Specialty

field sampling, physical hydrology, aqueous and analytical chemistry, dissolved organic matter isolation/characterization/measurement, chromatography, spectroscopy, spectrophotometry, spectrometry

Research Interests

acid rock drainage; water quality; aquatic ecology, limnology, geology, rare earth element mineralogy; geochemistry; biogeochemistry; physical hydrology; watershed management

Bio

Here I am appearing in a recent New York Times feature on climate change researchers in the field.

Videos from my field research:

Awards

• International Research Exchange (LOREX) Fellowship; Abisko Research Station (Sweden), Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, 2019
• Scholars Across Virtual Institutes, Grand Paradiso Summer School (Italy): Critical Zone & Ecosystem Dynamics, SAVI Program, NSF Critical Zone Observatory Network National Office, 2018
• Office of Science Graduate Student Research Fellowship, U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Molecular Science Lab, 2018
• ARCS Foundation Scholar, Achievement Rewards for College Scientists,
• CUAHSI Pathfinder Fellowship, NSF Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, 2017
• Environmental Studies Program Research Grant, University of Colorado-Boulder, 2016
• Carol B. Lynch Graduate Fellowship, University of Colorado-Boulder, 2015
• Travel Award- Geochemistry of the Earths Surface Conference (14-Paris), NSF Critical Zone Observatory Network National Office, 2014
• Undergraduate Research Opportunity Grant, University of Colorado-Boulder, 2012

Active Research

Research Programs

• Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research
• Center for Water, Earth Science, and Technology
• Boulder Creek Critical Zone Observatory
• McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research

Research Labs and Groups

• McMurdo Stream Team
• Organic Matter Spectroscopy Laboratory

Courses

Current Courses

• CVEN-5323: Applied Stream Ecology Emphasizes the integration of hydrologic, chemical, and biological processes in controlling river, stream, and reservoir ecosystems at several spatial scales. Students apply ecosystem concepts to current environmental and water quality problems and learn field methods in field trips and a team project.

Past Courses

• ENVS-4800: Mineral Development in the Rockies Mineral Development in the Rockieswill address the extraction of non-renewable natural resources in the Rocky Mountain West of the United States and Canada. The course will address scientific, policy and ethical aspects of mineral resource development.
• EBIO-1220: General Biology II Provides a concentrated introduction to organisms, homeostasis, development, behavior, and ecology. Emphasizes fundamental principles, concepts, facts, and questions reenforced through lab exercises
• ATOC-1050: Weather and Atmosphere http://atoc.colorado.edu/~saraht/atoc1050/
  ntroduces principles of modern meteorology for nonscience majors, with emphasis on scientific and human issues associated with severe weather events.
• ENVS-3173: Creative Climate Change Communication The objectives for this course are (1) to generate multimodal compositions and (2) engage with various dimensions associated with the environment and sustainability. We also work to deepen our understanding of how issues can be expressed using innovative communication techniques such as as sketch comedy.
• : Ecosystem Field Studies (Colorado) http://www.ecofs.org/ecofs-courses/colorado-course/rocky-mountain-field-study
  This 3-week outdoor course focuses on experiential & applicable scientific field research methods. Instruction is delivered with active, inquiry-based activities incorporating observation & data collection, small working groups, lecture, focused exploration & spectacular off-site ecosystem trips. Students create and implement an original field research project to culminate the class.

Faculty Advisors

Diane M. McKnight, Professor

Outreach Statement

• Mountain Research Station Snow Survey; 2017 & 2016
• Mountain Research Station Open House 2017; Stream Ecology Station (Benthic Invertebrates)
• INSTAAR Graduate Student Retreat Coordinator 2014-2016
• INSTAAR Snow Internship 2016; Graduate Volunteer
• INSTAAR Open House 2013-2015; Stream Station (Discharge Measurement)
• Research Experience for Community College Students (RECCS); Student Mentor and Host (2013, 2014)
• 2013 Corden Pharma Colorado Regional High School Science Fair; Student Mentor, Chris Arehart (2nd Place)

Upcoming Presentions

Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) Aquatic Sciences Meeting 2019 Meeting, Puerto Rico. "Electron-shuttling by humic dissolved organic matter in a perennially ice-covered Antarctic lake" (12499). Session CS013: Dissolved organic matter - DOC, DON, DOP, fDOM, cDOM, Oral Presentation, Date/Time: Tue, 26 February 2019 (2:00 PM - 2:15 PM)

Recent Presentions

Colorado Scientific Society, 2018 Student Night: Invited Speaker

Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) June 2018 Meeting, Victoria B.C: "Seasonality of a Sub-Alpine Lake: Understanding evolving physical and biogeochemical controls on aquatic ecosystem structure under ice cover" (22605). Session: SS002: Importance of Winter and Seasonality in Aquatic Systems, Oral Presentation

Previous Presentations & Posters

American Geophysical Union (AGU) Meeting 2017, oral presentation

American Chemical Society (ACS) Meeting 2017, oral presentation

Geologic Society of America (GSA) Meeting 2016 & 2013, oral presentations

Geochemistry of the Earth's Surface (GESS-7), Paris Meeting 2014, poster presentation

NSF Central Trans-Antarctic Meeting 2013, poster presentation

AGU Congressional Meet Day, USGS Coalition Reception, Washington D.C. 2013, oral and poster presentation

Internation Mine Water Association (IMWA) Meeting 2013, poster presentation