I am a hydrogeologist investigating physical and chemical controls on water flow and solute transport in vadose zones and shallow aquifers. I use numerical models, field tests, and laboratory techniques to quantify water and solute fluxes and characterize soil/bedrock hydraulic and chemical properties. My research focuses on the fate of “emerging” anthropogenic contaminants, and the fate of “legacy” contaminants in under-studied environments. It is important to me that my research help inform water resource management practices for sustaining water quality and availability in the future.
I am currently studying:
- poly- and perfluoroalkyl (PFAS) retention and transport in vadose zone soils and bedrock aquifers, and
- nitrate accumulation in thick Oxisols beneath croplands in Brazil.
I am also passionate about teaching undergraduate students. I love helping students along their paths to both subject comprehension and confidence in their learned skills. I have served as a teaching assistant for courses covering a variety of subjects and formats, including online learning and the Penn State summer field camp. I have also advised two Penn State undergraduate students during their senior theses on groundwater recharge and contaminant transport.