Jane Mazack

Jane

Email: [email protected]

Education

Ph.D., Water Resources Science (in progress)
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN

Dissertation: Winter invertebrate dynamics in groundwater-fed streams in southeastern Minnesota

M.S., Water Resources Science (2013)
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN

Thesis: Emergence, survival, and longevity of adult Diamesa mendotae Muttkowski (Diptera: Chironomidae) in groundwater-fed streams

B.S., Biology and Environmental Science (2010)
Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI

Research Statement

Groundwater-fed streams, which remain cold in summer but ice-free in winter, provide ideal habitat for cold-adapted insects and trout. The goal of my dissertation research is to identify and quantify the complex relationships between groundwater inputs, water temperature, and winter invertebrate dynamics in southeastern Minnesota streams. The results of this research are significant in understanding the ecological dynamics of these streams, but become even more essential when considering the effects of climate change on groundwater-influenced ecosystems.

I am currently a graduate fellow for the John E. Sawyer Seminar “Making the Mississippi: “Making the Mississippi: Formulating New Water Narratives for the 21st Century” supported by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and organized by the Institute for Advanced Study and River Life at the University of Minnesota. As part of my work, I am evaluating the use of social media as a growing medium of scientific dissemination and discussion. I have developed a blog for translating the empirical results of my dissertation research into educational media for dissemination to the public.