Aiman Raza is a biology master’s student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, researching how environmental DNA (eDNA) can be used to monitor brook trout populations in the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. She is an ICARE fellow, which stands for Interdisciplinary Consortium for Applied Research in the Environment, a program that is focused on increasing the diversity of the environmental science workforce and using community-engaged research to solve problems in and around the Baltimore Harbor.
Aiman’s research team consists of UMBC professor Tamra Mendelson, scientists at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center, and the Gunpowder Riverkeeper. She has been conducting research on how temperature, distance, and filter pore size affect brook trout eDNA detection and will be defending her thesis next spring. Aiman is passionate about wildlife conservation, environmental justice, and inspiring others to make a positive impact on the environment.
Aiman plans to give a talk at the Nature Center later this summer about the importance of safeguarding our drinking water supply within our local waterways. Gunpowder Riverkeeper is excited to have Aiman share more about her research with the community.