Introducing Lindsey Carlson -- LCC Science & Water Programs Coordinator!

LCC welcomed Dr. Lindsey Carlson as our Water and Science Program Coordinator on 12/16/24. “Lindsey brings a wealth of experience in aquatic ecology, community engagement, and environmental science to the LCC team,” noted LCC Executive Director Lori Fisher. “We’re delighted to have her on board to oversee our cyanobacteria and aquatic invasive monitoring programs and expand the Lake Champlain Paddlers’ Trail.” 

Lindsey’s relationship with LCC began in 2020 when she served as our ECO AmeriCorps member, fostering her passion for community-based water quality initiatives. During that time, Lindsey analyzed field data and assisted with water quality and aquatic invasive species monitoring programs and the Lake Champlain Paddlers’ Trail guidebook. Before her time at LCC, she honed her ecological research skills at the Darrin Fresh Water Institute, where she worked on sampling techniques and studied cyanophage bacteria in Lake George, New York. 

Lindsey recently earned her Ph.D. in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont (UVM), where her research explored the critical role of diatom communities as indicators of ecosystem health. Her work spanned from the Arctic rivers of Alaska to the forests of Hubbard Brook New Hampshire, revealing how environmental changes—like nutrient shifts and climate variability—affect freshwater biodiversity. These experiences align closely with LCC’s efforts to understand and protect Lake Champlain’s aquatic ecosystems. 

Beyond her research, as a graduate teaching assistant and co-professor at UVM, she taught courses in environmental studies, urban ecology, and hydrology, earning recognition as UVM’s Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year in 2022. In the spring of 2025, she will teach "Water is a Natural Resource" at UVM. Her dedication to engaging communities in conservation extends to her work with organizations like Water Wanderings and the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, where she served as a board fellow. 

“I’m thrilled to expand my role with the Lake Champlain Committee as the Water and Sciences Program Coordinator,” stated Lindsey. “I’m passionate about working with the community to protect and restore Lake Champlain’s incredible natural and recreational resources and am excited to immerse myself in this important work.” When she’s not working on the lake, Lindsey can be found exploring the region’s great outdoors with her partner Jake and dogs Rosie and Toby. Whether paddling in Lake Champlain, casting a line fly-fishing, scuba diving, or skydiving, she’s always up for an adventure. With her love of the Lake Champlain watershed and her zest for connecting with nature, she’s eager to help advance LCC’s mission.