Jill Deppe
NASA Participant Studies Influence of Environmental Factors on Bird Migration
Jill Deppe is modeling North American bird migration by using NASA’s remote sensing data. Jill is a participant in the NASA Postdoctoral Program, managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities. The program offers unique research opportunities to advance NASA's mission and vision for space science and operations, aeronautics, earth science, exploration systems and astrobiology.
High-resolution version of photo. Photo provided by Jill Deppe.
NASA’s reputation as a world leader in the advancement of space exploration has helped it earn the distinction as one of the federal government’s most respected research agencies. But beyond being known for its commitment to the progress of space research, NASA is also working to learn more about environmental factors that affect the earth.
One area of interest to NASA scientists is demonstrating how the agency’s remote sensing data and models can be used to understand the distribution of organisms on the planet. Dr. Jill Deppe, a participant in the NASA Postdoctoral Program at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is studying avian migration on continental scales to understand the potential impacts of climate change, natural disasters and human activities on migratory birds. According to Deppe, avian migration is one of the most compelling and challenging problems of modern biology.
“Until now, our knowledge of bird migration at large scales has been hindered by the broad geographic extent of migratory movements and the short time period during which migration takes place,” explained Deppe. However, technological advances in remote sensing and computing are giving researchers new tools and approaches to understand bird migration at large spatial scales.
Deppe explained that many conservation biologists are concerned that large-scale alterations in the landscape due to human activities may eliminate critical links along routes flown by migratory birds—placing this fascinating natural phenomenon in jeopardy.
“An important aspect of our research focuses on understanding how atmospheric and land surface conditions influence the spatial and temporal distribution of migrating birds in North America,” she said. “Through our research, we hope to provide insight into the possible effects of climate change and other factors, such as urbanization and habitat alteration, on migration activities and the persistence of migratory bird populations.”
Although environmental law was Deppe’s first career aspiration, she was introduced to opportunities in biological research as an undergraduate research assistant at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her interest was piqued and further encouraged by a husband-wife research team, and she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She later went on to complete a Ph.D. in the same subject from the University of California, Riverside.
Deppe’s research is supported by the NASA Postdoctoral Program, which is administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities and provides opportunities to participants to advance NASA's missions. She said the opportunity has given her a new perspective on migration biology.
“The program offers an excellent opportunity to interact with and learn from some of the nation’s brightest scientists, as well as participate in cutting-edge scientific and technological research,” said Deppe. “I have gained a greater appreciation for how cross disciplinary studies can advance our progress toward understanding complex, natural phenomena.”