Dr Jeni Keisman

2006-present

Coordinator, Tidal Monitoring & Analysis Workgroup (TMAW) and Water Quality Analyst, UMCES at the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program (CBPO)
In my role as Coordinator of TMAW, I represent both the CBPO and UMCES. In consultation with the TMAW Chair, I develop agendas and advocate for activities and product-oriented projects that reflect our highest analytical priorities for advancing our understanding of – thus our ability to restore – the Chesapeake Bay. To achieve this goal, I facilitate discussion and participation in TMAW among state and federal resource managers as well as academic researchers.

In my role as an analyst, I conduct data analysis and synthesis, review analytical methodologies, and recommend methodological improvements in support of estuarine water quality monitoring and assessment in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.

1998-1999

Team Leader & Technical Lead, Primark, Inc, Bethesda MD
I coordinated the work of a team of programmers to develop a distributed information system for tracking the investment activity of corporate insiders. I served as the contact point between internal clients (business, management, and marketing groups) and the applications development team. Working collaboratively with the development team, I conducted requirements analysis, project planning, design, and development of the Insider Trading software products and databases.

1996-1998

Applications Developer, Primark Inc., Bethesda, MD.
I held positions of increasing responsibility, beginning as project coordinator and advancing to applications developer, on Primark, Inc's "Insider Trading" development project (see description above).

1995-1996

Technical Writer, Primark Inc., Bethesda, MD.
I wrote hard-copy and online documentation of software for internal and external end-users. I documented internal software systems for technical operators.

2009-present

Assistant Research Scientist, UMCES
Role and responsibilities described above.

2006-2009

Senior Faculty Research Assistant, UMCES
Role and responsibilities described above.

2003-2009

Ph.D. Candidate, Dept of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB), Princeton University
Dissertation topic: Effects of leaf litter quality on structure and functioning (i.e. nutrient cycling) of soil microbial communities.
Committee: Lars Hedin, Bess Ward, Steve Pacala, Henry Horn

I independently developed research questions, designed experiments, and collected and analyzed data on nutrient cycling and soil microbial communities in forest soils.  I produced and maintained a research budget and acquired funding.
Primary advisor: Dr. Lars Hedin

2004-2006

Predoctoral Fellow, Forest Ecology & Biogeochemistry Labs, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC)
Primary SERC host: Dr. Geoffrey Parker

2001-2006

Graduate Student, Dept of EEB, Princeton University
I independently developed research questions, designed experiments, and collected and analyzed data on nutrient cycling and soil microbial communities in forest soils.  I produced and maintained a research budget and acquired funding.
Primary advisor: Lars Hedin

1999-2001

Graduate Research Assistant, University of MD at USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.
North American Waterbird Inventory & Monitoring Program.
I developed a relational database and program website.
Supervisor: Melanie Steinkamp

Summer 2000

Field Assistant, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University.
I collected and processed soil and leaf litter samples.
Supervisor: Peter Vitousek

2009

PhD from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University
Thesis: "Species effects on nutrient cycling in forests: A study of leaf litter's role in shaping soil microbial communities and nutrient recycling"

2001

M.S. in Sustainable Development & Conservation Biology, University of Maryland at College Park (UMCP)
Thesis: "Developing the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan: An Analysis of Process"

2003

Travel Grant, Dean’s Fund for Scholarly Travel, Princeton University

2001-2002

First-Year Science & Engineering Fellowship, Princeton University

1995

David Beers Quinn Award for Outstanding Scholarship in History, SMCM

1994

Robert Thrun Memorial Award (for learned scholarship in history), Sotterley Foundation

1994

Senator James H. Duff Award for student leadership in research, SMCM

1991-1995

Brent-Calvert Fellowship, SMCM