Get to know Fatemeh
Please describe the UPP-funded or affiliated project(s) you are currently working on or have worked on in the past?
Exploring the Benefits of Assimilating the USGS NGWOS Streamflow Observations into a Distributed Hydrology Model.
Who are your USGS supervisor and PSU advisor?
USGS : Adam Stonewall (stonewal@usgs.gov) Susan Wherry (swherry@usgs.gov) Caelan E. Simeone (csimeone@usgs.gov) PSU: Peyman Abbaszadeh (pabbaszadeh@pdx.edu)
What are your primary responsibilities/roles of your research position?
I work on improving hydrologic models by combining them with real-world data. Most of my time is spent setting up models, coding, and analyzing how observations can make predictions more reliable. I also collaborate with external partners to test these approaches in a real river basin.
What skills have you gained from your research experience?
I’ve become much more confident working with large datasets and advanced models. On the technical side, I’ve gained strong programming, statistical, and problem-solving skills. On the personal side, I’ve learned how to stay persistent when things don’t work out the first time (which happens a lot in our research work!).
What aspects of your project have you enjoyed the most?
I really enjoy seeing the connection between the computer simulations and real-world data. When a model lines up with observations, it feels rewarding. I also like working in a team that mixes field data, modeling, and applications. It makes the research feel more impactful.
What have you learned or hope to learn from this experience?
I’ve learned how important collaboration is between researchers, agencies, and communities when it comes to managing water. Going forward, I hope to learn more about how organizations like NASA or USGS scale up science into nationwide tools.
What are your academic and/or career aspirations after graduation?
After my PhD, I’d love to work at NASA or a similar federal research center, where I can keep developing models and data assimilation systems that improve how we predict and manage water resources under global changes.
What's your favorite way to use or interact with water?
I enjoy being around rivers, whether it’s hiking along them or just spending quiet time near the water. It’s relaxing and also a good reminder of why I chose this field in the first place.