The McCarragher Biogeography Research Group had a new URCA Research Assistant working on the Urban Greenways research project this past Fall 2023. Mackenzie Wagner (an Environmental Science major at SIUE) assisted with the collection of usage data along the Delyte W. Morris trail running through the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus, as well as with data entry/organization from previous semesters and microclimate data collection using our mobile weather bike station. We were also lucky to have an undergraduate student volunteer, Dylan Stout, who applied and honed his GIS skills while digitizing unique large closed topographic depression features located throughout Mormon Mesa in Nevada.
This Spring 2024, Dylan Stout (a Geography and GIS major) will continue his work on Mormon Mesa as an URCA Assistant. He will help map and characterize the geometric properties of the unique large closed topographic depression features using remote sensing and geospatial technology.
Check back for more information about available URCA positions for Fall 2024, as I plan to continue this and other research projects and welcome interested SIUE undergraduate students to apply! Beyond the URCA program, if you are interested in volunteering and would like to get involved with the project, please contact me!
Shannon McCarragher, Ph.D. 