Cayelan Carey joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about ecosystem forecasting, which provides near real-time predictions about water quality in lakes and reservoirs. She explained how utilizing advanced modeling techniques and data from sensors, her team at Virginia Tech is able to help water managers make informed decisions to mitigate issues like algal blooms, both in Southwest Virginia and across the globe. She also shared the importance of collaboration, both domestically and internationally, and the future potential of ecosystem forecasting beyond water quality.
About Carey
Carey is the Patricia Caldwell Faculty Fellow, a professor of biological sciences, and a founding director of Virginia Tech’s Center for Ecosystem Forecasting. Her research integrates freshwater ecosystem ecology and data science to examine how humans are affecting freshwater systems, and in turn how changing water quality is altering human decision-making.
