Bridget Reheard

Bridget earned a B.S. in Geosciences and a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from The Pennsylvania State University. For her thesis, she studied the effects of produced waters, or brine, from hydraulic fracturing on stream chemistry and biota. She used strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) and ratios of major cations and anions, such as Ba/Cl, to identify signs of brine in streams. Where brine was detected, measurable changes to the quality of the benthic macroinvertebrate and fish communities were observed. Bridget also was formerly involved in summer research at Duke University and NOAA. At Duke, she investigated how over a century of creosote contamination in the Atlantic Wood Industries Superfund site affected the genetic makeup of Atlantic killifish and how quickly populations responded to remediation efforts. At NOAA, Bridget worked on evaluating acute mixture toxicity of two perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), PFHxS and PFOS, on larval sheepshead minnows. She conducted 96h exposure experiments and used biomarkers such as malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (sod), and catalase (cat) to contextualize her findings. Additionally, Bridget has abroad research experiences in Costa Rica and Kenya, the latter where she additionally learned wildlife photography. She also has worked as a Hydrogeologic Technician while completing her degrees, gaining experience in identifying geologic formations for potable water in Pennsylvania, conducting well pumping tests, and doing wetland delineations at project sites. Overall, Bridget is interested in researching the effects of anthropogenic contaminants on waterways including the chemical changes to those systems, the uptake and biochemical consequences in biota, the heritability of exposure, and the larger-scale food web implications. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer and writing music.