{"id":2820,"date":"2024-12-01T12:08:40","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T20:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2820"},"modified":"2025-06-25T08:19:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T15:19:51","slug":"bridging-distance-with-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/bridging-distance-with-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Bridging distance with research: My experience as an online student in snow hydrology"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 >Research beyond borders<\/h2>\n<p >As an Oregon State University Ecampus student, I often wondered how I could engage in meaningful scientific research while learning remotely. Without easy access to physical labs or face-to-face interactions with faculty, conducting research seemed like an insurmountable challenge. However, through Oregon State&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/undergradresearch.oregonstate.edu\/presenting-your-research\/sps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spring Poster Symposium<\/a>\u00a0and OSU&#8217;s commitment to online student research, I discovered that opportunities exist for Ecampus students; we just need the right mentorship and tools.<\/p>\n<p >My experience working under Dr. Mark Raleigh in the field of snow hydrology and watershed research has been transformative. This blog post aims to shed light on how Oregon State online students can engage in research, overcome challenges, and turn online learning into an opportunity for groundbreaking work.<\/p>\n<h2 >The research focus: Snowpack, climate and water resources<\/h2>\n<p >My research investigates how climate-driven changes in snowpack impact river streamflow in the Pacific Northwest. Snow is a natural reservoir that stores and gradually releases water throughout the year. However, as temperatures rise, snowfall is shifting to rainfall, disrupting traditional water availability patterns and increasing the risks of flooding, drought, and ecosystem changes.<\/p>\n<p >Using GIS-based spatial analysis, remote sensing data (Sentinel, LiDAR), and historical climate records, I focus on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li >Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) trends and their correlation with river discharge.<\/li>\n<li >The shift from snow to rain precipitation and its impact on seasonal runoff.<\/li>\n<li >How altered snowmelt timing affects hydrological cycles and water resource management.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p >By analyzing historical data from the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, I create spatial models that visualize hydrological shifts, providing insights for climate adaptation strategies in the Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n<h2 >The challenges of research as an online student<\/h2>\n<p >Conducting research remotely presents unique challenges, but modern collaboration tools help overcome traditional barriers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li ><strong>Limited access to physical labs: <\/strong>Leveraged cloud-based GIS platforms and remote sensing datasets while using Slack for real-time collaboration with field teams who shared their data through Box and Google Drive.<\/li>\n<li ><strong>Skill development without in-person training: <\/strong>Mastered MATLAB and GIS through virtual mentorship, screen-sharing sessions, and collaborative coding platforms like GitHub where my mentor could review and comment on my code.<\/li>\n<li ><strong>Building a research community remotely: <\/strong>Connected with the CryoSIGHT team through Zoom meetings, Microsoft Teams channels, and digital whiteboarding tools that enabled real-time brainstorming and problem-solving across time zones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p >These digital collaboration tools demolished traditional geographic limitations. My experience proves that with the right technology and mindset, Ecampus students can conduct sophisticated research from anywhere, often with greater flexibility than on-campus peers.<\/p>\n<h2 >Why this research matters<\/h2>\n<p >My work demonstrates that Ecampus students can contribute meaningful research with real-world impact. Using entirely remote methods, I developed GIS models and analyses that help water managers create forecasts, assist policymakers with drought planning, and prepare communities for water supply changes in cities like Portland and Seattle.<\/p>\n<p >This proves that location is no barrier to scientific contribution. Fellow Ecampus students can leverage similar digital tools and remote collaboration to conduct impactful research from anywhere, developing professional skills while addressing urgent environmental challenges; all without setting foot in a traditional lab.<\/p>\n<h2 >Turning online learning into research success<\/h2>\n<p >Working with <a href=\"https:\/\/cryosight.org\/team\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dr. Raleigh and the CryoSIGHT team<\/a> has shaped my academic and career path in water resource management. I&#8217;m incredibly grateful to Dr. Raleigh for his exceptional mentorship and willingness to accommodate my unique situation as an Ecampus student. His flexibility in designing remote research methodologies, his patience during virtual meetings across time zones, and his consistent encouragement made this research possible. Without his belief that distance should not be a barrier to scientific inquiry, this work would not have been possible.<\/p>\n<p >For any Ecampus student wondering if research is possible, the answer is YES. With the right mentorship, tools, and determination, distance is not a barrier to making meaningful scientific contributions.<\/p>\n<p >Advice for online students interested in research<\/p>\n<p ><strong>Reach out to faculty: <\/strong>Don&#8217;t assume research is out of reach because you&#8217;re online. I connected with Dr. Raleigh through Oregon State&#8217;s research symposiums, which opened doors to incredible research experiences. Faculty are often eager to work with motivated students regardless of location.<\/p>\n<p ><strong>Leverage remote tools:<\/strong> GIS, Python, ShareDocs, and open-source climate databases provide powerful remote research opportunities, even without physical lab access. These digital tools allow Ecampus students to conduct sophisticated analyses from anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n<p ><strong>Participate in OSU research showcases like SPS:<\/strong> Presenting my work and connecting with faculty played a key role in shaping my academic and career path. The <a href=\"https:\/\/undergradresearch.oregonstate.edu\/presenting-your-research\/fvs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fall Virtual Symposium<\/a>\u00a0is specifically designed for remote participation, while the <a href=\"https:\/\/undergradresearch.oregonstate.edu\/presenting-your-research\/sps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spring Poster Symposium<\/a> offers in-person opportunities for this year. With these options, geographic barriers are not a limitation, making research presentation accessible to all students, including those in Ecampus.<\/p>\n<p >Whichever option works best for your situation, I strongly encourage all students to showcase their research. These presentations not only strengthen your academic profile but also create valuable connections with faculty and peers.<\/p>\n<p >Register for either symposium \u2014 and find important dates and deadlines \u2014 on Oregon State\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/undergradresearch.oregonstate.edu\/presenting-your-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">undergraduate research website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p ><em>Discover how Kevin and other members of the Ecampus Student Advisory Board impact the online student experience at Oregon State University, and read about eligibility and participation requirements.