Science Service & Outreach
Peer-reviewer for journals: Continental Shelf Research, Ecosystems, Estuaries and Coasts, Freshwater Biology, Global Change Biology, Hydrobiologia, J of Environmental Management, J of Restoration Ecology, Marine Ecology Progress Series, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Wetlands
Peer-reviewer for institutions: USGS, US EPA
Peer-reviewer for funding agencies: Florida Sea Grant, Louisiana Sea Grant, Maryland Sea Grant, Rhode Island Sea Grant, National Science Foundation, RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana, RESTORE Act Alabama Center of Excellence
Committee members of scientific and conservation organization membership:
o LaNERR screening subcommittee for site selection of the proposed Louisiana National Estuarine Research Reserve (LaNERR), Baton Rouge, LA. June 2021 – 2022.
o Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) Survey sub-committee, 2018 - 2019
o Program committee for State of the Coast conference, New Orleans, LA June 2018
o Outreach and Career Development Committee for the CERF, 2014 - 2016
o Education Committee for the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF), December 2011 – June 2014.
o LUMCON Diving Control Board, May 2007 – August 2011
Invited seminars:
o “Land-based Carbon Sequestration: Role of Louisiana’s Coastal Habitats.” Invited Presentation to Louisiana Energy Climate Solutions Workshop. Baton Rouge, LA. June 15, 2021.
o “Nature-based Carbon Capture and Storage in Coastal Louisiana Habitats.” Invited Presentation to Louisiana State University Journal of Energy Law & Resource Pollution Solutions: Carbon Capture and Sequestration. February 5, 2021. Virtual.
o “Estimating Carbon Capture and Storage of Coastal Louisiana Habitats.” Presentation to Louisiana Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation. February 9, 2021. Virtual.
o “Estimating Carbon in Louisiana’s Natural Lands.” Presentation to Science Advisory Group Meeting for Governor’s Climate Initiative Task Force. March 29, 2021. Virtual.
o “Insights on Effective Collaborations Between Natural and Social Scientists.” Presentation to U.S. Society of Ecological Economists. September 16, 2020. Virtual.
o “Meeting the Challenges of Conserving the Gulf Coast in the face of Climate Change.” Presentation to Gulf Estuarine Research Society. November 10, 2020. Virtual.
o “Coastal Impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms”. Seminar to the Louisiana State University School of Renewable Natural Resources. Baton Rouge, LA. February 2020.
o “Finding the Right Flow: Modeling Current and Future Freshwater Inflow Needs of Lake Maurepas and Maurepas Swamp.” Seminar to the Louisiana State University School of Renewable Natural Resources, November 2019. Co-presented with Ryan Clark.
o “Coastal Habitats and Climate Change”, University Presbyterian Church, Parks Wilson Class, Environment and Climate Change. October 2019.
o “Applied Research” YSI 3rd Annual Gulf Coast Workshop & Shrimp Boil, Mandeville, LA. October 2017.
o “Model Development for Ecosystem Restoration in Mississippi River Delta: Hydrological and Sedimentary Processes and Potential Influence on Nutrients and Phytoplankton (including HABs).” Webinar to EPA HABs working group. Webinar. January 2017. Co-presented with Hoonshin Jung, Ehab Meselhe, Sibel Bargu, and Tim Carruthers.
o “Mississippi River Hydrodynamics and Delta Management Study: Basin-Wide Model Development and application.” Hypoxia Task Force Meeting, New Orleans, LA. December 2016. Co-presented with Ehab Meselhe.
o “Bayou Vermilion Water quality of Bayou Vermilion: potential impacts and lessons learned from other models and case studies.” Bayou Vermilion Preservation Association. Lafayette, LA. November 2016. Co-presented with Ehab Meselhe.
o “The essential role of coupling in coastal systems, habitats and ecosystem models.” University of Louisiana Lafayette Biology Department Seminar Series. Lafayette, LA. December 2014
o “The essential role of coupling in coastal systems, habitats and ecosystem models.” LSU School Coast and Environment Seminar Series. Baton Rouge, LA. November 2014.
o “Benthic-pelagic coupling in aquatic ecosystems in relation to nutrient enrichment.” Water Wednesdays, Center for Water Sciences Seminar Series. East Lansing, MI. December 2011.
o “Benthic-pelagic coupling in lakes in relation to nutrient enrichment.” Brown-bag presentation to NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), Ann Arbor, MI. October 2011.
o “Microphytobenthos of the northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxic area and their role in oxygen dynamics.” Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON), Cocodrie, LA. July 2011.
