Adnan Rajib

Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the H2I Lab, University of Texas, Arlington

Dr. Adnan Rajib is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Hydrology & Hydroinformatics Innovation (H2I) Lab in the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington. His research focuses primarily on global water security with emphasis on AI and data science. Dr. Rajib leads multiple federally-funded research projects as the Principal Investigator, funded by competitive programs from NASA, NSF, USDA, DoD, USBR, among other agencies. His work appeared in top journals including Nature and Scientific Data. His recent work on human factors of water disaster has been featured in Nature Outlook. Dr. Rajib received PhD in Civil Engineering from Purdue University in Spring 2017 with Purdue’s Outstanding Graduate Award and worked as a Postdoctoral fellow at the US EPA Office of Research & Development until 2019.

Lan Zhao

Senior Research Scientist, Rosen Center for Advanced Computing, Purdue University

Lan Zhao is a Senior Research Scientist in the Scientific Solutions Group at RCAC with over twenty years of experience in software engineering and geospatial data management. She has led cyberinfrastructure projects funded by NSF, NSDA, DOE, and NIH across diverse fields such as hydrology, climate science, agricultural economics, clinical psychology, and pharmaceutical science. As an XSEDE ECSS consultant, she supports science gateway projects, including biomechanical modeling and watershed simulations. Her recent work focuses on scalable cyberinfrastructure for streaming data, model coupling, and interactive online training. Previously, she worked at Microsoft and interned at Cadence Design Systems.

I Luk Kim

Research Scientist, Rosen Center for Advanced Computing, Purdue University

Dr. I Luk Kim is a Research Scientist at the Rosen Center for Advanced Computing at Purdue University. With a PhD in Computer Science from Purdue, he brings expertise in high-performance computing, data analytics, and machine learning. Dr. Kim continues to advance cutting-edge computational tools and platforms that drive innovation in hydrology and environmental science.

Karen A. Bhattacharjee

PhD student, Hydrology and Hydroinformatics Innovation Lab, University of Texas at Arlington

Karen Bhattacharjee is a PhD student in the Hydrology and Hydroinformatics Innovation Lab in the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington. As a graduate research assistant, she specializes in hydrology and environmental informatics. She contributes to projects at the intersection of remote sensing and geospatial analysis, with a particular focus on fire and water dynamics. With a strong foundation in hydrologic modeling, she is committed to developing data-driven solutions for sustainable water resource management across diverse landscapes.

Shihab Uddin

PhD Student and Graduate Research Assistant at the H2I Lab, University of Texas, Arlington

Shihab Uddin is a PhD student and Graduate Research Assistant in the Hydrology and Hydroinformatics Innovation (H2I) Lab at the University of Texas at Arlington. His research primarily focuses on understanding wildfire hydrology through the lens of remote sensing and AI. As part of the HydroFlame project, Shihab is responsible for retrieving essential input datasets, performing data preprocessing, and developing backend code for analytical tools. With a strong enthusiasm for both hydrology and AI, he envisions contributing practical, data-driven solutions to address how wildfires impact water management decisions.

Analisa Gonzalez

Undergraduate Research Associate and Program Outreach Manager, Hydrology and Hydroinformatics Innovation Lab, University of Texas at Arlington

Analisa Gonzalez is an undergraduate research associate for the Hydrology and Hydroinformatics Innovation Lab at the University of Texas at Arlington. As the Program Outreach Manager, she supports the lab’s engagement strategy by coordinating workshops, developing outreach materials, and representing research projects to stakeholders. Analisa is passionate about applying engineering solutions to environmental challenges and is especially interested in hydrology, water quality, and how they manifest into overall climate resilience.

