I’m an engineer by training but an advocate at heart. Meandering through my life, I realized we humans are intrinsically tied to water. Clean water bolsters nearly every aspect of society – food production, healthy ecosystems, and general human appreciation of the natural world. We have become disconnected from this reality. There is an even larger disconnect between the front lines of water research and public understanding of contemporary water issues. I want to bridge that gap by offering insight into our impacts on water and through a general appreciation of the natural world.

I have a Bachelor’s and a PhD from the University of Waterloo in Environmental Engineering (Water Specialization). My primary focus has been the human impacts on water quality.

But, my life is multifaceted. So the topics I am interested in range from advocacy for graduate students’ well-being, equity, food and food systems, and creating community.

Skills + Interest

flask icon Scientific research

chart icon Data visualisation

chart icon Data management

coding icon Coding in Python, R, and MATLAB

pencil icon Science writing and communication

two people icon Project management and mentorship

tree icon Seeing the forest from the trees

My Research

I consider myself a data scientist. The rush of excitement when I stumble across new datasets is incontrovertible proof of this label’s accuracy.

I am broadly interested in how humans are impacting water. I use data-driven approaches and machine learning to answer questions about how the last 100 years of nutrient use in human landscapes have polluted our rivers, lakes, and groundwater.

For more details, see my Projects page.

Research alone has feels inadequate to address the enviro-socio-political problems we face today. To this end, I am working towards becoming a more effective science communicator.

My Service Work

The best work can only be done if everyone can show up as their whole authentic self. My service thus far has been focused on generating resources and creating community space for graduate students and early career researchers. The pernicious nature of the hidden curriculum impacts the outcomes of all, but particularly those who are systematically marginalized. Outside of my work, I spend some of my time working with community groups and developing blogs, databases, panels, workshops, conference sessions, and social media outreach to help students and early-career researchers hone their skills and help foster community.

Specific details on my past projects are found on my CV.

Education

  • PhD, University of Waterloo (2020-2024, funded by NSERC Alexander Graham Bell)

    • Thesis: Land-to-Sea Linkages: Human Nutrient Impacts and Legacies Across Anthropogenic Landscapes

  • Visiting Researcher, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Germany (2023) (funded by the AGU Horton Research award)

  • Visiting Researcher, The Pennsylvania State University, USA (2022) (funded by NSERC Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement)

  • MASc Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo (2017-2019, Ontario Graduate Scholarship funded)

    • Thesis: Topologies of Nitrogen Surplus Across Continental US: Shifting Hotspots and Dominant Controls

  • Visiting Researcher, the University of Illinois at Chicago (2019) (funded by MITACS)

  • BASc Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo (2012-2017) (Honours and Distinction)

Interviews