Research interests
I am most interested in how altered landscapes impact water quality in lakes and rivers. My master's thesis aims at understanding the environmental factors that are driving the increasing frequency and intensity of HCBs in Wyoming. My research will use both remote sensing and water quality monitoring applications to develop a comprehensive understanding of HCB dynamics in Wyoming Reservoirs. I hope to 1) Quantify historical changes in HCB abundance, spatial extent, and timing in Wyoming, 2) Combine historical satellite imagery and water quality monitoring data to identify drivers of blooms formation (i.e. temperature, nutrients), and 3) Verify the effectiveness of current remote sensing methods used by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to remotely estimate cyanobacteria abundance.