About Samantha Baxter

Samantha M. Baxter is a Writer and the Managing Editor for Fondriest Environmental. She is in the process of obtaining B.A. degrees in Integrated Language Arts Education and Political Science at Wright State University. She was hired as an intern in the spring of 2022 and has continued to work as a writer and editor for the Environmental Monitor, FishSens Magazine and other Fondriest Environmental pages. As a writer, Samantha works with researchers from across the country to craft stories that highlight their work and its impacts. As an editor, Samantha works with graphic designers, fellow writers, and various environmental professionals to create unique content for Fondriest Environmental. Samantha enjoys swimming, running, reading and playing video games in her free time.

Articles By Samantha Baxter

Superbuoy (a CB-950) deployed on Buffalo Pound Lake on a clear day

Earth

Combating Water Insecurity in Saskatchewan with Real-Time Data

The prairies of Saskatchewan can be described as one of the least water-secure parts of Canada, making water quality monitoring essential for informed resource management in a region already facing water insecurity. While natural physical properties worsen some of the poor water quality conditions in the region, others are...

  • Posted April 15, 2024
Spring 2024 Environmental Monitor: Climate Emergencies & Natural Disasters. A gray background with various pages opened to reveal different spreads.

Earth

Spring 2024 Environmental Monitor Available Now

In the Spring 2024 edition of the Environmental Monitor, we showcase researchers from across the world and the importance of monitoring natural disasters and the various symptoms of climate emergencies. Tracking the impacts of wildfires in Canada to air pollution in New York, this latest edition showcases how the...

  • Posted March 11, 2024
FOTL members Kendra Kilson, Rebekah White, and Fairfield University professor Jen Klug pose with the buoy.

Earth

Combining Academia and Lake Associations: Monitoring Lake Lillinonah

Lake Lillinonah may be Connecticut’s second-largest lake, but it holds a great deal of meaning for locals and researchers in the surrounding towns. The lake is so significant to the surrounding community that it is one of many lakes in the United States with a dedicated lake association advocating...

  • Posted March 4, 2024
Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan staff- Sheena McInnes and Heather Wilson- conduct winter limnology on a Saskatchewan reservoir, Canada at -30 degrees Celsius

Earth

Thin Ice: Year-Long Monitoring in Missouri Reservoirs

The value of multi-lake studies is well understood by international organizations like the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) and the scientists who work tirelessly to provide data to the larger network. Rebecca North, an associate professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, is one of many researchers involved in...

  • Posted February 26, 2024
Photo of Mohonk Lake 75% ice covered on January 17, 2024.

Earth

Thin Ice: Monitoring Winter Lake Dynamics at Mohonk Lake

Historically, water quality monitoring during the winter has been difficult and often avoided altogether—however, monitoring throughout the year can highlight the influence of various environmental stressors and track the changes systems undergo during the winter. In particular, long-term monitoring efforts in systems like Mohonk Lake can underline the effects...

  • Posted January 22, 2024
: Acadia NP Biological Technician Jake Van Gorder collects a water quality data profile using a YSI EXO1 sonde during a monthly lake monitoring visit.

Earth

Protecting Natural Resources: Long-Term Monitoring in Acadia National Park

The United States’ national parks are visited by millions of people each year, providing opportunities to experience the local beauty of the U.S. A core mission of the National Park Service (NPS) is to protect and preserve these unique areas since they are not totally free of pollution and...

  • Posted January 8, 2024
Biology Field Station field trip participants electrofish on the Ohio River.

Earth

Rebuilding Trust in Science and Protecting Resources: Thomas More University Biology Field Station

The Thomas More Field Station is managed by a team of students, faculty and staff who facilitate ongoing restoration and monitoring programs.

  • Posted December 27, 2023
A NexSens water quality monitoring station located at the hydroelectric dam's stilling basin

Rivers

Building Reliable Systems: Hydroelectric Dam Monitoring in Western Pennsylvania

Hydroelectric dams are a source of renewable energy, and many have taken the place of fossil fuel reliance across the United States. While they provide green energy to the grid, they also impact the environment above and below the dam. In order to protect these habitats and mitigate any...

  • Posted November 27, 2023
A CB-950 deployed in Belize.

Earth

Sustainable Data Collection: Climate Monitoring in the Caribbean

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre works to establish environmental monitoring networks and systems in the Caribbean.

  • Posted November 20, 2023
CB-75-SVS buoy deployed off the shore of Chicago with a view of Lake Michigan.

Lakes

Protecting Chicago’s Lakefront: Freshwater Beach Monitoring

Thousands of people flock to the Great Lakes every year to enjoy the freshwater beaches along the coast. As an urban hub with over 2.5 million residents, beachfronts in Chicago have regular visitors as well as tourists that recreate in the bordering Lake Michigan. According to the Chicago Park...