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"rfi-button\" class=\"button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/students\/advisory-board\/\">Learn about the Student Advisory Board<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"><\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minute read<\/span><\/span>Without easy access to physical labs or face-to-face interactions with faculty, conducting research seemed like an insurmountable challenge. However, through Oregon State&#8217;s commitment to online student research, I discovered that opportunities exist for Ecampus students; we just need the right mentorship and tools.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":2792,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,672,677,8],"tags":[205,146,698],"class_list":["post-2820","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-learning-experience","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","tag-college-of-earth-ocean-and-atmospheric-sciences","tag-environmental-sciences","tag-student-advisory-board-blog-series"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/In-their-words-Kevin-Jo-250602-v15.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-Ju","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1060,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/online-students-participate-in-on-campus-research-event\/","url_meta":{"origin":2820,"position":0},"title":"Online students participate in on-campus research event, share their unique interests","author":"Heather Doherty","date":"November 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State online students participate in the on-campus research event, Celebrating Undergraduate Excellence, to advance their skills, career outlook and connect with the university.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Archives&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Grace-Masterjohn-agricultural-sciences.jpg?fit=744%2C428&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Grace-Masterjohn-agricultural-sciences.jpg?fit=744%2C428&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Grace-Masterjohn-agricultural-sciences.jpg?fit=744%2C428&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Grace-Masterjohn-agricultural-sciences.jpg?fit=744%2C428&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1319,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/environmental-sciences-online-heath-blackmon\/","url_meta":{"origin":2820,"position":1},"title":"Oregon State Everywhere: \u2018My Ecampus degree gave me an edge\u2019","author":"Heath Blackmon","date":"January 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\"The quality and the rigor of courses that I took at Ecampus were on par with any in-person class and prepared me for a future in science. Even though my classes were taken at a distance, the professors built learning activities that gave me firsthand experience in analyzing and interpreting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All Stories&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Heath Blackmon, Oregon State University Ecampus environmental sciences graduate and assistant professor at Texas A&M University","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Heath-Blackmon-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Heath-Blackmon-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Heath-Blackmon-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Heath-Blackmon-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1727,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/oer-biological-environmental-engineering\/","url_meta":{"origin":2820,"position":2},"title":"OER at Work: Open textbook is &#8216;a much more interactive resource&#8217;","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"April 21, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"John Selker is a distinguished professor in Oregon State\u2019s Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering. He and an international colleague are tapping into the wealth of open educational resources through OSU Libraries. Learn about the process, benefits and challenges of implementing OER in his course.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All Stories&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/john-selker-video-grab.jpg?fit=744%2C419&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/john-selker-video-grab.jpg?fit=744%2C419&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/john-selker-video-grab.jpg?fit=744%2C419&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/john-selker-video-grab.jpg?fit=744%2C419&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2402,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/how-to-get-involved-in-research-as-an-online-student\/","url_meta":{"origin":2820,"position":3},"title":"How to get involved in research as an online student","author":"Carly Fredericks","date":"November 6, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Explore what it takes for online students can get involved in research at Oregon State, and see how you can get started.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All Stories&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A young adult man looks at a printout of a graph while sitting at his laptop.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/News-ECRU-How-to-get-involved-in-research-online-and-more-800x450-231101.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/News-ECRU-How-to-get-involved-in-research-online-and-more-800x450-231101.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/News-ECRU-How-to-get-involved-in-research-online-and-more-800x450-231101.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/News-ECRU-How-to-get-involved-in-research-online-and-more-800x450-231101.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2899,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/online-learning-photovoice\/","url_meta":{"origin":2820,"position":4},"title":"Oregon State research brings online learning into focus through student photos","author":"Jean Dion","date":"November 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Research from the Ecampus Research Unit examines the lived experiences of students who earn degrees online. The insights could help instructors understand how to support this growing group of students.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All Stories&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Photovoice-hero-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Photovoice-hero-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Photovoice-hero-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Photovoice-hero-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1292,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/fisheries-and-wildlife-program-earns-award\/","url_meta":{"origin":2820,"position":5},"title":"Oregon State\u2019s fisheries and wildlife online program earns prestigious national award","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"November 20, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"A track record of student success and faculty satisfaction have helped an Oregon State University online bachelor\u2019s degree program be honored as one of the nation\u2019s best. OSU\u2019s fisheries and wildlife sciences bachelor\u2019s program on Tuesday won the Online Learning Consortium\u2019s John R. Bourne Outstanding Online Program Award at a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All Stories&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A graphic with a trophy icon above the words fisheries and wildlife sciences, John R. Bourne Outstanding Online Program Award, set above the Online Learning Consortium's logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/olc-fisheries-award-graphic.jpg?fit=744%2C558&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/olc-fisheries-award-graphic.jpg?fit=744%2C558&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/olc-fisheries-award-graphic.jpg?fit=744%2C558&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/olc-fisheries-award-graphic.jpg?fit=744%2C558&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2820","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/89"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2820"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2820\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2820"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2820"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}