Major and Home University: Environmental Students and Economics at Oberlin College
Research Mentor: Scott Bailey and Kevin McGuire
Why/how did you get involved with the program?
She was inspired to apply to the program by her brother, who participated in various other REU programs while he was in college. Maggie visited him, and really enjoyed the REU experience. She looked for programs that fit her academic passions, and Hubbard Brook fit the bill!
What is your project?
She is taking a trans-diciplinary look at the intereactions between soil, groundwater, and surface water. She started out by sampling 160 locations within Watershed 3 at Hubbard Brook, to discover locations of groundwater upwelling and their impacts. Then, she installed piezometers along transects to uncover differences in hydraulic gradients from hillslope to near-stream zones.
More simply put, she is looking at how groundwater interacts with surface water near streams.
Maggie (in tie-dye) working with fellow REU student Katie Harvey
Why is it important?
Her research is important because understanding what happens below-ground is just as important as understanding the processes above0ground. Yet, know very little about where and how groundwater effects surface water and soils. This research could help us understand filtration mechanisms, flow rates, and other factors important to drinking water. It also could be applied to help understand how pollution moves through aquatic systems.
And finally....what is your favorite piece of gear?
Stone probe! Because it helps her find sneaky little rocks hiding in her plots....
Maggie getting educated about local initiatives