Hailey N. Blackwell (Seago) is a Ph. D. candidate and graduate research assistant at the University of Oklahoma, specializing in environmental science in the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science. She is a member of the Center for Restoration of Ecosystems and Watersheds (CREW) and advised by Dr. Robert W. Nairn. She also has a master’s degree in environmental science from Oklahoma State University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Rogers State University. Hailey is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and hails from Eastern Oklahoma. Her dissertation research focuses on analyzing culturally important vegetation, Arundinaria gigantea (Giant Rivercane), as a nature-based solution (NBS) for restoration of riparian areas and water quality using geospatial analysis, watershed-based modeling, and climate-variability simulations. Findings will be used to establish guidance for rivercane restoration and management as an NBS.
Engineering With Nature® is the intentional alignment of natural and engineering processes to efficiently and sustainably deliver economic, environmental, and social benefits through collaboration.