When
Where
Available in person in Harshbarger 110 or via zoom (see email link)
Abstract
My research advances innovative, real-world solutions to build disaster resilience in communities and protect public health against climate-driven water quality and availability threats. By integrating biogeochemical modeling, field-based measurement, and collaborative research, I develop applied approaches to assess contaminant fate and transport, hydrogeological changes, and responses to climate stressors. My research on groundwater and biogeochemical processes informs national and global water resilience strategies by bridging fundamental and applied science with policy solutions to mitigate contamination, enhance water security, and reduce disaster risks.
Collaborating with the Centro de Colaboración para la Ciencia y Cultura and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, I integrate science, policy, and practice into student-engaged, applied research that drives scalable water and ecological solutions. I lead U.S.-Mexico projects focused on evidence-based conservation and water management, using hydrogeochemical assessments, real-time monitoring, and stakeholder-driven modeling to improve decision-making in climate resilience. Through place-based design-and-build approaches, I ensure research translates into practical, community-driven solutions that also generate broader insights to inform meta-research on water security and disaster adaptation.
At the University of Arizona, I will expand collaborations with partners such as TU Delft, the University of Oxford, the University of Sydney, and the World Resources Institute to advance hazard mitigation and post-disaster risk management. Through participatory action research, my work will focus on real-time remediation monitoring with low-cost DIY sensors to accelerate recovery from industrial contamination, flooding, and wildfires in urban and rural communities. Equally important is my commitment to mentorship and experiential learning, ensuring students gain technical expertise and interdisciplinary stakeholder collaboration experience in resilience research that strengthens global disaster preparedness and recovery.
Bio
Caitlyn Hall, PhD is a water scientist and disaster researcher specializing in co-creation, climate resilience, and sustainable water management. She integrates environmental engineering and hydrogeochemistry with hazard mitigation to tackle groundwater contamination and disaster recovery in the Sonoran Desert and beyond. As an Assistant Professor of Practice and Compton Endowed Chair at the University of Arizona, she led transdisciplinary initiatives bridging environmental science, engineering, policy, social science, and the arts. She has worked with NGOs, decision-makers, and grassroots organizations on climate resilience and transboundary water issues. Her research has led to start-ups and large-scale industry and government projects, including earthquake hazard mitigation from Canada to Singapore. Now, she applies her expertise to Superfund and groundwater remediation projects with the New Mexico Environment Department. Recognized for her contributions to community-centered resilience, she has advised the United Nations, UK’s Environment Agency, and Dutch Consulate General. Outside of work, she co-directs the Agave Heritage Festival in Tucson and is training for an ultramarathon.