Kris Beckert

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Kris Beckert

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Kris Beckert
Science Communicator

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

PO Box 775
2020 Horns Point Rd
Cambridge, MD 21613
USA

Phone: (410) 221-2043
Fax: (410) 228-3843
Email: kbeckert@umces.edu

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PERSONAL DETAILS

Name	Kris Beckert
Email	kbeckert@umces.edu

EDUCATION

2008	University of Maryland, Ecology M.S.: Marine, Estuarine, Environmental Science Program
2004	University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, B.S. Biology; Chemistry minor Senior Honors Thesis: "The Effects of Seasonal Change and Urbanization on Macroinvertebrate Communities in Streams"received Highest Honors

AWARDS

Horn Point Teaching Assistantship, Land Margins Interactions course - fall 2007/2008
Horn Point Laboratory, Graduate Student Fellowship2006/2007
Horn Point Travel Award 2008
Atlantic Estuarine Research Society annual meeting award 2008
Phi Beta KappaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2003-present
Golden Key National Honor Society 2001-present
National Merit Finalist Scholarship 2000

EXPERIENCE

2009-	Science Communicator, Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) Primary analyst and writer of Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Assateague Island National Seashore Compilation and research of data from various sources and formats (GIS, Excel, Access, databases, publications) Coordination of project planning with National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Network ArcMap GIS analyst and application, using coverage datasets and land use to extract data for resource assessment reports Creation of templates and newsletters using Adobe Illustrator and In Design Conceptual diagrams, illustrations, and formatting of book on South Florida ecosystems Cartooning for "Trade Off!" environmental management board game and Hawaii National Parks public brochures Working with staff interns
2007-2009	Graduate Teaching Assistant, UMCES Horn Point Environmental Laboratory Land Margins Interactions course (MEES610) for 15 graduate students Planning and organization of field trips to the mountains, Patuxent River, and Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, and Final Symposium Weekly trivia challenge for students, pertaining to lecture topic
2006-2008	Graduate Research Assistant, UMCES Horn Point Environmental Laboratory Mentoring summer undergraduate REU students Organized and participated in fieldwork in MD Coastal Bays, laboratory and watershed analyses Land use assessment of Maryland Coastal Bays watershed Involvement in the culturing of Lyngbya harmful algae in the laboratory, nitrogen uptake kinetics, denitrification, growth measurements, and processing Statistical analysis of data Artist for Integration and Application Network (IAN) and design of graphics
2006-2008	Horn Point Outreach, UMCES Horn Point Environmental Laboratory Design and publication of materials for Science Communication Public and group tours during the week and on Saturdays, taking the touch tank trailer to schools and local functions Eastern Shore Envirothon coordinator: conduct workshop on Aquatics for high school students and examination Teacher for 7th grade photosynthesis/submerged aquatic vegetation experiments and field trips Created and organized fundraising events for graduate students and Humane Society charity event
2008-	Real Life Chapel associate pastor, Easton, MD Local minister's license Sunday morning and communion service organization and planning Leadership team/board Nazarene Youth International representative to Mid-Atlantic Nazarene District Commentary writer for newspapers in MD and PA and Mid-Atlantic District webpage Launch and Leadership team Leader of "Real Women" women's ministry and retreat coordinator Youth ministry leader and speaker at "Converge 2009" teen retreat Finances and church administration in office, website
Jan-Aug, 2006	Environmental Education Specialist of Southeastern PA, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Harrisburg, PA Creation, implementation, and teaching of environmental science programs for children, the public, and civic groups Coordinated Enviro-thon Teacher workshop, Project Wild-Aquatic, Temple University Earth Day, and the Eco-Leadership Summit held May 2006 Watershed documentation and outreach programs Participated and research for the Schuylkill Watershed Congress March 2006; PA Environmental Education Conference in Erie, PA May 2006; Delaware River Sojourn in coordination with DRBC June 2006; Safe Boating Day May 2006; Family Fishing Ecological Programming June-August 2006 Writing of webpage regional reports, advertising, administrative duties, supervising volunteers and employees Boat safety instruction

