Resume

• 1997

  Ph.D.

  During my Ph.D. research

  I explored scale issues in coupled atmospheric-hydrologic modeling and prediction. The two main issues of scale considered in this work were (1) the degree at which small (subgrid) scale variability of rainfall affects the accuracy of predicted water and energy fluxes from a coupled land-atmosphere model and (2) the scale-dependency of nonlinear parameterization used in coupled models. As an integral part of this study

  I gained valuable experience in numerical land-surface and atmospheric modeling by working with the MM5-BATS coupled land-atmosphere modeling system. While studying the scale-dependency of nonlinear parameterizations

  I worked with Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer (ESTAR) derived soil moisture data from the Southern Great Plains 1997 Hydrology Experiment (SGP97) to quantify the scale-dependency of soil moisture variability.

  Civil Engineering

• 1995

  M.S.

  My M.S. research focused on studying the spatial structure of braided rivers using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images from Alaska and demonstrated that

  under the absence of external controls

  these rivers reach a state of statistical equilibrium at which their spatial structure exhibits scale invariant properties. During my M.S. research

  I developed skills in interpreting and analyzing remotely sensed images of landscapes. I also developed the mathematical background for quantifying similarities in the morphology of braided rivers of different scales.

  Civil Engineering

• 1993

  B.C.E.

  Civil Engineering

• 1991

  Pre-Engineering

  University of Northwestern - St. Paul

• Data Analysis

  Modeling

  Research

  Water

  HEC-RAS

  Analysis

  Python

  SPSS

  Statistics

  Matlab

  Hydrology

  Experimentation

  EPANET

  Teaching

  Public Speaking

  Water Resources

  Civil Engineering

  HydroCAD

  Nykanen

  RESEARCH EXPERTISE:\nWater Resources is my broad area of specialization within Civil Engineering. My research expertise includes hydrologic modeling

  coupled land-atmosphere modeling

  multi-scale statistical analysis of rainfall and soil moisture data

  and applied research in operational hydrologic forecasting. My ongoing research efforts focus specifically on (1) operational forecasting of runoff in the Midwest

  (2) multi-scale statistical behavior of rainfall and (3) scale discrepancy between ground-based and remotely-sensed soil moisture fields.\n\nTEACHING EXPERTISE:\nMy teaching experience includes various undergraduate- and graduate-level civil engineering courses in water resources such as: Fluid Mechanics

  Hydraulics and Hydrology

  Open Channel Flow

  Water Resources Modeling

  and Stochastic Hydrology. I also regularly teach Engineering Analysis (Numerical Methods and Statistics for Engineers) for all engineering majors

  co-teach Civil Engineering Experimentation for seniors

  and advise water resources teams in Senior Design. I have the ability and willingness to teach various courses in engineering

  applied mathematics

  earth sciences

  atmospheric sciences and introductory programming.\n\nSpecialties: Civil Engineering

  Water Resources Engineering

  Hydrology

  Hydrometeorology

  Open Channel Flow

  Statistical Analysis

  and Hydrologic Modeling.

  Deborah

  Nykanen

  University of Minnesota

  Michigan Technological University

  Minnesota State University

  Mankato

  Consoer Townsend Envirodyne Engineers

  Minnesota State University

  Mankato

  Engineering Assistant

  Consoer Townsend Envirodyne Engineers

  Research Assistant

  University of Minnesota

  Associate Professor

  Minnesota State University

  Mankato

  Assistant Professor

  Minnesota State University

  Mankato

  Assistant Professor

  Michigan Technological University

  Sommerfeld Fellow

  Dept. of Civil Engineering

  University of Minnesota