Kristen Hychka

302 Walker Building
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802
Telephone: 814.865.6856
FAX: 814.863.7943
E-mail: kch130@psu.edu

education:

Pennsylvania State University - Ph.D. Geography (in progress)
Pennsylvania State University - M.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Science
Smith College, Northhampton, MA - B.S. Biology

professional activities:

Kristen’s general research interest is in the dynamics and resilience of riparian landscapes and more specifically on the role of hydrology in structuring riparian wetlands. She is involved in several research projects in the Center relating to:

Development and testing of predictive, spatial models of wetland location for the purposes of wetland inventory and habitat mapping;
Development and testing of landscape-level wetland assessment;
Study of the influence of climate and land use change on the hydrology of wetlands and the development of methods to predict non-linear responses of wetlands to these changes; and
Characterization and classification of landscapes in relation to aquatic resources.

professional employment:

2003–present: Research Assistant Department of Geography, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Penn State University
2001–2003: Research Assistant Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Science, School of Forest Resources, College of Agricultural Sciences
1999–2001: Environmental Scientist, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., Watertown, Massachusetts
1996–1998: Biological Science Technician, U.S. Forest Service, Aquatic Land Interaction Group, Corvallis, Oregon
1995: Research Assistant, National Biological Service, Glacier Bay National Park, Gustavus, Alaska
1994–1995: Fisheries Observer, Frank Orth and Associates, Bellevue, Washington
1991–1993: Research Assistant Biology Department, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts

professional organizations

Society of Wetland Scientists
American Water Resources Association
International Association of Landscape Ecology
Sigma Xi
American Association of Geographers

selected publications:

Wardrop, D.H., M.E. Kentula, D.L. Stevens, S.F. Hornsby, K.C. Hychka, and R.P. Brooks, (invited and in review) Assessment of wetlands in the Upper Juniata Watershed. Wetlands.

Hychka, KC., D.H. Wardrop, R.P. Brooks, (in review) Enhancing a landscape assessment with intensive data: A case study in the Upper Juniata watershed. Wetlands.

Myers, W., M. McKenney-Easterling, K. Hychka, B. Griscom, J.A. Bishop, G.L. Rocco, R.P. Brooks, G. Constantz, G. P. Patil, C. Taillie. (2006) Contextual clustering for configuring collaborative conservation of watersheds in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands. Environmental and Ecological Statistics. 13 (4) December 2006. 391-407.

Wardrop D.H., J.A. Bishop, M. Easterling, K. Hychka, W. Myers, G.P. Patil, and C. Taillie. (2005) Characterization of watersheds in the mid-Atlantic. Environmental and Ecological Statistics. 12, 209-223.