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Dr. Ryan McManamay is an Associate Professor within the Department of Environmental Sciences at Baylor University. He is also a faculty member of the Biology Department and affiliate of the Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research. Previously, he was a research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for 6 years, the lead of the Energy-Water Nexus theme within the Urban Dynamics Institute at ORNL, and a Joint Faculty member of the Bredesen Center at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Ryan is a spatial ecologist that studies human-environmental systems in order to balance ecosystem and societal needs. His primary research focus is understanding past and future anthropogenic changes to ecosystems through urbanization and energy infrastructure development, and explores strategies aimed to synergize sustainability and resilience endpoints. Ryan received an M.S. in stream ecology (Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech) and a Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife (Virginia Tech), with emphasis on environmental flows and river restoration. He is an Associate Editor of Earth's Future and a member of the American Geophysical Union, the American Fisheries Society, the Ecological Society of America, and an alumni of the Emerging Leaders in Environmental and Energy Policy (ELEEP) group.
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Current Graduate Students
Jordan Jatko, M.S. is researching the potential impacts and benefits of water infrastructures in streams.
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Susmita Paudel is originally from Nepal and is researching the influence of Agriculture Practice Dynamics and Urbanization on Land Use Land Cover Change.
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Emeka Orji is researching future land use land cover change model applications, integration of future energy land need, and impact of rapid solar farm development on hydrology
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Levi Sweet-Breu is studying the interaction between human development pressures via land use transitions and land protection measures of freshwater streams in the U.S.
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A S Shafiuddin Ahmed (Sayeed) is studying image classifications of macroinvertebrates from aquatic environments using autonomous image systems and the development of water quality frameworks.
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Micah Bowman is currently researching the effectiveness of autonomous imaging systems and machine learning for biomonitoring in aquatic ecosystems.
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Mark Lueders is examining the evidence for hydrologic alteration thresholds in Texas Rivers.
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Jillian Sturtevant is currently researching new advances in representing human activities in land use mapping.
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Post-Doctoral Research Associates
Dr. Perpetua Okoye, PhD, received her doctorate in energy policy from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is currently researching the development of innovative methodologies for creating forward-looking, quantifiable, and mappable water supply infrastructure scenarios to support multisector dynamic research.
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Undergraduate Researchers
Abbie Wickham is a senior pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science with a minor in Anthropology. She has worked in the McManamay since January 2024.
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Benjamin Trotter completed his B.S. in Biology in December 2025. He currently works in marine science at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
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Dylan Kim is pursuing a B.S. in Biology and set to graduate in 2025. He joined the lab in 2022 and is currently looking into biochemistry-related masters programs.
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Epiphany Velasco is a senior pursuing a B.S. in Biology.
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Lab Alumni
Lydia Roush, MES completed her Masters of Environmental Studies (MES) in 2021. She now works for Bainbridge Island Metro Park and Recreation District in Washington. https://biparks.org/
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Dr. Kayla Garrett, PhD, completed her dissertation in 2023 and currently a Lecturer Faculty Member at Baylor. She continues to co-lead the non-profit Justice and Mercy Energy Services in Waco.
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Dr. Alen (Ali) Raad, PhD, worked in the McManamay and Stephen Powers Labs as a postdoctoral research associate from 2022 to 2023. He is currently a Senior GIS Analyst at the City of Houston in Houston, Texas.
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Jay Oliver, M.S. worked in the McManamay Lab from 2021 to 2024. He currently works at the National Energy Technology Laboratory in West Virginia.
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Skylar Nguyen, B.S, graduated from Baylor in May 2024 with a Biology degree. In Fall 2024, Skylar will continue his education at Baylor for a Master in Biology with the Kearney Lab studying bacterial pathogens.
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Dr. Diane Le Bouille worked in the McManamay and Stephen Powers Labs as a postdoctoral research associate from 2020 to 2021. She is currently in a postdoc at the USGS Cooperative at Texas Tech.
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Mariam Eid, B.S., earned her Biology degree from Baylor University in May 2023. She is currently pursuing an MBA in Healthcare Administration at Baylor and is set to begin dental school at Texas A&M in the fall of 2024!
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Ava Corry-Roberts, B.A. graduated from Baylor in 2022 in Environmental Studies and a minor in Studio Art. In Fall 2024, Ava will start a master's program at the University of Edinburgh in GIS.
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Christian Schultz, B.S., graduated in 2022.
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Jack Charles, B.S. graduated from Baylor University in 2022 with in Environmental Science. Jack is now working in Colorado assessing environmental impacts of renewable energy developments
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