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Why were you attracted
to the Freshwater Sciences Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program (FSIDP)?
Coming from a background rooted in political science
and environmental non-profit management, I sought a program that was both
interdisciplinary and which combined scientific research with practical
experience. In addition to these characteristics, FSIDP offers a wealth
of seasoned faculty members, the opportunity to perform comparative research
across regions, and a network of connections with organizations and agencies
in both the Southwestern and Southeastern United States. FSDIP also provides
a competitive funding package in comparison to other programs.
What attracted you to
UNM in particular?
UNM offers a great academic environment. The faculty
is top-notch. The campus is both beautiful and pedestrian-friendly. I
was attracted to the region's beauty, weather, and relaxed pace.
I found New Mexico to be interesting from a policy
perspective. Water is scarce. Water management is essential and water
appropriation is contentious. At the same time, many citizens want to
preserve the bosque (riparian corridor).
Many riparian and river restoration projects are underway.
A common goal of riparian restoration is the eradication of non-native
plant species, such as salt cedar (Tamarix chinensis) and Russian
olive (Eleagnus angustifolia). Evaluation of project success from
a scientific perspective is uncommon. Also, little is known about how
invasive plant species alter nutrient cycling in the soil or whether invasive
plant species have greater nutrient use efficiencies as compared to native
plant species. For these reasons, I found the Middle Rio Grande catchment
to be a good place to study both invasion ecology and restoration ecology.
On a more personal note, my husband had hoped to match
with the emergency medicine residency program in Albuquerque. Fortunately
for both of us, he matched and I was accepted to FSIDP. He has finished
his residency and is now an attending at University Hospital Health Sciences
Center.
What types of fieldwork
did you participate in before applying to the FSIDP program?
I was a field crew member for research pertaining
to landscape and riparian ecology along the Wisconsin River floodplain
in the summer of 1999. During that summer, I also collected water samples
from small floodplain water bodies (e.g., sloughs and ponds) in order
to assess the affects of biological, physical, and chemical factors on
zooplankton assemblages. During this time, I had the pleasure of working
with Drs. Monica G. Turner and Emily Stanley of, respectively, the Department
of Zoology and the Center for Limnology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In January 1999, I completed two short-term studies
in Quintana Roo, Mexico. One study examined edge effects within the forest
of a botanical garden surrounded by land experiencing increasing development.
The other study examined the distribution of Diadema antillarum philipi,
a sea urchin, in Akumal Bay.
In February 1998, I helped a friend doing his field
research for his disseration in ethnobotany. He was researching the influence
of Karen (an ethnic group located in northern Thailand) social structure
on the management of community forests.
What else in your background
or personality makes you well-suited for participation in the Freshwater
Sciences Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program?
I came to the FSIDP program with "real-world"
experience. From 1996 - 1998, I was the Executive Director of the Wisconsin
Environmental Initiative (WEI), a non-profit organization that aims
to build consensus among government, business and citizen groups.
What are your expected
areas of study at UNM?
Restoration ecology and policy, nutrient cycling
in riparian soils dominated by native and non-native vegetation, mapping
of surface hydrology using remote sensing.
I am currently engaged in an assessment of riverine
corridor restoration activities along the Middle Rio Grande. This information
will be summarized in a chapter of my dissertation. It also will be incorporated
into a similar, nationwide analysis being conducted by a working group
co-sponsored by the National
Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and American
Rivers, of which Dr. Cliff Dahm and I are participants.
I also am comparing nitrogen mineralization dynamics
in flooded and non-flooded riparian soils at sites dominated by either
native cottonwoods (Populus deltoides) or non-native salt cedar
(Tamarix chinensis). This data combined with data on leaf stoichiometry
and nitrate reductase activity will be used to asses if cottonwoods or
salt cedar exhibit a competitive advantage for nitrogen, a limiting nutrient.
In a final study, I am assessing the extent of floodplain
inundation along the Middle Rio Grande for the years 1992, 1993 and 2001,
which represent differing levels of peak river flows. This data will be
used to refine the water budget for the region, prioritize sites for future
restoration efforts, and calibrate a two-dimensional flow model for the
region.
With which professors
will you be working?
Members of my UNM Committee on Studies include Drs.
Cliff Dahm (Biology), Cliff Crawford (Biology), and Julie Coonrod (Civil
Engineering). My outside committee member is Dr. Laura Gough of the University
of Texas - Arlington, who also is an adjunct professor at the University
of Alabama.
On which projects will
you be working?
Aspects of my research are applicable to the Conservation
and Restoration of the Bosque (CRB) and the Evapotranspiration (ET) projects.
Briefly describe your externship.
I created a website for the Middle
Rio Grande Bosque Initiative, which is a program housed within the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that coordinates and funds restoration
projects along the Middle Rio Grande.
What are your long-term
career goals?
I envision working for an non-profit organization, a
research institution, or a government agency concerned with the conservation
of water and natural resources.
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