Alex Christensen grew up in Tempe, Arizona and became interested in wetland ecosystems while studying at the University of California, Berkeley. She went on to study coastal hydrology and nutrient cycling at Louisiana State University. She joined JPL as a NPP fellow with Marc Simard in May 2020. Her research focuses on hydrodynamics of coastal deltas using numerical modeling and satellite remote sensing to study the interaction of vegetation and surface water hydrology.
Education:
- Ph.D. Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, 2020
- M.S. Coastal and Ecological Engineering, Louisiana State University, 2017
- B.S. Conservation and Resource Studies, Minor in Forestry, University of California, Berkeley, 2011
Research Interests:
- Surface water hydrology
- Ecology
- Water Quality
- Vegetation dynamics
Professional Experience:
- NASA Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020-present
Selected Awards:
- Louisiana Center of Excellence Graduate Studentship, 2017
- Coastal Studies Institute Flagship Scholarship 2013
Selected Publications:
- Christensen, A., Twilley, R. R., Willson, C. S., & Castañeda-Moya, E. (2020). Simulating hydrological connectivity and water age within a coastal deltaic floodplain of the Mississippi River Delta. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 245, 106995.
- Twilley, R. R., Day, J. W., Bevington, A. E., Castañeda-Moya, E., Christensen, A., Holm, G., ... & Rovai, A. S. (2019). Ecogeomorphology of coastal deltaic floodplains and estuaries in an active delta: Insights from the Atchafalaya Coastal Basin. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 227, 106341.
Address:
4800 Oak Grove Dr
Pasadena, CA 91109