Aug-Dec, 2005	Nature Center Naturalist/ Educator, Churchville Nature Center, Churchville, PA Conducted public programs on watershed analysis, stream studies, water quality issues Weekly presentations on Native American heritage Advertisement and creative announcements for events and fundraising Assisted with land management and volunteer coordination
2003-2004	US Geological Service Intern, North Carolina Water Science Center, Raleigh, NC Intensive stream sampling of macroinvertebrates, water quality, fish, algae, E. coli for 30 streams in Albemarle Basinpart of national water quality assessment (NAWQA) program Profiled and mapped results of analysis on database Used and instructed others with IDAS software for data analysis of samples Processed lab samples, identification of macroinvertebrates Conducted Senior Honors thesis in conjunction with USGS, using the Urban Land Use Gradient (ULUG) created by Dr. Thomas Cuffney
Jun-Aug, 2002	Naturalist Intern and Research Assistant , Peace Valley Nature Center, Chalfont, PA Identified marine mammals and bird species seen along hikes Conducted summer outreach programs on watersheds, conservation, and ecology Wrote and illustrated a guidebook for the Nature Center Assisted in invasive plant control and mapping of new trails

SPECIAL SKILLS

Computer Applications: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook; Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop Elements, SAS Statistical Analysis Package, ArcMap GIS and Arc Catalog

Foreign Languages: Proficient in German

Communication: Experience writing essays and articles for newspapers/magazines; established illustrator/cartoonist/designer for IAN group at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; has designed T-shirts and logos for companies and organizations, drawn college newspaper political cartoons, illustrated ads and articles

Publications

This page provides a reference list in Word and PDF formats, an RSS feed for new publications, a link to browse/search through all Kris's publications in the literature database. You can also view the abstract and keywords and access a pemanent link to the article in our literature database by expanding the citation, or view the full details of each publication in the database, or view the article on the publisher's website, which may include access to fulltext and PDF versions.

Peer-reviewed Publications
2013
Fertig BM, O’Neil JM, Beckert KA, Cain CJ, Needham DM, Carruthers TJB, Dennison WC (2013) Elucidating terrestrial nutrient sources to a coastal lagoon, Chincoteague Bay, Maryland, USA. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 116:1–10 Abstract: Long-term non-linear ecosystem-scale changes in water quality and biotic communities in coastal lagoons have been associated with intensification of anthropogenic pressures. In light of incipient changes in Johnson Bay (an embayment of Chincoteague Bay, Maryland-Virginia, USA), examination of nitrogen sources was conducted through synoptic water quality monitoring, stable nitrogen isotope signatures (deltaN-15) of in situ bioindicators, and denitrification estimates. These data were placed in the context of long-term and broader spatial analyses. Despite various watershed protection efforts, multiyear summer time studies (2004-2007) suggested that high levels of terrestrially derived nutrients still enter Johnson Bay. Total nitrogen concentrations in Johnson Bay were 132% the concentrations in the broader Chincoteague Bay during the late 1970s (mean 2004-2007 was 40.0 – 73.2 µM). Comparing total nitrogen concentrations in Johnson Bay to St. Martin River (consistently the most eutrophic region of these coastal bays), Johnson Bay has increased from 62.5% to 82.5% of the concentrations in St. Martin River during the late 1970s. Though specific sources of nitrogen inputs have not yet been definitively identified, the long-term increase in total nitrogen concentrations occurred despite increased and continued conservation and protection measures. We suggest that investigating nutrient sources can reveal potentially ineffective nutrient policies and that this knowledge can be applied towards other coastal lagoons. Keywords: coastal lagoons; nitrogen; anthropogenic factors; water quality; land use; Maryland; Chincoteague Bay Permanent link \| Save citation: RTF PDF LaTeX
2011
Beckert KA, Fisher TR, O'Neil JM, Jesien RV (2011) Characterization and Comparison of Stream Nutrients, Land Use, and Loading Patterns in Maryland Coastal Bay Watersheds. Water Air Soil Pollut. 221(1-4):255–273 Abstract: Land use and its relation to nutrient concentrations and loading via streams is an important issue in coastal lagoons and embayments worldwide including the Maryland coastal bays system, USA. As in many coastal areas around the globe, declining water quality in the bays is the result of nutrient inputs from the surrounding watershed. In this study, the sources of the nutrient inputs were examined. Monthly concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), ammonium (NH4 +), nitrate (NO3 -), phosphate (PO4 -3), and total phosphorus (TP) were measured in six streams in the St. Martin River basin from July 2006 to January 2008. Current land use information for the basins of each stream was also compiled. Several significant correlations between nutrients and land use type were found. The most significant correlation was with the land area of feeding operations, which demonstrated a significant positive relationship with mean baseflow TN concentrations. A similar relationship was also found with anthropogenic land area (cropland + urban + feeding operations), and wetland area was also positively associated with hydric soils. Using local water yields from a US Geological Survey station, annual stream watershed export was calculated using the concentration data, which indicated that the watershed with the most crop agriculture had the highest N export coefficient (20.4 kg N ha-1 year-1), while the highest P export (0.47 kg P ha-1 year-1) was in a watershed containing a nonoperational chicken hatchery and a subsequently modified channel. This suggests that agricultural development, especially animal feeding operations, and landscape characteristics are important factors to understand nutrient loading in St. Martin River and Maryland coastal bays. The methods used and the results determined in this study have implications for determining nutrient loading in lagoons and embayments, in relation to land use in coastal regions globally. Keywords: Maryland;Lagoons;Coastal bays;Land use;Poultry;Chickens;Agriculture;Water quality;Stream;Nitrogen;Phosphorus Permanent link \| Save citation: RTF PDF LaTeX

