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Research interests
Research interests
Environmental Monitoring Systems and Data Infrastructure
Much of my work focuses on how we collect, structure, and interpret environmental data. I study the design and function of water quality monitoring systems, especially how tools like sensors, manual sampling, and long-term datasets can be used (or misused) to track change over time. My research combines modeling, data fusion, and system design to evaluate where monitoring occurs, how representative it is, and what information it can truly support. I’m particularly interested in the logistical and institutional decisions that shape data quality and availability at large scales.
Water Quality Modeling
I study how nutrient concentrations in surface waters change over time, and what those trends reveal about watershed function and environmental policy. My work focuses on identifying meaningful patterns in large, long-term datasets and linking them to landscape dynamics, management practices, and hydrologic context. I’m especially interested in methods for handling uncertainty, interpreting trends across space and time, and making monitoring data more actionable for science and decision-making.
Spatial Analysis and Decision-Making
I examine the spatial logic behind environmental data coverage—asking where monitoring is concentrated, where it’s missing, and how those patterns influence what we think we know about water quality. Using tools from geospatial analysis and Census data integration, I evaluate the relationship between monitoring coverage, land use, and watershed features. This research informs better network design and supports the creation of decision tools that account for blind spots in observational systems.
Publications
Publications
Published and Accepted
Published and Accepted
Oates, C. C., Rudko, N., McLamore, E. S., Rickabaugh, J., Grieger, K., Muenich, R. L., & Nelson, N. G. (2026). Community-Based Approaches Highlight Opportunities and Limitations in Addressing Socioeconomic Barriers to Water Quality Monitoring in the United States. Journal of the ASABE, accepted. Preprint
Saia, S., Ward, R., Nelson, N. G., Dankbar, H., Oates, C. C., & Whitaker, A. (2026). Assessing Future-Ready Climate Data Needs of Extension Professionals and Agricultural Producers. Journal of Extension, accepted.
Oates, C. C., Grieger, K., Emanuel, R., & Nelson, N. G. (2025). Surface waters in socially vulnerable areas are disproportionately under-monitored for nutrients in the US South Atlantic-Gulf region. Nature Water 3, 831–840. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-025-00460-5
Oates, C. C., Fajardo, H., Grieger, K., Obenour, D., Muenich, R., & Nelson, N. G. (2024). Effective Nutrient Management of Surface Waters in the United States Requires Expanded Water Quality Monitoring in Agriculturally Intensive Areas. ACS Environmental Au, 5(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenvironau.4c00060
Submitted and Under Review
Submitted and Under Review
Rudko, N., Oates, C. C., McLamore, E. S., Vanegas, D., Nelson, N. G., Muenich, R. L., Recommendations for enhancing the reliability of crowd-sourced high-frequency water quality data. Submitted (Mar 6, 2026)
McLamore, E., Oates, C. C., Bhadha, J., Grieger, K., Rickabaugh, J., Nelson, N. G., Vanegas, D., Mayer, B., Tuberty, S., & Guzman, S., Toward circular phosphorous systems: Integrating monitoring, data analytics, and collaborative governance for managing critical minerals. Submitted (Sept 21, 2025)
Presentations
Presentations
Oral
Oral
Oates, C. C., Rudko, N., McLamore, E. S., Rickabaugh, J., Grieger, K., Muenich, R. L., & Nelson, N. G. (2026, Sept 2). Bridging Gaps in Water Quality Monitoring: Opportunities and Limitations of Community-Based Approaches [Invited webinar]. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Quarterly Recreational Water Quality Call.
Oates, C. C., Grieger, K., & Nelson, N. G. (2026, July 12 – 15). Linking Agricultural Nutrient Inputs to Long-Term Surface Water Quality Trends in the U.S. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Oates C. C., Grieger K., & Nelson N. G. (2026, March 25 – 26). Which communities have sufficient long-term data to understand how surface water quality is changing? North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute Annual Conference, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Oates, C. C., Grieger, K., & Nelson, N. G. (2025, Dec 15 – 19). Nationwide Assessment of Long-Term Nutrient Trends and Flow-Driven Concentration Changes Across U.S. Watersheds of Varying Social Vulnerability. American Geophysical Union Annual Fall Meeting, New Orleans, LA, USA. http://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025AGUFMH21K...01O/abstract
Oates, C. C., Fajardo, H., Grieger, K., Obenour, D., Muenich, R., & Nelson, N. G. (2025, July 13 – 16). Surface Water Nutrient Monitoring in U.S. Agricultural Watersheds: Gaps in Efforts to Address Nutrient Inputs. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting, Toronto, CA.
Oates, C. C., Fajardo, H., Grieger, K., Obenour, D., Muenich, R., & Nelson, N. G. (2025, April 23). Monitoring Phosphorus in the Environment [Invited webinar]. Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhmUCtCeiKY
Oates, C. C., Fajardo, H., Grieger, K., Obenour, D., Muenich, R., & Nelson, N. G. (2025, March 19 –20). Surface Water Nutrient Monitoring in Agriculturally-Intensive Regions of the U.S.: Current Status and Needs for Expansion. North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute Annual Conference, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Oates C. C., Grieger K., Emanuel R., & Nelson N. G. (2024, Dec 9 – 13). Bridging the gap: Evaluating socioeconomic disparities in water quality monitoring in the South Atlantic-Gulf Region. American Geophysical Union Annual Fall Meeting, Washington, DC, USA. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024AGUFM.H54I...1O/abstract
Oates, C. C., Fajardo, H., Grieger, K., Obenour, D., Muenich, R., & Nelson, N. G. (2024, July 28 –31). Using Socio-Environmental Considerations to Inform and Advance Water Quality Monitoring Standards. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting, Anaheim, CA, USA.
Oates C. C., Grieger K., Emanuel R., & Nelson N. G. (2024, March 20 – 21). Evaluating Disparities in Water Quality Monitoring: Insights from the South Atlantic-Gulf Region. North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute Annual Conference, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Poster
Poster
Highberger, G.*, Oates, C. C., & Nelson, N. G. (2026, July 31). Evaluating Complex Nutrient Concentration Trends in the Neuse River Basin. NC State Summer Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Oates, C. C., Fajardo, H., Grieger, K., Obenour, D., Muenich, R., & Nelson, N. G. (2026, April 8). Nutrient monitoring in surface waters of agriculturally-intensive regions of the U.S.: Current status and needs for expansion. NC State Graduate Student Research Symposium, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Oates C. C., Grieger K., Emanuel R., & Nelson N. G. (2025, April 24 – 26). Socio-Environmental Bias in Water Quality Monitoring in the U.S. South Atlantic-Gulf Region. Geoscience Alliance Conference, Durham, NC, USA.
Oates, C. C., Fajardo, H., Grieger, K., Obenour, D., Muenich, R., & Nelson, N. G. (2024, Dec 9 – 13). Nutrient monitoring in surface waters of agriculturally-intensive regions of the U.S.: Current status and needs for expansion. American Geophysical Union Annual Fall Meeting, Washington, DC, USA. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024AGUFMH41U.0816O/abstract
Oates C. C., Grieger K., Emanuel R., & Nelson N. G. (2023, Dec 11 – 15). Water Quality Monitoring Station Locations in Relation to Social Vulnerability across the South Atlantic-Gulf Region. American Geophysical Union Annual Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023AGUFM.H53O15.2O/abstract
* indicate an author is/was an undergraduate researcher mentored by C. C. Oates
PhD Advisors' Lab Websites
Dr. Natalie Nelson
Dr. Khara Grieger
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