Brett A Poulin, PhD

Brett Poulin is an chemist with the Water Mission Area in Boulder, Colorado. He completed B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Biology, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on the chemistry of natural organic matter in natural and managed aquatic environments, with an emphasis on the use of diverse analytical approaches to characterize natural organic matter. These include optical measurements (e.g., UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy), molecular-level measurements (e.g., ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry), and atomic-level measurements (e.g., X-ray absorption spectroscopy). Current projects apply these tools to better quantify interactions between natural organic matter and trace metal contaminants (e.g., mercury) in wetlands and reservoirs. An emphasis is placed on measurements that aid development of contaminant fate and risk-based assessment models that inform water management decisions.

EDUCATION

2016       Ph.D., Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

2013       M.S., Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

2008       B.S., Chemistry, University of California at Santa Cruz

2008       B.S., Biology, University of California at Santa Cruz

AWARDS

2015       Pathfinder Graduate Student Fellowship, Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science Inc. (CUAHSI)

2012       Student Travel Fellowship, U.S. Department of Energy Subsurface Biogeochemical Research Meeting

2008       Thesis Honors, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Santa Cruz

2008       Undergraduate Deans Award, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Santa Cruz

2008       Undergraduate Chancellors Award, Division of Physical and Biologic Sciences, University of California at Santa Cruz

2007       STEPS Institute Undergraduate Research Grant, University of California at Santa Cruz

2007       Kresge College Undergraduate Project Award, University of California at Santa Cruz

2006       C.DELSI Undergraduate Research Award, University of California at Santa Cruz