remote Sensing Specialist
Senior Professional Research Assistant

Specialty

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing as applied to western water, snow hydrology, coastal change, and the creation and distribution of high resolution scientific data.

Kelly Loria

Limnologist
Professional Research Assistant

Departments/Academic Programs

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Boulder Creek Critical Zone Observatory

Specialty

Aquatic ecology; alpine limnology (and ecology); zooplankton and phytoplankton analysis; and invasive species.

Sylvia Englund Michel (she/her)

Assistant Laboratory Manager
Senior Professional Research Assistant

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Stable Isotope Laboratory

Specialty

Technical expert in stable isotope mass spectrometry, including dual inlet and continuous flow techniques. Proficient with IDL coding language for data processing and management.

Steve Morgan

Professional Research Assistant

Research Programs, Labs, and Groups

Laboratory for AMS Radiocarbon Preparation and Research (NSRL)

Specialty

Lab engineer for design, fabrication, and maintenance of laboratory equipment; lab electronics technician; extraction and purification of CO2 and methane from whole air samples for high-precision 14C measurement.