David Hebrink Student and Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a third-year student at the University of Iowa, on track to graduate May 2023 with an environmental science B.S. on the biosciences track with geographic information science and business minors. Career interests include water quality, wetlands, remote sensing, and agricultural fertilizer and pesticide management.

My interest in geographic information science was piqued by developing a sampling map of a hydrologically restored wetland in Dickinson County, IA. I spent the summer of 2021 at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory in Milford, IA, where there were many intern-led research projects. One of these projects involved monitoring the rehydration of the soil in the Dickinson County wetland. Publicly available aerial imagery of the wetland was out of date, so I used a drone to take images monthly. These updated images were used to maximize sample locations given material restrictions. Sample locations were transferred to a Google Maps file to assist in finding sample flags during sampling.

I am currently working as a research assistant for geospatial analysis with Dr. Rebecca Kauten, the scientist in residence at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory. We are using updated modeling techniques to evaluate the accuracy of nonpoint source phosphorus pollution estimation in a 2007 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) document. We predict nonpoint pollution was underestimated, placing a heavier pollution weight on point sources, namely the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District's wastewater treatment plant effluence. We are also comparing pollutant loading today to the time of sampling for the TMDL and evaluating an increase in agricultural land use and urbanization.