Research & Projects

Our team at the HEX Lab is creating methods that make urban forestry data collection more accessible, transparent, and engaging. The inaugural pilot involved youth volunteers (ages 10–16), but the workflow is designed to be used by a wide range of participants. I presented a prototype citizen science dashboard at the 2025 California Geographical Society Annual Meeting, and continue to refine open-source tools for broader adoption. This project includes guest lecturing and fieldwork leadership, and will culminate in a manuscript and planned presentation at the AGU Annual Meeting (New Orleans, 2025).

As a River Partners Fellow, I designed and field-tested a workflow combining multispectral UAV imagery, GNSS ground surveys, and ArcGIS Field Maps to monitor invasive weeds. The protocol supports adaptive management in riparian and floodplain restoration sites. I presented findings at the River Partners San Joaquin Valley Fellows Symposium (2025), and authored a technical report documenting protocols, lessons learned, and recommendations for future restoration monitoring.

This program adapted UC Merced’s ¿field curious? model to immerse students in research on microplastics pollution through field and laboratory experiences. I contributed to the planning, design, and implementation of the inaugural Field to Lab-Curious program, a collaboration among CSU Stanislaus, Modesto Junior College, and UC Merced (Sept 2024–Jun 2025). The project centered on microplastics in aquatic ecosystems, blending classroom learning with hands-on fieldwork and lab training. Students and faculty conducted research at UC Merced’s Vernal Pools & Grassland Reserve and in the Stable Isotope Ecosystem Lab and Stem Cell Instrumentation Foundry.