Conference judge for student oral and poster presentations:
o State of the Coast, New Orleans, LA, June 2021
o Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, Mobile, LA, Nov. 2019
o State of the Coast, New Orleans, LA, June 2018
o American Geophysical Union, New Orleans, LA, Dec. 2017
o Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, Providence, RI, Nov. 2017
o Gulf Estuarine Research Society, Pensacola Beach, FL, November 2016
o International Association for Great Lakes Research, West Lafayette, IN, May 2013
o Association for Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, New Orleans, LA, Feb. 2013
o Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, Daytona Beach, FL, Nov. 2011
Interviewed with journalists and reporters:
o Halle Parker. 2/18/21. Advocate newspaper about importance of wetlands in soil carbon
https://www.nola.com/news/environment/article_de8b98ac-721e-11eb-978e-5fa383005af2.html
o John Flesher, 7/13/19. AP Environmental Writer and Thomas Perumean, WWL First News, Hurricane Barry 2019 news example: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/tropical-storm-river-flooding-hammer-gulf-environment-64309587
o Greta Moran. 11/26/18. GRIST online news. Discussed why wetlands soils are great at storing carbon. https://grist.org/article/wetlands-are-a-natural-climate-solution-guess-whos-turning-them-into-big-polluters
o Sara Sneath. 7/12/18, NOLA.com, Discussed harmful algal blooms impacts to natural resources ecology.
https://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2018/07/a_tiny_sea_worm_could_be_a_vec.html
o Sharon Coogle. 5/16/19, Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act WaterMarks magazine, August 2018, No. 58. Written by Page 11. https://lacoast.gov/new/Data/WaterMarks/Watermarks58WEB.pdf
o Zoe Sullivan, 5/10/18, Radio interview (WHYY in Philadelphia) with journalist, about why soil organic matter holds water
o BRAF Currents (Q1, 2018) – Discussed forested wetlands in Atchafalaya
https://www.braf.org/stories/2018/2/6/fuc3414qh6ob46400vq359ou59atb0
o Discussed swamp ecology with The Lens reporter via telephone interview, 9/28/17
o Interviewed by journalist about mangrove expansion that was published in the Baton Rouge Area Foundation (BRAF) magazine Currents, page 20, June 2017. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56bba43086db4378db7e026d/t/58fe18ecbe6594f266ee1b38/1493047544667/Currents+Q217_website.pdf
Junior & High School Science fair judge:
o LSU Chapter of EnvironMentors, Scotlandville Magnet High School, Baton Rouge, LA, April 2014, April 2015
o Scotlandville Magnet High School, Baton Rouge, LA, Nov. 2010
o Terrebonne Parish Science Fair (Jr. High), Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dec. 2008
o St. Joseph’s Academy, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 9th-12th grade, Spring 2007
o Louisiana State Region VII, 9th -12th grade, LSU Field House, Spring 2007
Baton Rouge Earth Day Festival volunteer:
o The Water Institute of the Gulf’s activity, Testing our Coastal Waters, April 2014, 2015
o LUMCON’s interactive animal specimen display, April 2010
Other outreach:
o Restore America’s Estuary, Blue Carbon newsletter, quote of the month, March 2021.
o Keynote speaker, Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation in New Orleans, LA on 6/4/19 for their annual STEM awards reception. This event provides Emmy Noether Awards (up to $75,000 per award) to top achieving female high school students in the region who are pursuing STEM fields. Photos of the event are here.
