Urban ecology and green infrastructure
Photo source: UCI PIRE
Human activities are strong drivers of carbon emissions, nutrient cycling, and the redistribution of heavy metals, and cities are hotspots for all of these anthropogenic effects. In urban systems, I have studied how green infrastructure such as constructed wetlands and biofilters (also known as raingardens) improve water quality and may serve as long-term records of pollution.
I am also interested in factors affecting soil invertebrate diversity and community structure in cities, as patches of green space function as islands embedded in an inhospitable matrix of concrete and asphalt.
Before beginning my Marie Curie fellowship and beginning my position at the University of Louisville, I worked with an international team of researchers on the NSF-funded project “Partnerships for International Research and Education: Low Energy Options for Making Water from Wastewater”. For more information, check out the short video below, as well as the UCI Water-PIRE website.
