Rebecca Fox
- Chair of Environmental Science and Studies, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Studies
Education
B.S., Lycoming College, 2005
Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, 2011
Research
My research focuses on nitrogen cycling in agriculturally dominated systems. Nitrogen is a necessary nutrient for crop growth, but loss of excess nitrogen to groundwater and streams detrimentally affects downstream water bodies (examples are Chesapeake Bay & the Gulf of Mexico). My research primarily focuses on denitrification, the conversion of nitrate (NO3-) to nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitrogen gas (N2). Nitrous oxide is an important gas to study because it is a potent greenhouse gas. My lab at Washington College has the capability to measure the concentrations of the greenhouse gases N2O, methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) in water and gas samples. I also look at nutrient concentrations in local streams and groundwater.
I am funded through the National Science Foundation’s Coastal Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) program with colleagues at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s Horn Point Laboratory (the location of my PhD and Post Doc). Our goal is to evaluate the effect of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) on water quality. This research takes place in the upper Choptank watershed, a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. To see updates on the project please visit our Facebook page.
Rebecca Fox filtering stream nutrient samples in the field
Teaching
ENV 101, Introduction to Environmental Studies
ENV 221, The Bermuda Environment
ENV/BIO 222, Environmental Studies in Ecuador
ENV 311, Field Methods in Environmental Science
ENV 312, Watershed Biogeochemistry
ENV 319, Sustainability and the Environment
ENV 320, Climate Change
FYS, Science of Reality TV