Martha Whitaker
Dr. Whitaker is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences. She teaches six classes per year, including HWRS 350 "Principles of Hydrology" (offered both in person and online), HWRS 498/498H "Senior Capstone," and a "Careers in Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences" course for undergraduates. Since 2023, she has developed and led a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) module within Principles of Hydrology, in partnership with the National Weather Service.
Dr. Whitaker is the lead PI for two UArizona Vertically Integrated Projects (VIPs) supporting undergraduate research: Integrated Climate Research: Ecosystems, Water, and Weather (ICREWW), in partnership with the USA National Phenology Network; and the Arizona Streamgage Catalog (AZStreamCAT), in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey. Beyond these programs, she typically mentors an additional 2-9 undergraduate research projects each year.
She also serves as an undergraduate academic advisor for HAS-Environmental Hydrology majors and as Director of Graduate Studies for the Hydrology programs, where she advises and serves on 2-4 graduate student committees each year. Dr. Whitaker is a nationally recognized advisor, having received the National Academic Advising Association's (NACADA) Outstanding New Faculty Advisor award in 2010, along with several University, College of Science, and Departmental awards recognizing her excellence in advising and her commitment to student advocacy and success.
Dr. Whitaker earned her Bachelor's degree in Geology from Michigan State University before moving to Arizona to complete her Master's and Ph.D. in Hydrology and Water Resources at the University of Arizona. She subsequently worked as an Assistant Research Scientist with the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Science Steering Group, and completed a postdoctoral appointment as a Soil Moisture Research Scientist with the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Soil Moisture Campaign.