Western Geographic Science Center Scientist, Laura M. Norman, Recipient of “Outstanding Alumnus Award” at University of Arizona, School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE). 

“This alumna has created a body of research, focused on southern Arizona's Sky Islands and the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, that combines hydrological modeling, vegetation changes, environmental pollution, and the valuation of ecosystem amenities within the context of variations in human population, land use, and rapid environmental change. Her pioneering research on the restoration of watersheds, water harvesting, and her work with Tribes and border communities in the Sky Islands region has yielded important environmental benefits to wildlife, ecosystem health, and public health. Her leadership of the Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC), a partnership of federal and non-governmental partners, has led to widespread acceptance and use of techniques to slow streamflow, improve habitat, and enhance the Sonoran Desert's precious ephemeral oases among the tributary streams and canyons of Arizona. This alumna is also the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the USGS Excellence in Leadership Award and the American Water Resources Association's William C. Ackermann Medal for Excellence in Water Management. Most importantly, she has generously donated her time to advising and/or serving on the committees of numerous SNRE graduate students--providing them with a background in rigorous, real-world research, and entry to an unparalleled network of federal scientists and colleagues. She has been a champion for SNRE and SNRE's reputation for rigorous, multidisciplinary, applied research that benefits Arizonans and others in our Sky Island region.”

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