Member of competitive PhD training program with focus on understanding coupled human-natural responses to abrupt climate change. Goals include conducting interdisciplinary, collaborative research to develop policy and management solutions that will improve resilience and adaptation of systems to climate change.

Schedule and coordinate annual deployment and removal of water quality monitoring equipment; develop written standard operating procedures about equipment deployment, in-field and off-season maintenance, data management and processing, emergency issues, take-down and storage of equipment; conduct initial software setup, run data checks after monitoring equipment deployment, and complete final data processing at end of monitoring season; write annual report for the monitoring project that includes a summary of field activities and methods, results, and a discussion of any relevant operational issues.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Information (USFWS), Planning, and Conservation decision support system (IPaC) delivers Endangered Species Act species lists and resource information to project proponents. To support the development and utilization of this online system, I performed literature reviews, compiled conservation measures (actions that promote the recovery of listed species), conducted an organizational review of the information, and entered the resource needs, effect pathways, and conservation measures for the recently listed rusty patched bumble bee into the Effects Pathway Manger. As part of my final project, I delivered a presentation with other IPaC fellows to share species progress, accomplishments, and recommendations for future USFWS staff to fifteen supervisors and species experts. I also presented this work to the Maine Fish & Wildlife Service Complex staff. In addition to my work in IPaC, I developed a display about the endangered status of the rusty patched bumble bee for the USFWS table at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Wild Blueberry Field Day. I then adapted this display to create a pollinator exhibit at the Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery Visitor Center.

Performed tests of potency, purity, and stability of live bacterial antigens in poultry vaccine products and interpreted results. Collected and processed weekly laboratory water samples and quarterly environmental monitoring samples, including laser air particle counts, viable air sampling, and contact plates. Trained other department employees, wrote and revised SOPs, evaluated and reported data, utilized blueprints, maintained laboratory equipment.

Collected field and site data using a handheld computer, GPS, GIS, and tree management software to inventory and survey trees for the invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle under contract for the United States Department of Agriculture. In a small team, met and talked to homeowners, performed tree measurements, tree identification, data collection and mapping, and worked in physically demanding and rugged outdoor conditions.

Carried out water sampling (zooplankton biomass, water temperature, salinity, secchi depth, and water column depth), performed chlorophyll filtering, extraction, and fluorometric analysis, stained gelatinous zooplankton samples, used microscopy for counting, size measurements, and photographs. Trained students in the lab, performed extensive data entry, organized field trips, graded assessments, held office hours, responded to student inquiries, and managed review sessions.

Assessed aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) to determine risk of groundwater contamination, participated in biological monitoring of streams and wetlands via sampling of water, algae, and macroinvertebrates to evaluate water body health, performed watershed delineation, used GIS and GPS extensively, worked in teams and independently.

Performed summer-long observations of and experiments with the dogwhelk snail Nucella lapillus to deepen understanding of egg-laying behavior and maternal investment, created spreadsheets and analyzed data, worked on experiments involving snail-crab relationships and invertebrate predation, prepared and presented several Powerpoint and poster presentations on my research to faculty, students, and community members.

Summer position in which I traveled to potato fields to assess damage from insects and disease for use by local scientists and growers, discussed treatment and pesticide options with farmers, received training on pest life history traits and vectors of disease, potato plant biology, and pest management.