<i>AWWA Water Science</i> Author Spotlight

Having recently published an article in AWWA Water Science, Edna Fernandez-Figueroa answered questions from the publication's editor-in-chief, Kenneth L. Mercer, about research. Carlson's Trophic State Index Is a Poor Predictor of Cyanobacterial Dominance Drinking Reservoirs G. Fernandez-Figueroa, Riley P. Buley, Mario U.G. Barros, Matthew F. Gladfelter, William D. McClimans, and Alan E. Wilson When I article, was PhD candidate at Auburn University's School Fisheries, Aquaculture, Aquatic Sciences (Auburn, Ala.). Since then, have graduated am working as postdoctoral research fellow Department Geo-sciences, where my is focused on understanding spatiotemporal patterns lake eutrophication throughout contiguous United States. holds fixed-wing multispectral drone she uses to monitor water quality commercial aquaculture ponds. had privilege closely with utility managers student Dr. Wilson's limnology lab University. One environmental engineers Birmingham Works, Jaquice Hughes Boyd, encouraged me apply for Alabama–Mississippi Section scholarship. The scholarship supports registration travel attend regional conference, well financial support be used expenses. fortunate awarded 2019 able share preliminary results (published 2021) stakeholders meeting learned primary management focus region. It only natural publish that supported by this Science. As researcher, believe maintaining sense curiosity creativity critical. Curiosity fuels us continue stay up date excited what others are accomplishing our field, whereas allows identify address gaps knowledge way propels field forward. All practical skills we learn along allow identify, but would not gotten very far without curiosity, creativity, lots hard work. poses Oscar (AL/MS) meeting. holding her award AL/MS undergraduate student, honor participating National Science Foundation–funded Multicultural Initiative Marine (MIMSUP). Our mentor through program, Brian Bingham, truly embodied idea inclusion. Many MIMSUP participants, including me, were nonnative English speakers. This made communicating science particularly challenging. dedicated entire class teaching scientific communication writing, which set success rest career beyond. Moreover, habit writing “Thank you making job so enjoyable” assignments did well. My advisor, Wilson, tough critic, watching how he flaws more critical writer, reviewer. scientists, constantly judged basis merit proposals results, learning accept incorporate constructive criticism one most important acquired graduate school. works drinking area ensure secondary metabolites produced cyanobacteria, such cyanotoxins off-flavors, decreasing safety palatability water. Several reporting issues off-flavor compounds, can impart unpleasant taste scent notoriously challenging remove despite having no adverse health effects. realized didn't reliable baseline data presence cyanobacteria or compounds they produce state Alabama, requested funding sample every single Alabama two years. collected project will serve several projects come. generally interested pursuing efforts applied nature. sociable, interacting their needs them really fun me. Those conversations led some tackled, using drones monitoring aquatic ecosystems. Ultimately, interest generate other researchers use inform next question, educators public resources look like why, policy management. Prioritizing stakeholders; directly engineers, managers, public; findings clear accessible ways; developing effective, low-cost treatment solutions main ongoing challenges field. Organizations play crucial role these efforts, think active involvement groups identifying addressing future challenges. describes study surveyed surface utilities monitored least once during growing season, provided samples frequently. goal determine prevalent metabolites, sources. We found although sources all drivers promoting proliferation dominance elevated temperatures nutrient abundance, cyanotoxins, off-flavors relatively rare systems surveyed. However, means potential algal bloom expansion intensification state, provides great informing prevent blooms. born raised Puerto Rico, happens bioluminescent bays. high school, saw newspaper featuring professor who studying dinoflagellates those systems; fascinated. ended reaching out professor, Miguel Sastre Wirshing, helped design dinoflagellate diel vertical migration ninth-grade fair. That opened eyes diverse world phytoplankton, been related organisms ever since. Gardening favorite pastimes, find myself applying method gardening approach figure grows best under different conditions maximize yield, it wonderful get break staring computer screen day, processing data. Growing food has taught lot being patient importance letting system tell needs. To Edna's research, visit available online https://doi.org/10.1002/aws2.1219.