Project management of remediation activities including investigation, monitoring, assessment, and corrective action for sites contaminated with hazardous waste in order to protect human health and the environment.

The Water Quality Standards Group develops the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards (30 TAC §307.1-307.10), which define the uses and appropriate instream criteria for determining the quality of the state’s streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries.

Project management and quality assurance of statewide surface water quality monitoring and assessment and further implementation of the Texas Clean Rivers Act. Assessment of the Water Use Fee, analysis of proposed state legislation, and budget planning. Supervision, mentoring, and coordination of four staff.As the Work Leader and Program Manager, I oversaw all aspects of the implementation and administration of the Texas Clean Rivers Program as specified in Texas Water Code Section 26.0135 and Texas Administrative Code Chapter 220. Managed an annual budget of more than $4.5 million. Negotiated contracts, managed and trained personnel, and ensured that all elements of the program were being efficiently and effectively completed. Administered statewide stakeholder and program planning meetings. During the 84th and 85th Texas Legislatures, acted as a bill analyst for legislation potentially impacting the program. Due to legislation passed in the 85th Texas Legislature, rulemaking was initiated. Responded to media and legislative requests.

Taught basic concepts of Physical Geology and implemented typical and novel approaches to geoscience pedagogy. This course was specifically designed for geoscience majors and serves as a first audience to new laboratory activities. Additionally, served as Head TA for Physical Geology. Responsibilities included organization and modernization on lab materials and exercises, and facilitation of pedagogical discussion and professional development with other TAs.

Managed laboratory ordering, equipment maintenance and repairs, scheduling of resources, and various other tasks to facilitate lab efficiency and efficacy. Oversaw scheduling, sample collection, preparation, and analysis of a multi-million dollar project primarily funded by the National Institutes of Health on children’s exposure to flame retardants. Most research focused on transportation and fate of numerous persistent organic pollutants (POPs) utilizing Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS).

Implemented course curriculum, taught basic concepts of Physical Geology, wrote and administered exams. Classroom instruction was done via lectures, multimedia presentations, as well as one on one explanations and critical thinking exercises. Additionally, filled in for absent instructors in a guest lecturer capacity.

Executed and supervised the sample preparation of natural waters, igneous rocks, and microfossils for major element, trace element, and isotope ratio analysis on Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS), Direct Current Plasma Spectrometer (DCP), and Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer (TIMS). This included training employees supervised by myself, independently handling many time sensitive tasks simultaneously, as well as proactively completing tasks as to maintain a running lab.

Designed and executed a research project on karst hydrogeology. As a part of this research, I mapped and inventoried karst features, conducted a tracer survey, and analyzed data using spectrofluorometry. Additionally, I was in continuous contact with landowners to gain access to private, geologically relevant land.