Dr. Brandi Gaertner

Biography

Brandi Gaertner is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Geography at Penn State University. Since joining the faculty in 2021, Brandi has focused her research on evaluating the historical and future impacts of climate change on surface streamflow and climate variables such as precipitation and temperature. As a climate change hydrologist and GIS analyst, she utilizes remote sensing techniques and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to study the implications of climate change on growing seasons, evapotranspiration, and hydrology. Before her tenure at Penn State, Brandi served as an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, West Virginia. She earned her Doctorate in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Climate Change Hydrology from West Virginia University in 2019. Additionally, Brandi holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Biology, focusing on Aquatic Ecology. With extensive experience in online education, she has developed and taught numerous online courses and holds a graduate certificate in University Teaching, as well as Quality Matters certificates in Online Education. Graduating in 2022 with a Master’s in Instructional Design and Online Technology, Brandi continues to excel in the realm of geospatial education and environmental change prediction.

Research Interests

Experience