LAB DIRECTOR

Dr. Denielle Perry

Dr. Denielle Perry obtained her Ph.D. in Geography at the University of Oregon, USA. She is a water resource geographer and director of the Free-flowing Rivers Lab in the School of Earth and Sustainability at Northern Arizona University. Her research incorporates both qualitative and quantitative data analysis to examine the political ecology of riverine ecosystem protection, restoration, and management (conservation) and the development of riverine resources. She is particularly interested in how conservation policies can be used as climate adaptation policy as well as for re-Indigenizing water governance. She conducts fieldwork across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, and is a founding member and Co-Chair of the Global River Protection Coalition. She advises the River Studies and Leadership Certificate and is Co-PI on the NSF-RCN-UBE-RIVER Field Studies Network. Denielle also serves in leadership roles in the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, American Association of Geographers, and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Freshwater Specialists Group. Perry has published/produced scientific papers, book chapters, films, datasets, and policies on river conservation, impacts of development on riverine ecosystems, and water resource governance broadly.

Denielle brings a lifetime of river-running to her scholarship, advocacy, and teaching. She began whitewater rafting at the age of 8, and at 12 decided she wanted to be a guide. Her years of working as an international rafting and kayaking guide inspired her shift to the academy to study the issues facing the world’s rivers. She has trained numerous cohorts of river guides and served as an expert guide for high level officials, film crews, and students. Denielle is trained as a Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician (SRT) and Wilderness First Responder (WFR). Her services as an expert interpretive guide are available upon request.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Dr. Ian Harrison

Ian Harrison obtained his Ph.D. in systematic ichthyology at the University of Bristol, UK. He has conducted research on marine and freshwater fishes from several parts of the world, including fieldwork in Europe, Central and South America, West and Western Central Africa, the Philippines, and the Central Pacific. He was based at the American Museum of Natural History from 1996 to 2008, conducting research on systematic ichthyology and freshwater conservation biology, before starting work with Conservation International (CI) and the Global Species Programme of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He is currently the Freshwater Specialist for CI’s Moore Center for Science. He has served as the Technical Officer for the Freshwater Fish Specialist Group of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission (SSC), is part of the Steering Committee for SSC, and co-chair of the IUCN-SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee. He is an Adjunct Professor for the School of Earth and Sustainability, Northern Arizona University. He is currently based in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Affiliate Researchers

CURRENT STUDENTS

Monica Pech Cardenas

Ph.D. Candidate, Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability.

I am passionate about the ecology and governance of freshwater and coastal resources in the world. I am a Latin American & Indigenous (Mayan) scholar. I obtained my PhD candidacy on Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability at the NAU’s College of Engineering, Forestry, and Natural Sciences in Summer 2023. My dissertation analyzes watershed connectivity, dam development, and mangrove changes in Mexico. My research methods approach combines spatial analysis, social science methods (surveys and interviews), and literature and policy reviews. I aim to advance both the Geography and Management fields. My dissertation will inform conservation and climate change related decisions to achieve sustainable development and conservation goals. I received two scholarships to fund my studies abroad from the Fulbright-COMEXUS Program and the Mexican Commission on Science and Technology, and finally a Teaching Assistant position in the School of Earth & Sustainability.

Hanson Mike

M.S. Student, Environmental Science and Policy.

My name is Hanson Mike, and I am Diné from Whippoorwill, Arizona. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Durango, CO at Fort Lewis College with a BA in Environmental Studies and a certificate in Regenerative Food Systems. My thesis research is underway Investigating Indigenous Involvement in Federal Conservation Policy: The Historical Geography of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. My goal in earning this degree is to use my research experience and passion for the environment to create solutions in water policy for Indigenous tribes and communities who seek to re-Indigenize water governance and stewardship of public lands and waters in the United States.

Jessica Raty

M.S., Environmental Science and Policy, GIS Graduate Certification

As a former whitewater raft guide, I was excited to share my passion for protecting rivers by joining the Free-flowing Rivers Lab at NAU.  My thesis research focused on assessing the spatial distribution of an underutilized provision called the Outstanding National Resource Waters (ONRW) within the Clean Water Act. This research aims to inform government agencies on future management efforts under this policy in order to protect more of the U.S.’s inland waters. Before entering the lab, I earned my B.S. in Resource Conservation and B.A. in Political Science from the University of Montana. After graduation, I spent a couple of years in Washington, D.C., working as a legislative correspondent for U.S. Senator Jon Tester.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

PAST LAB STUDENTS

Adam Bringhurst

PhD Earth Science and Environmental Sustainability

I love water and I especially love rivers! My 20 years river guide experience in the Grand Canyon and my love for water and rivers informed BS and MS degrees in Environmental Engineering. My dissertation research combined science with policy “Investigating Ephemeral Stream Channel Restoration: From Prioritization to Implementation.” I am now faculty in the the Civil and Environmental Engineering School at NAU.

