Audrey Dignan
University of Colorado Denver
Master of Science in Environmental Science
Department of Geography and Environmental Science
Master of Science in Environmental Science
Department of Geography and Environmental Science
ABOUT ME
I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Environmental Science at the University of Colorado Denver. My background consists of a unique combination of Botany, Ecology & Conservation, and Geospatial Analysis, and I am particularly interested in plant ecology, botany, and GIS. I spent this past summer (2017) working as a Field Technician on the vegetation team with the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) in Boulder, CO. My Master's thesis will involve characterizing the ecological niche of several Physocarpus (ninebark) species present in Colorado. I received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from the University of Richmond, Virginia, in 2011, with minors in Spanish and Music (oboe). In my free time, I enjoy hiking, camping, knitting, and improving my botanical illustration skills.
MY WORKFIELDWORK I worked as a Field Technician with the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) summer 2017. As a member of the Vegetation Team, I collected data on plant diversity, phenology, and aboveground herbaceous biomass (see My Skills below).
THESIS RESEARCH My master's thesis will examine several Physocarpus species in the Southern Rocky Mountains. I will georeference herbarium specimens of P. monogynus and P. opulifolius and construct ecological niche models using MaxEnt. The goal of this work is to resolve the genus in the Southern Rockies region.
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Leo Bruederle - Associate Professor, Dept of Integrative Biology Dr. Christy Briles - Assistant Professor, Dept of Geography and Environmental Sciences GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS PROJECTS - click images to download writing samples
Ecological Niche Modeling of North American Habitat for Juncus biglumis (Juncaceae)
This project investigated the present and future ecological niche of an arctic-alpine rush species, Juncus biglumis. Course: Flora of Colorado, Fall 2017 Mapping areas of cold air pooling (CAP) in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP)
Using free data and open source software (QGIS 2.18.3 & GRASS 7.2.0), I mapped areas of cold-air pooling (CAP) within Rocky Mountain National Park. Localities showing strong CAP processes may be suitable habitat to harbor cold-adapted plant species as the regional climate continues to warm. Course: Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial Applications (FOSS4G), Spring 2017 American Pika (Ochotona princeps) habitat assessment for Boulder County, Colorado
As a temperature-sensitive species, the American pika is considered an indicator species for climate change impacts in the alpine zone. Course: Introduction to GIS, Fall 2016 |
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MY SKILLS
FIELD PROTOCOLS
Plant Diversity
Phenology
Leaf Area Index (Digital Hemispherical Photography)
Aboveground Herbaceous Biomass
Leaf Mass per Area (LMA)
Litterfall
Vegetation Structure
GIS METHODS
Network Analysis
Topographic Index
Surface Analysis (Slope, Aspect, Curvature)
Flow Analysis (Accumulation & Flow Direction)
Digitization
COMPUTER PROGRAMS & LANGUAGES
ArcGIS
QGIS
GRASS
R & RStudio
SQL & Spatial SQL
C2
MaxEnt
Zotero
InkScape
Microsoft Office 2016
Google Office Suite
Plant Diversity
Phenology
Leaf Area Index (Digital Hemispherical Photography)
Aboveground Herbaceous Biomass
Leaf Mass per Area (LMA)
Litterfall
Vegetation Structure
GIS METHODS
Network Analysis
Topographic Index
Surface Analysis (Slope, Aspect, Curvature)
Flow Analysis (Accumulation & Flow Direction)
Digitization
COMPUTER PROGRAMS & LANGUAGES
ArcGIS
QGIS
GRASS
R & RStudio
SQL & Spatial SQL
C2
MaxEnt
Zotero
InkScape
Microsoft Office 2016
Google Office Suite