Ph.D. Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine (2013)
M.S. Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine (2010)
Diploma cum laude, Physics, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia (2000)
Postdoctoral Fellow, then Research Associate (working remotely; 2014 – present). Project: Plant water relations and evapotranspiration in natural and urban environments
Advisor: Diane E. Pataki, Urban Ecology Research Lab, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Graduate Research Assistant (2008 - 2013). Project: Transpiration of irrigated trees and turfgrass in a semi-arid urban environment
Advisors: James S. Famiglietti, University of California, Irvine; Diane E. Pataki, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Undergraduate Research Assistant (1999 - 2000). Project: Photo-voltaic properties of Arsenic-doped a-Si:H films
Advisor: Andrej G. Kazanski, Moscow State University
Created instructional videos for a national-scale field campaign (2017-2018)
Online/Team Teaching, University of Utah, Salt Lake City (2017-2018). Urban Ecology - Developed assignments with the instructor and TA, teleconferences with students
Teaching assistant, University of California, Irvine (2008-2009)
• Geology (ESS7) - Taught laboratory sessions, gave a guest lecture, organized a non-obligatory exam review session, held office hours and graded assignments.
• Idiom of science (ESS H90) - Developed and led non-obligatory weekly discussions, gave a guest lecture, held office hours and graded assignments.
• Field methods (ESS114) - Set up field equipment, assisted students in laboratory and in the field and graded assignments
Physics instructor, Moscow State University (1995-1997). College preparatory course - Developed curriculum, led discussions, tutored students
Curriculum developer and presenter (Fall 2009). CLEAN Education program - Participated in curriculum development; gave interactive presentations to elementary school students
Science teacher (Summer 2007). Summer enrichment program at the Russian School of Orange County, CA - Developed curriculum; taught a class; made simple demonstrations
Environmental measurements of water and energy fluxes. Measured sap flux, turfgrass evapotranspiration and environmental parameters using thermal probes, portable chambers and a small weather station. Used dataloggers, environmental instruments and machine shop equipment.
Laboratory measurements of plant responses to drought stress. Measured vulnerability to cavitation using a bench-top water-conducting tubing system, a precise scale and a centrifuge, wrote a computer program to automate data processing, worked with water extraction line, prepared samples for stable isotope analysis.
Current Research and Future Directions: Identifying and Addressing Key Scientific Uncertainties (May 2015). National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA.
Tree Identification Mini-Course (August 2014). Bear Creek Educational Forest and Arboretum, Quincy, FL.
Communicating Science Training (May 2012). Newkirk Center for Science & Society, University of California, Irvine.
Colorado Flux Measurement and Modeling Course (July 2010). Niwot Ridge, Colorado.
Reviewer (2013-present). Reviewed research articles for Water Resources Research, Ecological Research, Tree Physiology, Theoretical and Applied Climatology, Landscape and Urban Planning, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Urban Ecosystems, Irrigation Science, and a proposal for NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship.
Mentored high school students for their science fair projects:
• "Shady business: Water Use of Irrigated Turfgrass" (Fall 2017), Santa Barbara, CA.
• "The influence of atmospheric pollution on plants’ health under stressed urban conditions" (Fall 2016), Irvine, CA.
Gave invited public lectures (Spring 2017):
• "The water costs of an urban oasis: Discovering our own habitat"
• "A food-print of a human: Will our planet be able to feed its growing population?"
Initiated and developed a series of cultural and educational events for the public (2014 – present). Organized a series of interactive, family-oriented events.
Ralph J. and Carol M. Cicerone Fellowship (Spring 2011)
Jenkins Graduate Fellowship (Winter 2011)
Outstanding presentation at the ESS Holiday Symposium (Winter 2010)
Women’s Environmental Council Scholarship (Winter 2009)
Earth System Science Department Graduate Fellowship (2007)
Leonhard-Euler-Stipendium, Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienstes (1998-1999)
Porse E., Mika K. B., Litvak E., Manago K. F., Hogue T. S., Gold M., Pataki D. E., Pincetl S., 2018: The economic value of local water supplies in Los Angeles. Nature Sustainability, doi: 10.1038/s41893-018-0068-2
Litvak E., Manago K., Hogue T. S. and Pataki D. E., 2017: Evapotranspiration of urban landscapes in Los Angeles, California at the municipal scale. Water Resources Research, 53, DOI: 10.1002/2016WR020254.
