Environmental Science M.S. Student

Research Published in Water

Hannah Tripp

Hannah's research (MS 2021), supported by a WT Killgore Graduate Student Research Grant, was published on July 26 in the journal Water. Hannah’s research was to analyze hundreds of satellite images from several new state of the art satellites in space to provide a feasibility study on how the satellite data can be used to better monitor the water in tens of thousands of playa lakes that provide important habitat for wildlife as well as potential groundwater recharge for the Ogallala Aquifer. This is the first time the changes in water level of the Great Plains playa have been analyzed on weekly time scales from satellite (earlier studies used satellites that obtained data less frequently on annual times scales). Hannah currently works as an Environmental Compliance Specialist at Georgia Environmental Protection Division. She will also be presenting her MS thesis research at the upcoming third Playa Research Symposium in Kearny, Nebraska in October 2022. 

Texas 4-H State Council

Hosted By WT AG 

WT AG hosted the Texas 4-H State Council 2022-2023 officer team workshop from July 25 to July 29. The officer team consisted of 29 individuals from across the state, ages 16-19 years old. Dr. Kieth, Department Head and Associate Dean of Agricultural Sciences, Codye Krueger, M.S. Agricultural Education, and Josie Hicks, M.S. Agricultural Education, spoke with students about WT AG opportunities.

"Hosting events like this helps to introduce students to WT AG, and give them a unique perspective of what it is like to be on campus and a student at our university," said Josie Hicks. 

Ten WTAMU students spent six weeks from late March through early May 2022 driving several thousand miles to communities across the Texas Panhandle to interview residents who have experienced flooding as part of an outreach study for the Texas Water Development Board.

Location of the 185 flood survey responses obtained by WTAMU and MSU students.

The study gathered information from rural inhabitants using various methods, including media communication (television, radio, podcast, press releases, and print news), cold calls and in-person interviews, visits to local businesses and government agencies, and referrals from university students and faculty. The research group successfully obtained a total of 185 total survey responses. Key data from the survey included the entities impacted by flooding, the frequency of flooding, and the causes of flooding. The State of Texas will use the results of this research for improved coordination across the state on flood mitigation and planning and the distribution of financial assistance to rural communities for floods.

The flood study involved ten undergraduate and graduate students

and three full-time faculty from West Texas A&M University.

Dr. Erick Butler (lead PI): Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering

Dr. Erik Crosman: Assistant Professor of Environmental Science

Dr. Nathan Howell: Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering

Daisa Brown, M.S. Environmental Science from Fort Worth;

Chelsea Cole, SR. Environmental Engineering major from Amarillo;

Haley Isaacks, M.S. Engineering from Allen;

Madilyn Ksor, JR. Environmental Engineering major from Amarillo;

 Jed McInroe, M.S. Environmental Science from Crosbyton;

Adriana Rademacher, M.S. Environmental Science from Splendora;

Stephanie Simonsen, M.S. Environmental Science from Findlay, Ohio;

Kennedy Venneman, M.S. Engineering from Gruver;

Brayan Morales, SR. Environmental Engineering major from Gruver

Cheyenne Garcia, JR. Environmental Engineering major from Amarillo.

WT partnered in this study with Dr. Jonathan Price and eight Kimbell School of Geosciences students at

Midwestern State University’s

McCoy College of Science, Math, and Engineering.

Daisa Brown (left) and Stephanie Simonsen (right) conduct flood outreach

in the Texas Panhandle in April 2022.

Ellis Vidmar has completed her Master of Science degree requirements and has now moved on to make her impact on the world.

Ellis has been the creator and designer of the Buff Brief for the last two years. During that time, the Buff Brief has improved in

image, circulation, and general quality. Her creative instincts and tenacity have molded the success of the Buff Brief. Ellis, we wish you well in your future endeavors and appreciate all you have done to highlight the great things going on in the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences.

I’m sure you will make the Buff Nation proud!