Principal Investigator
I am an assistant professor in Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College. I have a PhD in Biology and a masters in Soil and Water Science from the University of Florida and was a postdoc at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. My favorite ecosystem is Arctic tundra, but as a native New Englander I am happy to be back home where I am also studying how global change is affecting the temperate forests I grew up in. When not doing science, I love to spend time outdoors with my husband, two boys, and dog.
Technician
Sarah Goldsmith
I graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a Master and Bachelor of Environmental Science and since then have held positions at the Cape Cod National Seashore in Truro, MA, and the Green Mountain Conservation Group in Effingham, NH. I am an Upper Valley native and am glad to be back in the area, learning about how climate change is affecting the environment where I grew up. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, skiing, creating art, and reading.
Graduate Students
Amelia Fitch
I have been a ph.D. student in the Hicks Pries Lab since September 2018. I earned my BS, at the University of Oregon, where I studied tidal wetlands, and MS at the University of Cambridge studying boreal lake sediments. I grew up in Oregon in a town at the mouth of the Columbia river, and between school years at UO I worked as a park ranger at Lewis and Clark NP where I first became interested in soil while working on wetland restoration projects. My current work is about how soil microbes (and specifically these really cool fungi called mycorrhizae) affect decomposition and nutrient cycling in northeastern forests. My dog, Waldo (pictured with me), helps me with field work at Moose Mountain, NH, or Corinth, VT. I love mountain biking, skate skiing, gardening and swimming in rivers. When not outside, I like to bake all things sourdough and tackle home improvement projects. Favorite food: sweet potatoes (in anything). Recent books I loved: Ricochet River and Lab Girl
Genevieve Goebel
I am a Ph.D. student working in the Hicks Pries Lab since June 2019. I earned a B.S. in Environmental Science at UMass Amherst and worked in the Keiluweit Biogeochemistry Lab with alpine floodplain soils. I grew up in Hancock County, Maine which is home to Acadia National Park where I volunteered on the MDI Search & Rescue team in high school. My current research examines the interactions between regional precipitation, secondary minerals in soil, and soil carbon storage. I measure soil reduction-oxidation conditions, gas and liquid runoff composition, and mineral phase characteristics to investigate my research questions in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts forests. In my free time, I like to make nature-inspired jewelry out of rocks, minerals, gemstones, and seashells or glass. I also love trivia, happy hours, hot yoga, history documentaries, fiction novels, and binge-worthy TV shows.
Erin Lane
I joined the HP Lab through a partnership with the USDA Forest Service where I have served for over 20 years. I am currently working to earn a PhD studying soil carbon which I hope contributes to the understanding of options for climate change mitigation. My project explores options for storing carbon on farms in Vermont. I am the coordinator of the USDA Northeast Climate Hub and the North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange. The value of collaboration drives my passion for land management and research. Having the opportunity to focus on scholarship mid-career is truly an honor.
My husband, Jeff and I are raising our children, Talia and Fletcher in sweet little Peacham, VT where I have a large garden, many dear friends, a strong community, and endless outdoor adventures.
Lab Alumni
Owen Krol (Technician)
Beth Bruna (Undergrad)
Laura Jeliazkov (Undergrad)
