Shaleen Jain

My research focuses on understanding how the interplay of human and natural forces shapes water availability and distribution on watershed-to-regional scales. Observational and model-based studies are performed to inform water resources infrastructure design, decision-making and policy in a changing climate. This work involves use of decision-analysis, nonparametric, directional, and Bayesian statistical methods.

Example projects include a study of adaptation strategies for Maine's coastal communities, developing decision tools for lake-watershed systems, and the analysis of water use policy in Maine. Current studies seek to understand the nature of climate-hydrologic systems linkages in the following natural laboratories: northeastern United States, western North American region, Korean peninsula, African Sahel and the North Atlantic hurricane region.

Outreach efforts within my research group include development of programmable multimedia modules in the Scratch environment to promote creative learning (see link to the website below). In collaboration with the k-12 schools in Maine and UMaine New Media Internet Technologies Laboratory, we are developing immersive learning approaches centered around watershed sustainability in middle school classrooms.