Principal Investigator

James Knighton, Ph.D., P.E.

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Connecticut.  I received my B.S. in Civil Engineering from Drexel University, M.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Cornell University. Prior to my Ph.D. research, I worked as a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) for eight years in government and private practice, building stormwater collection system models of major US cities and estimating the flooding risk of nuclear plants. Following my Ph.D. I was a research fellow with the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) at the University of Maryland.

Current Graduate Students

Kevin Li (MS expected 2022)

I am a Master's student in the Department of Natural Resources & the Environment. I received my B.S. in Natural Resources & the Environment with a concentration in water resources from the University of Connecticut in 2019. My research interests include the use of ecohydrological modelling and stable isotopes in water to study how insect infestation and silviculture impacts water resources. ​

Joshua Snarski (PhD expected 2025)

Joshua is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.  He received his B.S. in Construction Management from Roger Williams University and M.S. in Water Resources from the University of Connecticut.  His research interests include agricultural and stormwater BMPs, road salt contamination, hydrologic modeling, and using stable water isotopes to identify hydrologic pathways in soils.  In Josh’s free time, he enjoys hiking, fishing, and carpentry. ​

Sandeep Poudel (MS expected 2024)

​I am a Master's student in the Department of Natural Resources and Environment at UConn. I completed my B.S in Civil Engineering from the Institute of Engineering Pulchowk, Nepal in 2019. Since B.S, I have worked with a consulting firm in Nepal that involved watershed analysis and design of hydropower structures. My research interests include flood risk analysis, watershed modeling, and the application of deep learning in hydrology.

Matt Sobota (PhD expected 2026)

​I am a Ph.D. student in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.  I received my B.A. in Environmental Studies from the College of Wooster and M.S. in Water Resources and Sustainability from Chatham University. My research interests include ecohydrological modelling and stable isotope analysis to study root water uptake and transpiration rates across tree species in watersheds.

Current Undergraduate Researchers

Ben Albee (Undergraduate Researcher)
​
​I'm an undergraduate senior at UConn studying Environmental Studies and Political Science. In my time at UConn, I have studied various aspects of the environment, including policy, law, and education. Last summer, I created a lesson plan for the 4-H program that educated 4th graders on how to cultivate healthy soil for growing crops. At the Ecohydrology Lab, I have been able to immerse myself in a much more advanced study of soil and its interactions with agricultural and forested ecosystems. My interests include going outside and figuring out what to do until I can go back outside.

Lab Alumni

Christine Georgakakos (Postdoc), Current position: Assistant Professor SUNY-ESF
Katherine King (MS), Current position: Environmental Analyst VT Department of Environmental Conservation
Conner Caridad (undegraduate researcher), Current position: UConn undergraduate
Ben Albee (undegraduate researcher), Current position: UConn undergraduate
Kunzika (undergraduate researcher) Current position: UConn undergraduate