Advisor: Dr. Jon Martin
Geological Sciences

Megan Black holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Geography from the University of Florida, specializing in geospatial analysis and fluvial geomorphology. Megan previously served as the executive director of a Gainesville-based environmental NGO called Current Problems. Her master’s thesis research focused on the post-restoration morphological recovery of the Lower Kissimmee River. Her research interests include hydrology, geology, geomorphology, and geospatial analysis.

Advisor: Dr. Stuart McDaniel
Biology

Izuchukwu Ezukanma holds a Bachelor’s degree in Botany from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria and a Master’s degree in Lower Green Plants and Environmental Pollution Monitoring from the University of Ibadan. Izuchukwu had a brief stint as a Research Assistant with the Nigerian Montane Forest Project (Afromontane Research) where he pioneered bryophyte collection at the Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve. He then joined University of Lagos (as an Academic and Research Technologist) to continue the study of bryophytes in Nigeria’s largest National Park, Gashaka-Gumti National Park ( 6,402 km²), located on the mountains of Eastern Nigeria, adjacent to the International border with Cameroon. His bryophyte collections yielded to the discovery of a new moss species Fissidens ezukanmae Brugg.-Nann. alongside new national and regional records. His research interests include: Bryophyte ecology and systematics, pollution monitoring, agroforestry, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity monitoring and conservation.

Advisor: Dr. Brent Christner
Microbiology and Cell Sciences

Quincy Faber received her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. During her undergraduate years, she studied the role of chaperone proteins in the propagation of prions in yeast. Quincy’s wants to understand the function of microbial communities in the arctic and how ice cap melting is impacting them. She will be working in Dr. Brent Christner’s lab to earn her PhD in Microbiology and Cell Science.

Advisor: Dr. Arnoldo Valle-Levinson 
Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment

Fernanda Gastelu holds a Bachelor in Earth Sciences from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México​ and a Master’s degree in Water Sciences from Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán both in Mexico. Her research focused on understanding the coastal karst aquifer in the north-east of the Yucatan Peninsula, collecting and analyzing data from the water table, the ocean waves, and atmospheric pressure and a geophysics (ERT) model in order to understand the interaction between coastal and groundwater flow in the area. After receiving her masters degree she held a position with the United Nations Development Program at Nichupte Mangrove’s natural protected area charge of several research projects in the coastal area and helping in the development of social programs.

Advisor: Dr. Jay Hmielowski
Journalism and Communications

Michael Munroe holds a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology from the University of
Miami and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Broadcasting from the University
of Florida. His work has included video productions related to agriculture, health, science
education and transportation. Since 1990, he has recorded over 70 interdisciplinary workshops
at the Aspen Global Change Institute which examine various topics of Earth Systems Science
and Climate Change. His research will explore effective methods of communicating climate
change science. He will be working closely with other Water Institute Fellows to convey the
significance of their hydrology research in Greenland to policy makers and the public.

Advisor: Dr. Jim Jawitz
Soil and Water Sciences

Jaehyeon Lee has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering from Hongik University in Korea. His Master’s thesis research focused on understanding the hydrologic cycle using land surface model and improving its accuracy through data assimilation. His research interests include large-scale watershed hydrology, data assimilation, ecohydrology, and climate change. As a WIGF student, Jaehyeon will be working with Dr. Jim Jawitz and hopes to explore the impacts on water storage, stream structure, and stream function due to the changes in landscape caused by rapid deglaciation.

Advisor: Dr. Matt Cohen
Natural Resources and Environment

Yuseung Shin is from Seoul, South Korea, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in both Environmental Science and Sociology from Korea University, and a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning from Seoul National University. During master’s study, his research focused on the biogeochemical cycles between streams and soils. His research interests include ecohydrology, biogeochemistry, the impact of climate change on wetland and forest ecosystems, and social-ecological networks.