I am an urban ecology PhD student within the interdisciplinary Duke University River Center, co-advised by Dr. Emily Bernhardt and Dr. Martin Doyle. As an urban ecologist I'm fascinated by the impact of human activities on freshwater ecosystems and how in-turn, this impacts human communities. In particular, my research focuses on urban stream ecosystems and exploring how anthropocentric stressors (chemical contaminants, heat, and hydrologic "flashiness") impact ecosystem functions like primary and secondary production and food web interactions. I'm particularly interested in engaging stakeholders within the broader community to effectively design field research and communicate results to inform water resource management decisions and policies. I began my graduate studies in fall 2019.

In my undergraduate chemistry studies, I used stable isotope geochemistry to investigate the impact of bacteria on the oceanic phosphate cycle, particularly in low-nutrient regions of the open ocean, and developed an analytical approach to identify fatty acids that potentially serve as biomarkers for ecosystem change in the labs of Dr. Albert Colman at University of Chicago and Dr. Lihini Aluwihare at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, respectively.

Prior to pursuing graduate studies, I spent 3 years in Washington, DC working in science policy research and communications. As a fellow at the Science and Technology Policy Institute, I engaged in research projects to support multiple agencies and the cabinet-level National Science and Technology Council on drinking water contaminants, methane emissions, space policy, and management of research funding for health, earth observation, and energy sciences at the National Institutes of Health, NASA, National Science Foundation, and Department of Energy. 

I also wrote for the American Institute of Physics’ FYI: Science Policy News, covering federal science policy developments on Capitol Hill and various science agencies. I was republished by Physics Today and American Physics Society News, and interviewed by a Texas NPR radio affiliate.

Credit: Maggie Swift