Student Profiles

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate Students
  • Ideas:
    Undergraduate students perennially remind us of the thrill in grasping an entire curriculum of new ideas. I am fortunate to formally and informally advise, and receive advice from, many intelligent and gifted undergraduate students at ESF. These students are invited to participate in my courses and research while pursuing their undergraduate degrees. Current courses and research projects are listed on my courses and research page.
  • Links:
    Prospective Students | Undergraduate Details | Your Space | Honors Program

Graduate Students

  • Ideas:
    Graduate students are both a catalyst and an energy source for advanced coursework and research performed at ESF. I am fortunate to engage in collaborative scholarship with a select set of plucky, bright, and skilled graduate students at ESF. These students assist in my courses and research while advancing their graduate program. Current courses and research projects are listed on my courses and research page.
  • Links:
    Engineering Graduate Students | Graduate Studies | Orientation Graduate Students
  • Skill and Course Guidance:
    • I welcome applications from students for M.P.S, M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in the ERFE or GPES academic programs. Without strong student support, my research languishes. In return for graduate assistance, I work to prepare students for their next professional experience.

    Skills that are expected for productive water resources and engineering professionals are listed below. It is likely that all students will need to take additional coursework in these areas to achieve professional competence.
    1. excellent written and verbal communication,
    2. lab and field aptitude and measurement steadfastness,
    3. advanced mathematics (calculus and numerical methods),
    4. quantitative statistical and data analysis methods,
    5. geographical information systems applications, and
    6. competence with a computer programming language for data manipulation.

    Courses that are expected should be rigorous and strategic, such that students grow academically and are better prepared for future research and job assignments. However, don't let courses disrupt your graduate learning, and use lifelong learning skills to obtain knowledge in venues other than the formal course.
    1. courses will address missing skills as well as several core study areas.
    2. Suggested courses are listed online.
    3. each semester students should enroll in thesis credits with me, using regular meetings to guide your research progress.
    4. an outcome of thesis research credit is a student poster presentation in the spring Spotlight on Research.

  • Specific Research Guidance:
    • Clearly identifying and communicating important ideas is central to your success in academics. Regular reading of classic books and peer reviewed articles can help you identify and track key themes and new ideas. Regular exercises in writing can help organize your thoughts, focus your objectives, and clarify your methods.

    It is recommended that you: a) visit ESF Moon Library and SU libraries to browse the ejournal and databases, and b) visit the ESF Writing Project and use the ESF Writing Resource Center when preparing your work.

    Other steps important in your research are:

    • a) read published literature and professional newsletters,
    • b) discuss research ideas with your advisor and committee,
    • c) formally define your research topic and proposal, with testable questions, measurable results, mentored by expert methods
    • d) implement the research with pluckiness, using analysis to revamp experiments, and
    • e) write up your results to get feedback.

    Graduated Students

    • Bryan Bancroft, M.P.S. - Consulting forester
    • Jessica Black, M.S. - City of New York Sewer Departments
    • Rachel Bonczyk, M.P.S. – Consulting with Health Dept.
    • Emera Bridger, A.B.M. - PhD at Syracuse U. in Anthropology
    • Michael Chimaliza, M.P.S. - Government Water Department in Malawi
    • Virginia Collins, A.B.D. - Science teacher
    • Jill Crispell, M.S. - Consulting Engineer in NJ
    • Amanda Davis, M.P.S. - Agency restoration projects in MA
    • Darin DeKoskie, M.S. - Consulting engineer with Morris Associates
    • Jon Duncan, M.S., M.P.A. - CUAHSI - UNC Ph.D. program with Dr. Larry Band
    • Nana Imbeah, M.S. - Consulting Engineer in MA
    • Shan Khan, M.P.S. - Wastwater Consulting in NYC
    • Jamie Leong, M.P.S. GPES and Maxwell School - Hazen Sawyer Engineers
    • Megan McCone, M.P.S. - State Department of Environmental Conservation
    • Todd McDonnell, M.P.S. - Consulting river scientist/engineer in Corvallis
    • Yolande Munzimi, M.P.S. GPES - Democratic Republic of Congo Ministry Official
    • Tom Pavlesich, M.P.S. - Consulting with Forest Industry
    • Tim Riley, M.S. - Consulting scientist/engineer
    • Chris Somerlot, M.S. – Consulting engineer at Moffa & Assoc.
    • Juliaty Sopacua, M.S. - ESF Ph.D. program with Dr. K. Limburg
    • Margaret Soulman, M.S. (w/ Jim Hassett) - Waterhed NGO Management
    • Janet Tordisillas, M.P.S. - Government Water Board in Phillipines
    • Jun Wang, Ph.D. – Research Associate with South Florida Water District
    • Steve Wolosoff, M.P.S. – Consulting scientist/engineer at CDM

Student News and Celebrations

A group of hard working graduates have been central in getting our new hydraulic and hydrologic facilities working during our transition into the Baker Lab spaces. Yang Yang has led in many aspects of the weather station monitoring, Bangshuai Han has maintained active cleaning and operation of the flume and river table, and Tian Zhou has led an aggressive field campaign of surveying in and modeling river dynamics, with Bangshuai and Tian lending hands across projects. Nate Turk and Collin Gleason have gone beyond standard duties to help us along the rambling course of projects! We graduated some terrific students this past year and are mentoring many others to graduate soon. Our graduates are finding excellent jobs thanks to their strong work ethic, high aptitude, and educational training.

Return throughout 2009 to learn more about our student stories!