Nicola McGoff
1184 Richwood Avenue, Morgantown, WV 26505.
(412) 780 6749.
Masters of Science in Environmental Science concentrating in Aquatic Ecology
Thesis: “The effects of the grasshopper, Orchelium fidicinium, on nutrient cycling and the productivity
of Spartina alterniflora in a salt marsh ecosystem”
Related Courses: Terrestrial Ecology, Aquatic Ecology, Gis-ARCINFO, Applied Statistics for
Environmental Sciences, Geochemistry, Catchment Hydrology, Environmental Climatology
Awards:
-Departmental Teaching Assistantship. August 2001
-NSF Research Assistantship with the LTER-VCR program. August 2001
-Student Travel Award for presentation of research work at internationl conferences. September 2003
-Exploratory Research Award for excellence in development of research ideas. May 2003
Portland State University, Portland, OR. June 1999
Bachelors of Arts, double major, in Environmental Science and Geology, with a minor in Biology
Senior Thesis: “Riparian vegetation analysis on an urban versus rural framework”
Awards:
William and Edith Rockie Second Year Geology Scholarship as an outstanding student in the mineralogy-petrology sequence. June 1999
Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland. June 1995
Higher National Diploma in Environmental Resources Management
Awards:
Graduated with Merit.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Research Associate, West Virginia University, Biology Department. October 2004-Present
I assist in all aspects of biogeochemical research on forested floodplain ecosystems. This includes organizing and completing fieldwork, purchasing and budget management, mentoring 5-8 undergraduate researchers, coordinating 2-3 graduate researchers, completion of lab analyses of soil, plant and water samples (C, N, PO4, total P, Fe, Al), and technical maintenance of instruments (Braun Luebbe Auto Analyzer, Shimadzu TOC, Carlo Erba CSN).
Research/Teaching Assistant, UVA Dept. of Environmental Sciences. August 2001-May 2004
I completed my Masters research in Environmental Sciences through the LTER-VCR program on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Taught one section of the weekly laboratory course “Physical Geology”. I led field trips on local geology and fluvial geomorphology, lectured and presented material on all aspects of geology, graded all work, and determined final grades.
Federal Relicensing Analyst, Longview Associates, Ridgefield, WA. February 2000-March 2001
Longview Associates are environmental mediators in federal re-regulation of hydroelectric dams. I worked as a private contractor for the firm compiling and managing information and data. I facilitated communication between interested parties, such as state and federal agencies, NGOs and private parties. I organized meetings, created a legal record of the meetings and managed site visits.
Field Research Assistant, PSU Dept. of Environmental Science. June 2000-August 2000
I analyzed beaver created wetland in Mount Hood National Forest. The work included site identification on topographic maps, GPS of field sites, plant identification, and habitat assessment for beaver and birds.
Field Research Assistant, PSU Dept. of Environmental Science. January 1998-August 1998
I completed my Bachelors senior thesis on riparian ecosystems in the Portland Metropolitan area. The study compared native and non-native plant distributions within an urban versus rural framework. My work included site selection, stream health assessment, plant identification including trees, shrubs and forbs, compilation of results and completion of a final thesis.
S Soil LabTechnician, PSU Dept. of Environmental Science. June 1998-December 1998
Managed soil laboratory and analyzed soil samples using hydrometer buoyancy method of soil classification.
McGoff, N.M. and J. C. Zieman. The effects of the grasshopper, Orchelium fidicinium, in a salt marsh
ecosystem. The Journal of Ecology.
McGoff, N.M. and J. C. Zieman. Observations on the grasshopper, Orchelium fidicinium, in salt marsh
ecosystems. Southeastern Naturalist.
Dr. Joseph Zieman, UVA Dept. of Environmental Sciences, PO Box 400123, Charlottesville, VA 22904.
jcz@virginia.edu, (434) 924 0570.
Dr. Alan Yeakley, PSU Dept. of Environmental Science, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97201.
yeakley@pdx.edu, (503)725 8040.
Steve D. Padula, Longview Associates, Ridgefield, WA 98642.
SDPadula@aol.com, (360) 576 3579.
Dr. T’ai Roulston, UVA Dept. of Environmental Sciences, PO Box 400123, Charlottesville, VA 22903.
thr8z@virginia.edu, (540) 722 3577.