Featured Woman in STEM: Lindsey Rustad
In this post, let’s learn about—and from—local research ecologist Dr. Lindsey Rustad.
Her Training & Education
Earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Cornell University in 1980
Earned a master’s degree in Forest Science from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in 1983
Earned a Ph.D. in Plant Science from the University of Maine in 1988
Her Work
As an ecologist, Dr. Rustad’s work helps to solve some very important problems for today’s world—including climate change, extreme weather, resource management, forest disturbances, and ensuring access to clean air, water, and soil.
In 2015-16, she led a team of scientists at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, located in New Hampshire’s White Mountains National Forest, to study the effects of ice storms. The team manufactured an outdoor ice storm, and then measured its impacts on the forest!
Videos:
In “A Near Miss,” Dr. Rustad tells a harrowing tale of an incident in the field that happened “in that darkest hour before dawn…”
How do you manufacture an ice storm? Watch to find out!
If you think this ice storm experiment is absolutely awesome, make sure to come visit our temporary exhibit, Ice Women of Hubbard Brook, at the Discovery Center—it’s all about this project!
Her Work with If/Then
As an ambassador for the If/Then initiative, Lindsey Rustad uses her expertise to support women in science, and provide girls with female STEM role models. In this short video, she shares her journey at an Ambassador Summit, in preparation for this work:
Learn More
For more information on her work—including links to publications, awards earned, and more—see this professional profile from the U.S. Forest Service!