Caitlin Brogan

BS Environmental and Sustainability Studies, MS Climate Science and Solutions, MS Environmental Science and Policy

My thesis research, “Off the Hook: Subsistence inland fisheries and their vulnerability to climate change,”was funded by the NASA Space Grant and advised by Dr. Perry, along with Dr. Ian Harrison (Conservation International) and Dr. Abigail Lynch (USGS). This study focused on assessing the vulnerability of inland subsistence fisheries to climate change in the United States. This analysis considered environmental and socioeconomic influences on communities where these fisheries serve as a critical source of protein and engender food security. A major objective of the project was to publish the results of the research in concert with recommendations for protection of these fisheries, an undertaking driven by my interest in environmental protection and climate policy. Water Conservation Coordinator with Solu Tech.

Sarah Burnham

Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies + MS Sustainability Studies

I finished the 4+1 program in pursuit of a BS in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and an MA in Sustainable Communities in Spring 2022. Upon graduating, I also completed the River Studies and Leadership certificate. I joined Dr. Perry’s Free-flowing Rivers Lab in fall of 2020 to continue research on the 2018 European Rivers Summit. I also contributed to the “Global Analysis of Durable Policies for Free-flowing River Protection,” conducted graduate thesis research on energy transitions related to the Central Arizona Project, and served as president of NAU’s 4th Annual Student Water Symposium organizing committee.

Rachel Ellis

Masters Sustainable Communities. 2019

Today I am the the Associate Director of the Southwest Rivers Program of American Rivers. My thesis, Exploring Anticolonial Protective Pathways for the Confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers, examined how federal governance and indigenous community organizing can be utilized in the Little Colorado River (LCR) basin to protect the socio-ecological resources in the Confluence and, specifically, the Hopi Sipapuni.

Ellis, R.*, & Perry, D. (2020). A Confluence of Anticolonial Pathways for Indigenous Sacred Site Protection. Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education, (169), 8–26. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2020.03329.x

See a webinar on the our published research “A Confluence of Anticolonial Pathways for Indigenous Sacred Site Protection” here: https://extension.arizona.edu/water-native-world-webinar-series

Christian Fauser

MS Environmental Science and Policy, 2023.

Thesis: Barriers Beget Barriers: The Political-Ecological Drivers and Consequences of Aquatic Invasive Species Management. I now work as the Western Water Policy Associate for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

Stephannie de Souza Fernandes

MS Environmental Science and Policy 2021

Prior to beginning the MSc program at NAU I worked as a lawyer in Brazil. At NAU, my research, Conflict, Connectivity, and Confluences: Limitations And Possibilities for Amazon Riverine Ecosystem Protection, focused on the promotion of the harmonious development of the Amazon Basin, the cooperation among the Amazon States in the context of Latin American regional integration, and its socio-ecological implications. Today I am a PhD candidate at Florida International University.

Fernandes, S., Harrison, I. Athyde, S., Perry, D. (2024). Connectivity and Policy Confluences: A multi-scalar conservation approach for protecting Amazon riverine ecosystems. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2024.02.002

Perry, D., Harrison, I., Fernandes, S., Burnham, S., Nichols, A. (2021). Global Analysis of Durable Policies for Free-Flowing River Protections. Sustainability 13,4: 2347. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042347

Daniel Garcia

BS Environmental & Sustainability Studies, 2020

My senior capstone internship, under the tutelage of Dr. Perry, was with the Costa Rican Legislative Assembly helping in the preparation of a bill proposal to protect its hydrological basin(s) from new hydroelectric dam development.

Katie Guetz

MS Environmental Science and Policy

My thesis research, Prioritizing Dam Removal Sites for Optimal River Restoration and Conservation in the Western U.S., focused on restoring rivers and enhancing overall landscape connectivity and biodiversity by prioritizing dams for removal in 11 western states using geospatial analysis. Today I work at the Teton Regional Land Trust as a Land Steward.

Guetz, K*., Joyal, T., Dickson, B., Perry, D. (2021) Dam Removal Prioritization in the West: An Optimization Approach for River Restoration and Conservation. Restoration Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13583 (Received 2022 ESA Early Career Publication Award)

Emily Hite

PhD Cultural Anthropology

I received my PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Colorado Boulder in May 2021. Dissertation research focused on understanding the intersection of Indigenous rights and hydropower development in Costa Rica, which I correlated to international climate governance decision-making processes. My postdoctoral research, entitled Hydrosocial territories of climate governance: an interdisciplinary examination of the Indigenous-hydropower nexus, engages scholarship on imaginaries, space/place, and hydrosocial territories to investigate the dynamic interactions and feedbacks between imaginaries, climate change discourse, and hydropower development. You can read more about my work here: https://www.emilybentonhite.net/ I am an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Saint Louis University.

