Alina Spera

I am a coastal biogeochemical and hydrology researcher studying rapidly changing conditions in coastal environments. My research focuses on Arctic aquatic ecosystems and coastlines, where thermal and hydrologic change are reshaping hydrologic connectivity, biogeochemical cycling, and ecosystem processes.

I enjoy working at the intersection of ecology and physical sciences in order to improve mechanistic understanding of coastal change. My work combines field measurements, geospatial analysis, remote sensing, and environmental sensing datasets to examine how ecological processes, nutrient fluxes, and physical forces interact to drive ecosystem response.

In my current appointment at the Naval Research Laboratory in the remote sensing division, I am working with hyperspectral datasets from AUVs in coastal environments of the central Beaufort Sea coast as part of the NASA FORTE mission. My previous appointment was at WHOI with Julia Guimond , studying hydrothermal impacts and ecological consequences of coastal inundation and saltwater intrusion on permafrost associated coastlines. I earned my Ph.D. from the University of Texas at El Paso where I worked as part of the Beaufort Lagoons Ecosystems LTER studying coastal aquatic carbon cycling in Arctic ponds, rivers, and lagoons. In addition to Arctic work, I am remain interested in studying saltmarsh hydrology and biogeochemistry.