Erica Barth-Naftilan
Senior Environmental Data Scientist
I find it motivating to be working at a time of both genuine need for better understanding human impacts on the environment and the emergence of tools and technologies that allow us to process data and understand the world like never before. I’m always excited to learn new skills and better ways to address complex problems.
Erica has more than a decade of experience as an environmental scientist. While working with non-profits, the public and private sectors, and academia, Erica has addressed issues such as mercury contamination of seafood, greenhouse gas emissions inventory regulations, climate change impacts on water resources, and groundwater impacts of hydraulic fracturing. She has experience in site characterization and groundwater sampling and has published peer-reviewed research on the water quantity and water quality impacts of oil and gas development.
Erica works to find the most efficient and effective tools for collecting, maintaining, and accessing data. She has expertise in GIS and geospatial data exploration and analysis and surface and groundwater modeling, and has developed decision-support tools including one for providing early warnings of droughts through the use of satellite data. Erica’s current activities include geospatial analysis and processing of large data sets to inform environmental indicators and assessments. She reviews groundwater contamination assessments and underground injection well permits. She also works on developing enhanced aquifer recharge suitability assessment tools.
Erica earned a B.A. in environmental earth sciences from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master of Environmental Management and Ph.D. in hydrology from Yale University. Outside of work, Erica enjoys yoga, spending time on the water, and hiking in temperate forests with her family.