o Mississippi River discussion and tour, LSU Chapter of EnvironMentors, Scotlandville Magnet High School, Baton Rouge, LA, 3/18/19
o Guest expert scientist for Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s (LUMCON) inaugural science communication event, OCEANDOTCOMM. 3/18/18. Discussed coastal habitats of Louisiana with communicators (n=42) via social media, radio interviews, podcasts, and blogs. Examples out of 26 products are:
o Pod cast: Coastal Louisiana Coastal Habitat Change - Season 1 Ep4
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iKtwwegodKplHoWVIhX3a?si=Z2AmPOAMQCyIijUS1lXzCQ
o Interviewed by: Sheanna Steingass and Andrew Lewin
o Radio interview, Instagram story: Bayou Women
http://www.laseagrant.org/communications/voices/bayou-women/
o Participated in a radio interview about coastal change in Louisiana with Mr. Doug Daigle (30 min), for Environmental Update on 96.9 FM WHYR.org, 9/8/17
o Video Interview (2 hr) for outreach exhibit at State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and LSU’s Center for River Studies, Water Campus, Baton Rouge, LA 7/26/17
o Hosted a volunteer high school student from St. Joseph’s Academy to get exposure to environmental work, 8/2/17
o Answered questions in a telephone interview (30 min) from High School science teacher (Ms. Annie Tete) from S. McGeehee School, New Orleans, LA, 8/11/17
o Discussed mangrove expansion into salt marshes to educate science teachers that are part of the LSU Coastal Roots program, Baton Rouge, LA, January 2017. http://coastalroots.lsu.edu/
o Answered questions via Skype about careers in science from high school girls of McGehee High School (via Ms. Annie Tete), New Orleans, LA, Nov. 2016
o Interviewed for a documentary about nutrient pollution in Mississippi River watershed and impacts to coastal Louisiana led by Water Quality Indiana, a class project from Ball State University. Baton Rouge, LA. Sept. 2016. waterqualityin.com See YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/l125AxuZ2N8
o Guest speaker at Pre-K classroom (4-5 year olds) for their ocean theme, developed 3 activities about the ocean, Southdowns PreK, Baton Rouge, LA, May 2015
o Discussed coastal Louisiana habitats and common organisms to general public as part of The Water Institute of the Gulf exhibition at the 2015 Kenilworth STEM Expo, February 2015
o Answered emailed questions about marine science careers from a student at Southeastern University, Hammond, LA, July 2014
o Guest lecturer for Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and Brown University about Coastal Hypoxia, Annunciation Mission, New Orleans, LA April 2014.
o Guest lecturer at Mason Area Historical Society about History of Water Quality in the Great Lakes, Mason, MI, May 2013. http://www.masonmuseum.org/Home.html
o Guest speaker at preschool classroom (2-3 year olds) for their ocean theme, Michigan State University Child Development Laboratory, East Lansing, MI, Feb. 2013
o Mentor for the ASLO Multicultural Program at Aquatic Sciences Meeting. Met with minority students daily to help navigate the meeting and to help meet other scientists. New Orleans, LA, Feb. 2013.
o Participant in the development and planning of the state of Louisiana Environmental Literacy Plan part of the No Child Left Inside initiative, July 2010 to Aug. 2011
o Volunteer scientist for LUMCON’s weekend-long workshop titled From H-2-O that helped local science teachers develop lesson plans and activities that engage students in the importance of water quality, Jan. 2009
o Answered emailed questions about careers in science from a student of St. Amant High School, Ascension Parish School District, LA, Jan. 2009
o Mentored an international high school science fair recipient on a research cruise to learn more about hypoxia in aquatic systems, Summer 2008
o Volunteer scientist for the NSF funded program, Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE) - Central Gulf of Mexico Teacher/Scientist Institute, a week-long intensive workshop at LUMCON, Summer 2007
o Education Outreach Coordinator for Marine Environmental Researchers (MER), LSU, Fall 2006 - Spring 2007
o Active volunteer for Louisiana Sea Grant sponsored event, Ocean Commotion, Fall 2004 – 2010, 2014, 2016
o Taught first graders at University Laboratory School about the ocean, Baton Rouge, LA, Fall 2007
o Co-lead MER to create a booth at Polk Elementary School Science Fair, Baton Rouge, LA, Fall 2005
o Educated the public about the Dead Zone at LUMCON’s open house, 2004, 2006, 2008
o Invited K-12 students into the LSU laboratory to teach them about marine macrobenthos, Baton Rouge, LA, Spring 2004