Water Institute Team
Core Team
Matt Cohen
Director
mjc@ufl.edu | (352) 846-3490
Dr. Cohen is a Professor in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences and the Carl S. Swisher Eminent Scholar in Water Resources. He is an ecohydrologist with nearly 25 years of experience addressing water resource and ecosystem science challenges in Florida and around the world. Dr. Cohen received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 2003, joined the faculty in 2006, and become Water Institute Director in 2024. He has led research focused on hydrological restoration of the Everglades and Big Cypress, the spatial and temporal patterns of water and habitat connectivity in wetlandscapes, the changing ecological state of Florida’s springs, the deep coupling between forests and water, and the changing patterns of Arctic and Antarctic stream functions. His most recent work has been on large-scale data synthesis and models in support of watershed and water management decision making. He has over $25 million of funding from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, all five Water Management Districts, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the US Department of Agriculture, and has authored over 125 publications.
Paloma Carton de Grammont
Assistant Director
palomacgl@ufl.edu | (352) 294-7744
Dr. Carton de Grammont works at the intersection of disciplines, bringing together people and knowledge to address complex environmental challenges. She holds a Ph.D. in Geography and degrees in Biology and Environmental Sciences from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. With over 20 years of experience across academia, government, and nonprofit sectors in the United States and Mexico, she advances collaborative, solutions-oriented work through stakeholder engagement, team science, and program development.
At the Water Institute, she leads programs, communications strategy, and the creation of spaces for interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement that advance the Institute’s mission and impact. She strengthens partnerships, supports stakeholder engagement, and contributes to the development of externally funded projects that enhance the Institute’s visibility and role as a connector.
Darlene Velez
Research Coordinator
saindodd@ufl.edu | (352) 294-7742
Darlene is an experienced Environmental Scientist and Facilitator with a demonstrated history of working in natural resources research and management for over 20 years. She earned her B.S. degree in Marine Sciences from Eckerd College and her M.S. degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida. Her area of expertise is in environmental ecology including water chemistry and hydrology of rivers, springs, and estuaries. Darlene is also a UF Natural Resources Leadership Institute Aluma (Class 20) and is working towards her professional facilitation certification. At the Water Institute, she currently focuses her efforts on large interdisciplinary project development and coordination, stakeholder engagement and co-development of applied decision support tools, and facilitation of working groups and workshops. She also is coordinator for the Florida Water and Climate Alliance where she helps plan and implement collaborative research projects and informational webinars and workshops.
Sarah Marc
Communications Specialist
sarahmarc@ufl.edu | (352)-294-7743
Sarah graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and is currently working on a masters in Agricultural Education and Communication. She previously worked with UF/IFAS Extension to create educational materials focusing on Florida Friendly Landscaping, private wells and septic systems, and agricultural best management practices. As the Communications Specialist for the Water Institute, Sarah develops and implements communication strategies to support the Water Institute.
Ivelisse Ruiz
Administrative Assistant
iveruiz@ufl.edu | (352) 294-7747
Before joining the Water Institute, Ivelisse held scientific and research support roles at the University of Florida and the USDA Forest Service, where she contributed to field monitoring, data collection, project coordination, and community-centered environmental initiatives. Her work has spanned aquatic ecology, biogeochemistry, forest ecology, environmental education, and public engagement, giving her a broad perspective on interdisciplinary environmental research.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Ivelisse earned her M.S. in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida and her B.S. in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico. She is currently investing in professional development in project management, administrative leadership, and event coordination. She is passionate about science, community engagement, education, science communication, and supporting research that strengthens natural resource resilience.
Human Resources and Fiscal
Max Williams
Research Administration Liaison
mandomax@ufl.edu
Max Williams is the Director of Research Administration. He earned his B.A. from the University of Virginia and his Masters of Agribusiness from the University of Florida. Max has been with UF since 2003 and is a Certified Research Administrator. He has worked as the lead administrator in the Department of Astronomy in CLAS, and most recently served as the fiscal officer for several business units, including Agricultural and Biological Engineering and the Program for Resource Efficient Communities in IFAS, and the Water Institute in the Office of Research.
Postdocs
Nicolas Chin
Dr. Chin received his B.S. (2017) and Ph.D. (2025) from the University of Florida through the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment. He also earned his M.S. (2020) from the University of South Florida in Business Analytics and Information Systems. His research interests include modeling and uncovering the drivers of hydrologic dynamics, water quality, and coastal processes using machine learning and data-driven methods while emphasizing interpretability.
Nicolas Fernandez
Dr. Fernandez has an extensive background in the private sector as a Chemical Engineer (environmental consulting, technical sales, and patents), and transitioned to the intersection of water quality, hydrology and data science through his graduate education (M.S. and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering). At the Water Institute, he investigates new connections between these fields, harnessing the recent and growing availability of large datasets, and helps stakeholders to manage their water data. Before joining the Institute in 2025, he occupied a Postdoctoral position at University of Florida’s department of Soil Water and Ecosystem Sciences, where he focused on developing large water quality datasets and studying the longevity of legacy nutrients, and was a Visiting Scholar at Michigan State University, where he focused on assessing PFAS contamination in rivers and drinking water wells.
Katie Glodzik
Dr. Glodzik is an ecologist and geospatial scientist focusing on forest management, wetland ecology, and remote sensing. Her current work focuses on characterizing spatial patterns and geographic drivers of dissolved oxygen in the Floridan Aquifer and developing spatial decision support tools linking forest and water management. She is particularly interested in management-oriented research developed in collaboration with land trusts, regional agencies, and other resource managers. She earned her Master of Environmental Management and Geospatial Certificate from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and her bachelor’s with majors in Economics and Environmental Policy & Analysis from Boston University.
Katherine Wardinski
Dr. Wardinski has an interdisciplinary background in environmental engineering, hydrology, soil science, and biogeochemistry. As a postdoctoral associate with the UF Water Institute, Dr. Wardinski is researching water quality and biogeochemistry in Florida’s springs, groundwater, and forested headwaters. She earned her M.S. (2021) and Ph.D. (2025) in Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. During her graduate studies, Dr. Wardinski’s research focused on soil-derived dissolved organic matter cycling at terrestrial-aquatic interfaces in wetland-dominated landscapes, stormwater control measures, and drinking supply watersheds. She earned her B.S. (2019) in Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Ambassadors
Lexi Bolger
Lexi Bolger is a Ph.D. student in Interdisciplinary Ecology pursuing a career in environmental education and communication. For her dissertation, Lexi plans to develop, implement, and assess a multicultural community bioblitz. Previously a Graduate Student Coordinator at the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute, Lexi has experience in outreach, coordinating professional development, and science communication.
Alexis Jackson
Alexis Jackson (AJ) is a PhD student in the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment, the H.T. Odum Center for Wetlands, and the Watershed Ecology Lab at UF. Her research focuses on investigating the influence of hydrology and vegetation on wetland carbon storage using fieldwork, machine learning, and modeling techniques. She is an NSF GRFP Fellow and has experience in science communication and public outreach.