  • Posted November 6, 2023
A Nexsens datalogger sits on the open lid of its metal housing attached to Langley Bridge overlooking the Neosho River downstream of Pensacola Dam in Oklahoma.

Earth

Remote Water Quality Monitoring with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board

The Oklahoma Water Resource board monitors local waterways in order to ensure federal compliance and protect local ecosystems.

  • Posted October 2, 2023
A NexSens Cb-950 deployed downstream of Klamath Dam

Lakes

Data-Driven Decisions: Tracking Sediment during the Klamath Dam Removal

The largest dam removal in U.S. history, the deconstruction of the Klamath Dam is slated to begin this summer. The project includes four dams along the Klamath River with the first and smallest dam, Copco #2, scheduled for removal first. As each of the dams are torn down, scientists...

  • Posted September 25, 2023
A water research analyst prepares an EXO1 Sonde for spot sampling.

Lakes

From the Tap: Source Water Monitoring for Public Health

In regions with historically secure access to clean drinking water, few think about the work that goes into ensuring that the water they fill their cups with is safe. In reality, millions of dollars are invested in the infrastructure, equipment and teams involved in converting source water into drinking...

  • Posted September 18, 2023
Data buoy in seemingly clean water, but the white foamy scum on the water surface contained high concentrations of cyanobacteria (MIcrocystis aeruginosa), a tell-tale indicator or harmful algal blooms.

Earth

Before and After Harmful Algal Blooms: Long-Term Monitoring and Modeling in Otsego Lake

Throughout the years, harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the Laurentian Great Lakes have been meticulously documented and closely studied due to their annual appearance across the basin. While these blooms have become a recurrent issue in the Great Lakes region, many lakes worldwide are now facing harmful algal blooms...

  • Posted August 28, 2023
Co-founder and CEO of ecoSPEARS Sergie Albino standing in front of a small pond holding his remediation tool, ecoSPEARS.

Earth

Redefining Remediation: ecoSPEARS’ Green Solution for a Cleaner Future

An environmental remediation strategy that has the potential to remove PCBs, dioxins, PAHs, DDT and other persistent toxins permanently may sound too good to be true, but recent innovations introduce a solution that removes these chemicals from the environment forever. This potential to change the industry forever is what...

  • Posted August 14, 2023
Upper Scioto River nutrient sampling site in Kenton, OH. This site does not have a building, so the X2 data logger and sondes, located down in the river, are powered by the solar panel.

Lakes

Data in Action: Heidelberg’s Nutrient Monitoring in Great Lakes Tributaries

In the early hours of the morning, when most people have yet to hit snooze for the first time, water sampling sites across Ohio are awake and actively collecting nutrient data. The samplers are active at noon, eight in the evening and four in the morning, but very few...

  • Posted August 7, 2023
NRCan wildfire researchers conducting fieldwork in Nahanni National Park Reserve, Northwest Territories

Earth

Predicting and Responding to Wildfires: Canada’s Scientific Approach to Fire Management

High temperatures and prolonged dry spells lead to increased chances of wildfires sparking across the world. In order to combat fires, federal and local governments have developed fire management programs and policies to prevent and respond to wildland fires. Many of these policies and strategies are influenced by research...

  • Posted July 31, 2023
rooftop air monitoring site with DEC and DOH equipment.

Earth

Clearing the Air: Insights into New York’s Air Quality Monitoring Network and Strategies

“AIR QUALITY ALERT” warnings dominate television screens across the U.S. as pollen counts climb and air pollution worsens. While stories cautioning against people going outside and increases in air contaminants skyrocket mostly during the summer, air quality monitoring occurs year-round and has been for decades. Dirk Felton, a research...

  • Posted July 10, 2023
Aeration equipment deployed within Leslie Run.

Earth

Monitoring Healing: Environmental Cleanup and Community Resilience in East Palestine

On February 3rd, 2023, East Palestine was devastated by a train derailment that led to the introduction of hazardous materials into the air, soil and waterways. Around 9:00 pm, an overheated wheel bearing led to the derailment of 38 Norfolk Southern rail cars, 11 of which contained hazardous materials. Local...

  • Posted June 21, 2023
A Chemists Without Borders volunteer, wearing a bright orange scarf, takes a break from her work and washes at one of the many hand-pumped wells in the area.

Earth

Establishing a Water Sharing Program in Bangladesh: Solving the Largest Mass Poisoning in History

People in rural communities across the world rely on wells, but not all contain safe drinking water. In Bangladesh, many of their shallow wells are contaminated with the poisonous metalloid, arsenic. Arsenic is tasteless, odorless, and colorless, and has contaminated many wells in SE Asia, particularly in rural Bangladesh....

  • Posted June 12, 2023