Jo Ellen Hinck
Jo Ellen is the Disaster Supplemental Science Coordinator and Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) Coordinator for the USGS.
Biography
Jo Ellen serves as the science coordinator of the Disaster Supplemental Oversight Team (SOT), under the Natural Hazards Mission Area. The SOT oversees USGS activities related to supplemental appropriations for disaster recovery, which includes hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Jo Ellen ensures accountability of supplemental activities and provides scientific knowledge, information, and tools to decision makers to increase USGS capability and capacity to respond to future disaster events.
Jo Ellen has also served as the USGS science coordinator for the DOI Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) Program since 2014. She assists natural resource managers from federal, state, and tribal agencies in scientific problem formulation related to contamination from mining sites, industrial areas, and oil spills. Every NRDAR case is unique in terms of geographic setting, type of release, and natural resource injured; therefore, the science required is also unique. Jo Ellen helps to design experiments, recruit USGS expertise to conduct research studies, and interpret the results for the natural resource managers. Jo Ellen's also has active projects evaluating effective science communication strategies and incorporating indigenous knowledge with western science for decision makers.
Professional Experience
2018-present Supplemental Oversight Team Science Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey, Natural Hazards Mission Area
2014-present USGS NRDAR Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO
2002-2014 Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO
2001-2002 Ecological Risk Assessor, Tetra Tech NUS, Pittsburgh, PA
1999-2001 Research and Teaching Assistant, Miami University, Department of Zoology, Oxford, OH
1998-1999 Research Assistant, University of Central Missouri, Department of Biology and Department of Earth Sciences, Warrensburg, MO
Education and Certifications
M.S. Zoology, Department of Zoology, Miami University, 2001
B.S. Biology, Department of Biology and Department of Earth Sciences, University of Central Missouri, 1999
Science and Products
eDNA sampling sites in the Grand Canyon region near breccia pipe uranium mines_2015_2016
Amphibian acoustic data from the Arizona 1, Pinenut, and Canyon breccia pipe uranium mines in Arizona.
Chemistry, radiation and histopathology data in support of manuscript "Pre-mining trace element and radiation exposture to biota from a breccia pipe uranium mine in the Grand Canyon (Arizona, USA) watershed"
Terrestrial ecological risk analysis via dietary exposure at uranium mine sites in the Grand Canyon watershed (Arizona, USA)
Elemental and radionuclide exposures and uptakes by small rodents, invertebrates, and vegetation at active and post-production uranium mines in the Grand Canyon watershed
2019 Disaster Relief Act: USGS recovery activities
Biota dose assessment of small rodents sampled near breccia pipe uranium mines in the Grand Canyon watershed
Assessment of chronic low‐dose elemental and radiological exposures of biota at the Kanab North uranium mine site in the Grand Canyon watershed
2018 hurricane and wildfire supplemental funding: USGS recovery activities
The Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-123), was signed by the President on February 9, 2018. This funding provided $42.2 million to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for equipment repair and replacement, high-resolution elevation data collection in both hurricane- and wildfire-impacted areas, and scientific studies and assessments that will
Science support for evaluating natural recovery of polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in fish from Crab Orchard Lake, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Illinois
Metabarcoding of environmental DNA samples to explore the use of uranium mine containment ponds as a water source for wildlife
Pre-mining trace element and radiation exposure to biota from a breccia pipe uranium mine in the Grand Canyon (Arizona, USA) watershed
Exposure pathways and biological receptors: baseline data for the canyon uranium mine, Coconino County, Arizona
Derivation of soil screening thresholds to protect chisel-toothed kangaroo rat from uranium mine waste in northern Arizona
User’s manual to update the National Wildlife Refuge System Water Quality Information System (WQIS)
Science and Products
eDNA sampling sites in the Grand Canyon region near breccia pipe uranium mines_2015_2016
Amphibian acoustic data from the Arizona 1, Pinenut, and Canyon breccia pipe uranium mines in Arizona.
Chemistry, radiation and histopathology data in support of manuscript "Pre-mining trace element and radiation exposture to biota from a breccia pipe uranium mine in the Grand Canyon (Arizona, USA) watershed"
Terrestrial ecological risk analysis via dietary exposure at uranium mine sites in the Grand Canyon watershed (Arizona, USA)
Elemental and radionuclide exposures and uptakes by small rodents, invertebrates, and vegetation at active and post-production uranium mines in the Grand Canyon watershed
2019 Disaster Relief Act: USGS recovery activities
Biota dose assessment of small rodents sampled near breccia pipe uranium mines in the Grand Canyon watershed
Assessment of chronic low‐dose elemental and radiological exposures of biota at the Kanab North uranium mine site in the Grand Canyon watershed
2018 hurricane and wildfire supplemental funding: USGS recovery activities
The Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-123), was signed by the President on February 9, 2018. This funding provided $42.2 million to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for equipment repair and replacement, high-resolution elevation data collection in both hurricane- and wildfire-impacted areas, and scientific studies and assessments that will