Hite, E. B. & Perry, D. (2024). Native American voices are finally factoring into energy projects – a hydropower ruling is a victory for environmental justice on tribal lands. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/native-american-voices-are-finally-factoring-into-energy-projects-a-hydropower-ruling-is-a-victory-for-environmental-justice-on-tribal-lands-224612

Hite, E. B. & Perry, D. & Fauser, C. (2024). FERC, hydropower, and tribal rights: Confrontations at the Little Colorado River. Journal of Political Ecology 31(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.2458/jpe.2930  

Ericka Hubbard

B.S. Environmental Science 2024

I am completing my B.S. in Environmental sciences with a focus on biology at Northern Arizona University and I am studying in the School of Earth and Sustainability. I work for AmeriCorps at the Center of Service and Volunteerism to organize Northern Arizona University’s 7th Annual Student Water Symposium. I graduate in the spring of 2024 and I am looking forward to working with water in the future.

Danielle Juarez

MS Geography 2024

I earned my B.S. in Environmental Science and Management, along with a GIS certification, from Humboldt State University. My professional journey has encompassed diverse roles in local government, state parks, and federal agencies, including serving as a USFS wildland firefighter in Northern California. It was there working along the Smith River where I found my passion for rivers! My thesis, “Sustaining Our Rivers: A Spatial and Policy Analysis of River Protections in the U.S.,” utilized geographic information systems to identify what types of protection policies are being employed on rivers in the U.S. and the extent of those protections. Outside of academia, I love to read, write fiction, play soccer, and create digital art! 

James Major

MS Environmental Science and Policy, School of Earth and Sustainability, 2020

I studied the suitability of rivers that are potentially eligible for designation into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system. I graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.S. in Geography with focuses in GIS and Physical Geography. My interest in free-flowing rivers that was sparked while working on multiple river restoration and protection related projects at UO led me to join Dr. Perry’s lab at NAU in the Fall of 2018. Today I work as the National Rivers Project Coordinator of the River Management Society.

Major, J., Aslan, C., McManamay, R., Perry, D. (2021) Identifying gaps in protected areas to expand integrated riverine ecosystem conservation. Conservation Science and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.470

Major, J., K. Guetz, D. Perry (2020). National Wild and Scenic Rivers System-NHDv2 Seamless Merge, HydroShare, https://doi.org/10.4211/hs.5a64a540b0384018ae252d9079de32e8

Perry, D. and Major, J. (2023) Ribbons of Life: The Importance of Free-Flowing Rivers to Wildlife Conservation in the Southwest U.S. White Paper for American Rivers. https://www.americanrivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/PerryESBiodiversitycrisis_June2023_web-1.pdf

Sarah Smith

MS, Environmental Science and Policy, School of Earth and Sustainability, 2020

My thesis research, entitled The Role of Conservation Policy in Preserving Ecosystem Services in New Mexico’s Gila River Network, examined the ecosystem services that exist in New Mexico’s Gila River and how conservation policies, including the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, may impact these services in the face of climate change and development proposals. My research was supported in part by funding from American Rivers, New Mexico Wild, and the Henry Hooper Student Award.  Today I work for the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico.

Riley Swanson

MS Geology, School of Earth and Sustainability, 2020

My research interests are based in hydrogeology.  I investigated the amount of groundwater contribution to the Colorado River for my thesis, Quantifying the Base Flow of the Colorado River Through a Water Budget Analysis. This study funded by the National Park Service and the US Bureau of Land Management involved a broad synthesis of extant data and the collection of new data where gaps exist in the literature. 

Swanson, R., Springer, A., Kreamer, D. Tobin, B., Perry. D. (2020). Quantifying the base flow of the Colorado River: its importance in sustaining perennial flow in northern Arizona and southern Utah. Hydrogeology Journal.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-020-02260-5 †

Perry, D., Swanson, R., Springer, A. (2024). Policy Deficiencies and Contingency Plans: The Implications of Groundwater Management on Base Flow Contributions to the Colorado River. Frontiers in Environmental Science Freshwater Science. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1444015

Macie Wagner

B.S. Student Environmental Studies and Sustainability; River Studies and Leadership Certificate

I graduated in 2024 with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and Sustainability, minors in Spanish and Biology, as well as the River Studies and Leadership Certificate. I spent two summers guiding on the Arkansas River and most recently, a summer as a river ranger on the Upper Colorado River. I worked in the Free-flowing Rivers Lab at NAU for two semesters assisting in the publication process on several papers. Upon graduation, I worked as an AmeriCorps position with the Friends of the Rio de Flag and the City of Flagstaff to implement goals from the Rio de Flag Watershed Improvement Plan. I am looking forward to furthering my education and other opportunities within this field around the Western region of the United States.

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