Katie M. Junghans entered the field of hydrology as an undergraduate at Texas State University. She assisted in karstic cave water studies under Dr. Benjamin Schwartz and participated in monitoring the San Marcos River with the citizen science group Texas Stream Team. She is currently a master’s student in the School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability at Northern Arizona University. Katie is studying springs under the advisement of Dr. Abe Springer, Dr. Larry Stevens, and Dr. James Allen.
One of her goals is to enhance stewardship of springs. Her thesis work focuses on establishing a protocol to estimate the density of springs within a landscape based on the rate of their discovery. Using the statistical extrapolation methods of accumulation curves, this non-resource-intensive inventory method provides valuable information for planning and implementing effective springs surveying, monitoring, and restoration programs.
Through the $3,000 Charles C. Avery Intern Scholarship sponsored by AHS and the AHS Foundation, Katie hopes to gain hands-on experience with field work, grant writing, and report synthesis. Working with a government agency, volunteer group, and research organization, her aim is to enhance her ability to collaborate among different institutions and gain perspective in ways to most effectively contribute to the study and protection of groundwater and surface water systems.