I am currently in the fifth year of my PhD program at MIT. In 2006, I

completed my Master’s thesis on research conducted at MIT and the

International Centre of Theoretical Physics (summer ’04, ’05), located

in Trieste, Italy. In addition to academics I snowboard; work for MIT-

EMS, a student run ambulance service; play intramural soccer and

volleyball; fly fish; hike; sail; and attend many concerts.

I was born and raised in Dryden, NY. I attended the State University of

New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY.  Originally an Environmental and Forest Biology major, I switched to Environmental Resources and Forest Engineering during the fall semester of my third year and finished my undergraduate degree in the spring of 2003. In addition to my undergraduate studies, I was a Resident Adviser in Lawrinson Hall and Sadler Hall, taught snowboarding at Greek Peak Ski Resort, bartended at Empire Brewery, completed an undergraduate thesis with data collected in summer ‘02 at Hubbard Brook Long-Term Ecological Research site, taught sailing, and participated in a variety of intramural sports.  More about me can be found on my personal webpage here.

My Ph.D. research focuses on the sensitivity of ecosystems to changes in atmospheric forcing. Specifically, I examine how latent heat flux and soil moisture respond to variability in radiation, with explicit inclusion of albedo, vegetation, and cloud feedbacks. This is accomplished through the use of regional-scale (O 10 km2) climate models, observations, and surface physics models.

The primary application of my work is in the field of agriculture, where the ability to simulate future climate is fundamental to adapting to changes in the environment, both natural and anthropogenic. However, this research also addresses the underlying dynamics of the hydrologic cycle and its sensitivity global climate change.

Schematic of Integrated Biosphere Simulator and Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer 1e.