Where are you from? What university are you attending or have attended?
I'm a West Virginia native. I attended West Virginia University for my undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees. I graduated in 2010 with my PhD.
What have you studied in science or are currently studying?
I am using tree ring widths (how narrow or wide the annual growth ring is) to reconstruct or predict the flow of major rivers in the eastern US. Rivers are kind of like trees. They both need precipitation to flow and to grow. They both also are affected by how much water runs off the land. Using these basic assumptions and a host of mathematical techniques, my colleagues and I can estimate the flow of rivers several hundred years into the past. This is important because water resource managers typically have only about 100 years of records of flow. My work can provide managers a longer record and tell them if dry or wet times were more common in the past. The reconstructed flow records can also help us understand how climate change is affecting rivers and streams by placing the current changes in the context of the past.
Do you have any ideas on what a middle school student could do in Science right now?
Tree rings are a great and tangible way to start.
.
What or who inspired you to get into Science in the first place? What do you like about Science?
I was fortunate to have a host of great teachers in middle and high school that made science interesting. I gravitated towards the environmental subject matter because I enjoyed being outside as a kid. I grew up hiking and biking on the nearby hill and across WV. I also worked in my grandma's garden a lot!
But it wasn't until college that I new that I would be a scientist. My psychology professor, Dave Schaal, was a brilliant teacher and he inspired me to pursue science and psychology. I graduated with a bachelors of science in Psychology. But that's just the first part of the story. I then worked in a psychiatric hospital in Philadelphia for two years as a research assistant helping mentally ill patients with drug abuse problems seek treatment. It was an engaging job but my passion was elsewhere.
I was still searching for my passion. On a trip to the White Mountains in New Hampshire, I decided to return to school to complete a master of science in Forestry degree. It was a risk but it paid off. I continued on in a related field, Geography for my PhD. This should show you that your path does not have to be straight but you need to curious and experience things to grow.
What I love about science: I now have the skill set to pursue almost any question about the natural world that I'm interested in! Now, I still use tree rings, mapping, and mathematical modeling the most but I always borrow from biology, geology, and even psychology. I love creating new knowledge that no one else has in the history of humans. I also love working with students on my research. It's the best way to teach. Finally, my science takes me places. I love to travel.
What advice do you have for a middle school student who is interested in becoming a scientist?
Be curious! Pick it up, examine it, use all your senses, look it up, seek out others to help you, get outside, travel the world. If you stay at home and think you know about the world through your screen, you've learned nothing really. That's just another movie. Be in the world, explore your interests, and take up a cause. The world is changing for your generation - are you going to help the planet adapt?
Free form
I grew up in the small city of Wheeling, WV in the northern part of the state. I was raised by a single mom, my brother, and two great grandparents. My family was middle class. We struggled sometimes and I grew up too fast perhaps. My mom didn't finish college but she always encouraged my studies. I worked hard. Regardless of what you hear, being "naturally" smart is not enough. Time and hard work matter more. I performed well most of my time in school. But I didn't have time for or interest in sports. Instead, I worked part-time through high school.
I went to college as a first-generation student with a full scholarship for most of college. I never looked back and I continue to learn every day.