Get to know Cara
Please describe the UPP-funded or affiliated project(s) you are currently working on or have worked on in the past?
USGS Time of Travel Model; USGS Water Quality Sampling Team for the National Hydrography Dataset.
Who are your USGS supervisor and PSU advisor?
My supervisors are Susan Wherry and David Piatt, and my advisor is Heejun Chang.
What are your primary responsibilities/roles of your research position?
My primary roles and responsibilities in my position are to help the USGS Time of Travel team understand, assess, and complete community outreach. My other primary role and responsibility is to aid in the ongoing water quality sampling for the National Hydrography Dataset.
What skills have you gained from your research experience?
From this experience, I have gained skills in both qualitative and quantitative methods as well as insight into how the public sector runs and operates.
What aspects of your project have you enjoyed the most?
I have enjoyed the flexibility and diversity that both projects combined provide me with. Getting to work on not one but two projects allows me to expand my skill sets further and faster.
What have you learned or hope to learn from this experience?
My career aspirations after graduation are to work with hazards and disasters and understand how they are or can affect water quality or quantity. I want to work with all different types of sectors and experts to work towards common goals on complex situations.
What are your academic and/or career aspirations after graduation?
I'd like to build on the skills gained in this program and continue to conduct hydrological research projects that explore processes affecting water quality and instream habitat
What's your favorite way to use or interact with water?
My favorite way to use water is as a type of relationship to all people, places, and things.