Porse E., Mika K. B., Litvak E., Manago K., Naik K., Glickfeld M., Hogue T., Gold M., Pataki D. and Pincetl S., 2017: Systems analysis and optimization of local water supplies in Los Angeles. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 143(9), 04017049.
Litvak E., McCarthy H. R. and Pataki D. E., 2017: A method for estimating transpiration from irrigated urban trees in California. Landscape and Urban Planning, 158, 48-61.
Litvak E. and Pataki D. E., 2016: Evapotranspiration of urban lawns in a semi-arid environment: an in situ evaluation of microclimatic conditions and watering recommendations. Journal of Arid Environments, 134, 87-96.
Litvak E., Bijoor N. S. and Pataki D. E., 2013: Adding trees to irrigated turfgrass lawns may be a water-saving measure in semi-arid environments. Ecohydrology, DOI: 10.1002/eco.1458.
Litvak E., McCarthy H. R. and Pataki D. E., 2012: Transpiration sensitivity of urban trees in a semi-arid climate is constrained by xylem vulnerability to cavitation. Tree Physiology 32, 373-388.
Litvak E., McCarthy H. R. and Pataki D. E., 2011: Water relations of coast redwood planted in the semi-arid climate of southern California. Plant Cell and Environment 34, 1384-1400.
Pataki D. E., McCarthy H. R., Litvak E. and Pincetl S., 2011: Transpiration of urban forests in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Ecological Applications 21, 661-677.
Litvak E. and Pataki D.E., 2017: Water use by lawns and trees in Los Angeles region. Technical paper for California Department of Water Resources.
Litvak E. and Pataki D.E., 2017: Evapotranspiration by urban lawns and trees in Los Angeles. Methodological fact sheet for California Department of Water Resources.
Litvak E. and Pataki D.E., 2017: Evaluation of current irrigation practices and developing water conservation strategies. Policy fact sheet for California Department of Water Resources.
Litvak E. and Pataki D.E., 2016: Curbing over-irrigation: Low-hanging fruit for urban water conservation. Global Water Forum, invited article.
Litvak E. and Pataki D.E., 2017: Water Use by Urban Landscapes in Semi-Arid Environments. Invited talk at the AGU Fall Meeting, New Orleans, LA, December 11-15.
Litvak E. and Pataki D.E., 2016: Urban landscapes and water use in the Southwest. Invited talk at the ESA Annual Meeting, Fort Lauderdale, FL, August 7-12.
Litvak E. and Pataki D.E., 2015: Evapotranspiration of the urban forest at the municipal scale in Los Angeles, California. Oral presentation at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 14-18.
Litvak E., 2015: Modeling and scaling up individual tree and lawn evapotranspiration in the city of Los Angeles, CA. Invited talk at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Earth Science Division, Pasadena, CA, September 23.
Litvak E. and Pataki D.E., 2015: Tree transpiration in semi-arid cities: an inter-city comparison. Oral presentation at the ESA Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, August 9-14.
Litvak E. and Pataki D.E., 2014: A plot scale evapotranspiration model for urban landscapes in Los Angeles, CA. Oral presentation at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 15-19.
Litvak E., Bijoor N. S. and Pataki D. E., 2011: Evapotranspiration from irrigated turfgrass in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area. Oral presentation at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 5-9.
Litvak E., McCarthy H. R. and Pataki D. E., 2010: Stomatal sensitivity of irrigated urban trees is constrained by xylem vulnerability to cavitation. Oral presentation at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 13-17.
Litvak E., Pataki D. E. and McCarthy H. R., 2010: Are irrigated coast redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) in Southern California water stressed? Poster presentation at the ESA Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, August 1-6.
American Geophysical Union
Ecological Society of America
In a drought, over-irrigated lawns lose 70 billion gallons of water a year. By C. Dybas. National Science Foundation news release
LA lawns lose lots of water: 70B gallons a year. By P. Gabrielsen. The University of Utah press release
To save water on lawns, throw some shade. By P. Gabrielsen. The University of Utah press release
U of U study looks at importance of shade when watering. KSL News Radio, Utah’s Noon News
To save water on lawns, plant a tree. By J. Cohen. Next City online journal