Scientific Interests

In the broadest terms, I am curious about how the surficial environment of the earth has changed through time.  Water, soil, rocks, the atmosphere and life all interact with each other in complex ways, and all have been recently (in geologic time) altered by human activity.  In order to understand these changes we must measure current conditions and find ways to quantify historical and pre-human impact - or "natural" - conditions, which is one of the biggest challenges for environmental scientists today.

Current and Recent Research

I welcome Gustavus students to join my current research projects or suggest new projects.

- The effect of vegetation on silica transport in rivers

- Sources of sediment pollution in the Minnesota River

- Landscape development in Sevenmile Creek watershed

- Biogeochemical cycling of silica in large polluted rivers

- History of heavy metal pollution in the St. Croix River (MN and WI)

- Sediment and phosphorus pollution in the St. Croix River (MN and WI)