People

    Current Staff and Students

    Margaret Zimmer

    Associate Professor
    Department of Soil and Environmental Science
    University of Wisconsin, Madison


    Adjunct Associate Professor
    Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    University of California, Santa Cruz

    Ph.D., Earth and Ocean Sciences, Duke University
    M.S., Earth Sciences, Syracuse University
    B.A., Environmental Studies, Oberlin College

    margaret . zimmer @ wisc.edu

    Margaret Zimmer’s research interests include streamflow generation processes, changing winter hydroclimate conditions on water budget components, agricultural water quality, critical zone hydrology.

    Awards: 2024 American Geophysical Union Early Career Award (Hydrology Section); 2023 Geological Society of American Early Career Award (Hydrogeology Section), 2021-2026 NSF CAREER Award (Hydrologic Sciences)

    Zhaozhe Chen

    Postdoctoral Research Associate
    Department of Soil and Environmental Science
    University of Wisconsin, Madison

    Ph.D. Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University
    M.Sc. Biochemistry, Stevens Institute of Technology

    zhaozhe . chen @ wisc . edu

    Zhaozhe Chen’s research interests include evapotranspiration dynamics, land-atmosphere coupling, and the application of bioremediation technologies to improve water quality. His current work explores how critical zone structure mediates ecosystem responses to hydroclimatic variability.

    Maggie Phillips

    MS Student
    Freshwater and Marine Sciences Program
    University of Wisconsin, Madison

    B.S. Environmental Science, University of New Hampshire

    mtphillips3 @ wisc . edu

    Maggie worked as a Hydrologist at the US Geological Survey for six years prior to starting at UW Madison. Her research interests include watershed hydrology, biogeochemistry, and groundwater/surface water interactions.

    Nerissa Barling

    PhD Candidate
    Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    University of California, Santa Cruz

    B.S. Geology, Colorado College

    nbarling @ ucsc . edu

    Nerissa is building her scientific toolkit to investigate how the physical structure of the subsurface controls water storage, plant-water supply, and streamflow generation. She hopes to apply her scientific knowledge of hydrologic systems toward meaningful actions that benefit local community members and ecosystem management. She is co-advised by Dr. Andy Fisher at UC Santa Cruz.

    Adam Haynes

    PhD Candidate
    Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    University of California, Santa Cruz

    M.S. Natural Resources, University of Connecticut
    B.S. Natural Resources, Michigan State University

    ahaynes1 @ ucsc . edu

    Adam Haynes’s research interests include human impacts on aquatic ecosystems and hydro-biogeochemistry; surface water/groundwater exchange processes and modeling; the transport/fate of toxins and other pollutants between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; watershed and stream restoration. He is co-advised by Dr. Andy Fisher at UC Santa Cruz.

    Sam Motz

    PhD Student
    Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    University of California, Santa Cruz

    B.S. Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology

    smotz @ ucsc . edu

    Sam Motz’s research interests include watershed hydrology, geomorphology, streamflow generation, and natural hazards. Currently, her research involves using transit time distribution modeling to examine streamflow generation and water storage in two adjacent non-perennial catchments. She is co-advised by Dr. Noah Finnegan at UC Santa Cruz.

    Previous Postdoctoral Researchers, Graduate Students, and Lab Managers

    Lauren Giggy (PhD; 2025) – Now Geologist at Sespe
    Levi Robbins (MS; 2025)
    Amanda Donaldson (PhD; 2024) – Now Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Texas, Austin
    Russell Callahan (Postdoctoral Scholar; 2022-2023) – Now Assistant Professor at University of Connecticut
    Michael Wilshire (Lab Manager; 2021-2024) – Now graduate student at Portland State University
    Maya Montalvo (MS; 2022) – Now Hydrologist at Balance Hydrologic
    Emilio Grande (PhD; 2022) – Now Assistant Professor at California State University, East Bay
    Peter Willits (Lab Manager; 2019-2021)
    Andria Greene (MS; 2020)
    Jonathan Swanson (MS; 2020)
    Maia Hoffman (Lab Manager; 2018-2019)

    Previous Undergraduate Researchers

    Melinda Martinez (2023)
    Loren Tolley-Mann (2020)
    Chris Causbrook (2020)
    Zev Fellenbaum (2019)
    Noah Lyman (2019)