Meet our New Staff at the New England WSC - October 2024
Join us in welcoming our recently hired staff at the New England Water Science Center.
Brian Loving, Hydrologic Monitoring Branch Chief, New Hampshire Office
Brian has been with the USGS for 30 years and has extensive data collection and data program management experience. While completing his bachelor’s degree in atmospheric science at the University of Kansas, he started his USGS career as a student volunteer with the Kansas Water Science Center (WSC) in 1993. After graduating, he was hired by the Utah WSC as a hydrologic technician in Salt Lake City, where he worked for 4 years collecting surface-water, groundwater, and water-quality data before becoming a hydrologist and updating a water and salt balance model of Great Salt Lake. Brian returned to Kansas to become the Lawrence Field Office Chief in 2001. During his 10 years in this role, he also worked half-time for the USGS Water Mission Area’s Office of Surface Water, evaluating hydroacoustic instruments and leading training courses.
In the second half of Brian’s career, he has served as the Data/HMB Chief in (now) four different centers: starting with Kansas in late 2011; followed by the Pacific Islands WSC in 2016; the Wyoming-Montana WSC in 2020 (where he was also the Deputy Director); and now the New England WSC. Throughout his career, Brian has developed software and methods that aid in the collection, computation, analysis, and management of hydrologic data.
Brian and his wife, Jill, are currently in the process of moving from Wyoming to New Hampshire, where Brian will report to the Pembroke office. They enjoy the outdoors, travel, and following their favorite teams (Go Habs Go!). They are the proud parents of two young adults—a daughter living in British Columbia and a son in Kansas.
Magdalen Bresee, Student Trainee (Hydrology), Environmental Hydrology Section, Massachusetts Office
Magdalen Bresee was born and raised in north central Massachusetts and is currently attending the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where she is working toward a Bachelor of Science in geology. She holds a research position in the hydrogeology lab at UMass and an internship with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in the Drinking Water Program. In July 2024, Magdalen began a student trainee position with the New England Water Science Center in the Environmental Hydrology section. She's still working on narrowing down her research interests, but she is very broadly interested in hydro geochemistry applied to cases of groundwater and soil contamination. Magdalen is excited to further develop her research interests and learn all she can with the USGS.
Ashley Grengs, Hydrologist, Environmental Hydrology Section, New Hampshire Office
Ashley was born and raised on a farm in rural Minnesota. She earned a Bachelor of Science in geology from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in May of 2020 with a minor in chemistry and a certificate in environmental geology. Her undergraduate research investigated how ferruginous lake sediments across the Midwest can serve as modern analogs to better interpret early Earth’s geologic history. Ashley obtained a Master of Science in Earth science from the University of New Hampshire in the summer of 2023 with a specialization in geochemical systems. Ashley’s graduate research analyzed the distribution of rare Earth elements found in forest soils across numerous bedrock gradients in New England. Prior to the USGS, Ashley worked as an environmental consultant focusing on air sampling, water systems monitoring, and soil remediation projects throughout New England. Ashley is thrilled to embark on a new chapter of her career with the USGS as she continues to search for innovative opportunities and research frontiers in hydrology. Outside of the office, Ashley enjoys playing team trivia with her close friends, skiing in the White Mountains, and cooking from her catalogue of family recipes. She also enjoys planning long runs that coincide with her favorite passion—sampling local ice cream shops!