Valerie Kurth

Chair, HydroFlame Stakeholder Advisory Board. Water Planner Supervisor, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

Valerie Kurth is the Water Planner Supervisor for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), based in Helena. Prior to joining DNRC in 2019, she worked with the Flathead Conservation District in Kalispell for five years, supporting conservation projects on private lands within the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem. She holds an MS and PhD in forestry and ecosystem ecology, with peer-reviewed publications on forest nutrient cycling and novel methods for assessing disturbance severity.

Elena Evans

Environmental Health Manager, Missoula Public Health

Elena is a trained geologist, a water quality expert, and the former Director of the Montana Association of Conservation Districts. She is currently the Environmental Health Manager for Missoula Public Health, where she oversees water quality initiatives and hazardous waste programs aimed at safeguarding public and environmental health. Her extensive background includes work with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, the US Forest Service, and the National Park Service, providing a varied and strong basis for her advisory role in the HydroFlame project. With an MS degree from the University of Montana, she brings extensive experience in hydrogeology, regulatory compliance, and implementation of environmental health initiatives.

Morgan Valliant

Associate Director of Ecosystems Services, City of Missoula

Morgan Valliant is the Associate Director of Ecosystem Services for the City of Missoula, managing urban forests, conservation lands, and ecological restoration projects. He holds a BS in Biology from the University of Montana and an MS in Botany from Washington State University. With over a decade of experience, Morgan has led numerous projects on habitat restoration, dam removals, and urban forestry efforts including large-scale tree hazard assessments and recovery.

Amy Seaman

Executive Director, Montana Watershed Coordination Council

Amy Seaman is the Executive Director of the Montana Watershed Coordination Council (MWCC), where she leads statewide efforts to support community-based watershed conservation. She brings over 15 years of experience in wildlife and natural resource conservation, including previous work as Montana Audubon’s Director of Policy & Science. Amy holds a BS in Environmental Science from Boston University and an MS in Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno. A former MWCC board member (2015–2021), she is dedicated to advancing collaborative, science-based watershed management in response to increasing wildfire hazards.

Brian Chaffin

Executive Director, Clark Fork Coalition

Brian Chaffin is a recognized expert in promoting river health and the resilience of river communities. Before joining the Clark Fork Coalition (CFC), he served as a professor of water policy at the University of Montana, a wilderness river guide, a US Forest Service river ranger, and a research fellow at the US EPA. He holds a PhD in water resources geography from Oregon State University, with emphasis on water conflict management. As the executive director of CFC, Chaffin has applied his training to develop collaborative solutions that protect water quality while supporting local livelihoods.

Adriane Beck

Director, Office of Emergency Management, Missoula County, Montana

Adriane Beck oversees disaster preparedness, response coordination, and recovery efforts across both urban and rural areas of Missoula county. With extensive experience in emergency management, Beck has led responses to significant events, including the 2024 windstorm that caused widespread damage and necessitated federal disaster declarations. She emphasizes proactive planning, interagency collaboration, and community engagement to enhance resilience against natural and human-made hazards. Beck's leadership ensures that Missoula County remains prepared for emergencies through comprehensive planning and coordinated response strategies.

Vincent Archer

Northern Region Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Program Manager, US Forest Service

Vincent Archer is a soil scientist with the US Forest Service’s Northern Region, based in Missoula, Montana. He also serves as the regional Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program manager, leading post-wildfire soil assessments and recovery planning across the Northern Rockies. His work focuses on soil stability, erosion risk, and the development of land management strategies following fire disturbances. Archer has co-authored peer-reviewed research that supports national efforts to improve post-fire restoration practices.

James Andy Efta

Hydrologist, US Forest Service Region 1

James Efta is a Regional Hydrologist with the US Forest Service, bringing over a decade of experience in watershed management and hydrologic modeling across the Northern Rockies. His expertise encompasses sediment transport, post-fire runoff response, and the development of best management practices. Efta holds an MS in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana and has contributed to peer-reviewed research on stream sediment impacts and AI applications in headwater stream mapping. His work supports science-based land management strategies that enhance watershed resilience and ecological health.