Allison Dreiss

Allison is a master’s student studying at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in the Marine Estuarine Environmental Science program. She is working with Dr. Jeremy Testa to study the impacts of oxygen depletion on benthic invertebrates, an important source of forage for consumer organisms in the Chesapeake Bay. She will be running computer model simulations of Chesapeake Bay hypoxia and water quality in her studies. Her work is part of a larger project led by Dr. Ryan Woodland, Dr. Jeremy Testa, and Dr.Vyacheslav Lyubchich. This project focuses on using multiple models to understand the link between hypoxia dynamics and its effects on the health of benthic invertebrates in the Chesapeake Bay.

Allison studied at Salisbury University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Science. While an undergraduate, she grew a passion for improving water quality and worked with the Wicomico Creek Watchers to analyze their water quality data. The group focuses on improving the health of the Wicomico River by monitoring the water quality and actively getting everyday citizens involved. In her free time, she enjoys paddleboarding, hiking, and being outside.