[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.22.7″][et_pb_fullwidth_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Matt-Waters-In-Field-scaled.jpg” title_text=”Matt-Waters-In-Field” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ animation_style=”fade”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_image][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ custom_padding=”||1em” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#f26522″]<\/p>\n
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I am an Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences at Auburn University. \u00a0My background includes a BS in Environmental Science from Mercer University, a MS in Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida, and a PhD in Environmental Sciences and Engineering from UNC-Chapel Hill. \u00a0I am also the leader of the Auburn PaleoEnvironmental Lab.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/AU-Paleoenviromental-Lab-16-15-1024×998.png” title_text=”AU-Paleoenviromental-Lab-16-15″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_height=”524px”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Sediment-Core-Sampling-16×9-1.jpg” title_text=”Sediment-Core-Sampling-16×9″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Students sampling for sediment cores by boat.<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n The current research activities in my lab focus on four areas. \u00a0First, our lab specializes in reconstructing the history of harmful algal blooms and cyanotoxins in natural lakes in an effort to determine what lake conditions trigger these phenomena. \u00a0These projects tend to use natural lakes in the Southeastern USA as field sites with most of our sites in Florida. \u00a0Second, as we go back in time, we are interested in how these harmful algal blooms and toxins could have impacted ancient societies like the Maya of Mesoamerica. \u00a0We study lakes in Mexico and Guatemala to answer these research questions. \u00a0For most of Alabama and Georgia, we look at nutrient transport in reservoirs and how land use and connected reservoirs can impact nutrient biogeochemistry. \u00a0Finally, we are investigating the storage and processing of nutrients in isolated wetlands in south Georgia comparing forested and agricultural wetland function.<\/span><\/p>\n \n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Sediment-Core-16×9-1.jpg” alt=”FY19 WRRI Matt Waters Lake Tristan Orndorff” title_text=”Sediment-Core-16×9″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n Following field collection, sediment cores are sectioned into manageable sized “patties” in the lab for the start of analyses.<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”40px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n The best piece of advice I was ever given in environmental research came from my Master\u2019s advisor, Claire Schelske. \u00a0When I expressed my frustration in finding the right sample locations in a lake, Dr. Schelske talked about the messiness of environmental sampling and science and said, \u201cSometimes you have to take what the lake gives you.\u201d \u00a0 This is so true. \u00a0Environmental science is not exact, it’s broad, and it\u2019s messy. \u00a0I share this with my students often when they are struggling to get the perfect samples. \u00a0Environmental science doesn\u2019t work with yes\/no, A\/B dynamics. \u00a0We have to consider all options and design our studies to collect the most beneficial samples for our research questions. \u00a0That is what drives success and strong inference.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/avery-weiss-a6x9.jpg” alt=”FY19 WRRI Matt Waters Lake Tristan Orndorff” title_text=”avery-weiss-a6x9″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n Following field collection, sediment cores are sectioned into manageable sized “patties” in the lab for the start of analyses.<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Meet Dr. Matt WatersWE SAT DOWN WITH DR. MATT WATERS, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE AUBURN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE’S DEPARTMENT OF CROP, SOIL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES.Tell us about your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[155,30],"tags":[24,25,27,26],"class_list":["post-8131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wrc-blog","category-faculty-spotlight","tag-fish-water","tag-natural-resources","tag-research","tag-water-resources"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8131"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8154,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8131\/revisions\/8154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Describe your current research activities.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n
In your career, what is the best advice you’ve been given?<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n