Science Communication Publications Browse all publications for Kris Beckert on IAN Press OR view individually:
2012
Kruczynski WL and Fletcher PJ (2012) Tropical Connections: South Florida's marine environment. IAN Press, Cambridge, MD, 494pp (Book)
2011
Carruthers TJB, Beckert KA, Dennison WC, Thomas JE, Saxby TA, Williams MR, Fisher T, Kumer J, Schupp C, Sturgis B, and Zimmerman C (2011) Assateague Island National Seashore Natural Resource Condition Assessment. IAN Press, Cambridge, MD, 182pp (Report)
Carruthers TJB, Beckert KA, Dennison WC, Thomas JE, Saxby TA, Williams MR, Fisher T, Kumer J, Schupp C, Sturgis B, and Zimmerman C (2011) Assateague Island National Seashore Natural Resource Condition Assessment - Executive Summary. IAN Press, Cambridge, MD, 12pp (Report)
2010
Integration and Application Network (2010) Harmful Algae Impacts the Coast of Florida. IAN Press, Cambridge, MD, 2pp (Brochure)
2009
Thomas JE, Beckert K, Cain C, Carruthers TJB, Dennison WC1, Fisher T, Jesien R, Kumer J, Longstaff BJ, Radcliffe G, Schupp C, Sturgis B, Wazniak C, Wicks EC, Williams MR and Zimmerman C (2009) Assessing the Coastal Bays of Maryland and Virginia: A comparison of approaches. IAN Press, Cambridge, MD, 1pp (Poster)
Integration and Application Network (2009) Toxic cyanobacteria blooms degrade ecosystem in coastal Florida. IAN Press, Cambridge, MD, 4pp (Newsletter)
2008
Integration and Application Network (2008) Upstream land use affects water quality in Maryland's Coastal Bays. IAN Press, Cambridge, MD, 3pp (Newsletter)
Beckert K, Fertig BM, O'Neil JM, Carruthers TJB, Wazniak C, Sturgis B, Hall M, Jones AB and Dennison WC (2008) Fine scale patterns of water quality in three regions of Marylands Coastal Bays: assessing nitrogen source in relation to land use. IAN Press, Cambridge, MD, 55pp (Report)
Beckert K, Fertig BM, O'Neil JM, Carruthers TJB, Dennison WC and Fisher T (2008) Fine scale patterns of water quality in three regions of Maryland's Coastal Bays: assessing nitrogen source in relation to land use. IAN Press, Cambridge, MD, 32pp (Presentation)

Media

Browse all media articles featuring Kris Beckert

OR view individually:

The Bucks County Courier Times (Wed 26 Nov, 2008)
Commentary: Attitude of gratitude: Give thanks every day

The Salisbury Daily Times (Fri 26 Sep, 2008)
Commentary - There's real value in the 'meet and greet'

The Bucks County Courier Times (Mon 8 Sep, 2008)
Turning ordinary into extraordinary

The Salisbury Daily Times (Thu 28 Aug, 2008)
In the pressure cooker of life

The Easton Star Democrat (Mon 15 Oct, 2007)
Horn Point holds educational reception

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2013

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Science Communication Publications

2012

2011

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2008

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