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Stream-water sampling of Darby Creek, PA
2022

Graduate Research

Two Contrasting Fall Line Watersheds in NW Delaware and SE Pennsylvania

Des received her M.S. in Geosciences from the University of Delaware in 2023.

For her Master’s research, she utilized water parameters (such as specific conductance, discharge, and water temperature) from USGS stream gauges, LiDAR landcover data, and lab-measured water isotope compositions to understand the influence of landcover on water quality and differing streamflow generation processes between rural and urban streams in neighboring watersheds.

Undergraduate Research

Desire received her B.S. in Geological Sciences and minor in Chinese from Beloit College in May 2020.

Her undergrad research focused on changes in major ion chemistry of artesian springs at a Trout Fish Hatchery near Madison, Wisconsin.

She also got the opportunity to work at the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee during the summer of 2017, where she participated in stream water quality surveys for the Milwaukee River.

Assessing Changes in Groundwater Quality of Artesian Wells at the Nevin State Fish Hatchery
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Groundwater sampling at the Nevin State Fish Hatchery
2019

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Other Projects

Accounting for and Predicting the Influence of Spatial Autocorrelation in Precipitation Data
University of Delaware, 2021
China’s Natural Environment (中国的自然环境)
Beloit College, 2019
Wisconsin Groundwater Contaminant Potential
Beloit College, 2018

Collaborative Research

Rivers in Transition: Landscapes Along China’s
Yellow River

In this program, Des explored the changes of Yellow River morphology over time and the influence of these changes on art, literature as well as advancements in water resources management.

She collaborated with students at Henan University and completed a one-month field study in Henan Province in 2017 and 2019.

Desire was also a museum curator for an exhibit on the Yellow River. She used a stream table to showcase the changes in Yellow River morphology over time for a general audience.
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Fieldwork at the Yellow River, Henan Province in 2017

Virginia Tech Email

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