This month we are excited to shine the GEOS spotlight on the newest addition to the department, Dr. Denzell Cross! Dr. Cross recently started a new role in the Department of Geosciences as a postdoctoral fellow on the NSF-funded Community-Soil-Air-Water Project, though he hasn't had to move far -- Dr. Cross is a recent PhD graduate of the University of Georgia. Get to know the newest member of the GEOS family with our Q&A below!
Where are you from originally?
I was born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA.
Where were you before coming to GSU?
I got my start at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA, where I received my B.S in Biology in 2013. After graduating, I spent a few years working as a technician - first, at a conservation center in Cumberland, Ohio, called The Wilds, where I worked on various stream restoration projects. I then moved down to Newton, GA, where I served as a research technician on a variety of research projects in the areas of aquatic ecology, aquatic biology, and ecohydrology at the Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway. I started at the University of Georgia in 2017 to pursue my PhD in Ecology and Integrative Conservation and graduated May of this year.
What’s your primary area of study?
I am interested in all aspects of freshwater science across all types of ecosystems. Primarily, my area of focus is in urban stream ecology, exploring the impacts of development and urbanization on the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of rivers and streams.
What are you researching right now?
Currently, in addition to the work I'll be involved with in CSAW, I am continuing to explore questions related to my dissertation research. My PhD project focused on examining the historical and long-term impacts of urbanization on stream communities, using aquatic insects at bioindicators to assess these changes. I collected water samples and aquatic insects in streams throughout the Atlanta metropolitan region, and compared the communities to samples that were collected in 1975 and 2003 in the exact same stream sites.
What are you most excited about working on the CSAW project at GSU?
Recently, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of community engagement in the field of urban stream ecology. Community members are integral to the practice of urban stream restoration and management, as well as when it comes to developing management objectives and policies that are just and equitable. Now that I've joined CSAW, I am most excited about the opportunity to be a part of their efforts in building relationships with community organizations and prioritizing research needs that are community-centered. I am excited to actively engage in this work on the ground, learn more about the collaboration process, and experience how community groups and academic institutions can work together to bring meaningful change to people and their environment.
Dr. Cross collecting samples in the field