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Zoe L. Kanavas

 

My current research interests include groundwater contamination, machine learning implementations, and figuring out a novel way to combine the two. My current research analyzes pore network structure and its influence on flow heterogeneity. Combining ideas from shortest path analysis, metaheuristic computational approaches, and network theory, the project aims to develop a more efficient model to predict areas of high velocity flow.  

 

When I’m away from the computer, I participate in outreach & mentoring events through the Society of Women Engineers & the MESA program, and work to improve our program's graduate student community through the Society of Water & Environmental Graduate Students.

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Education

2018 - Present                     MSc/Ph.D. Water Resources Engineering at the University of California, Davis: Davis, CA

2014 - 2018                         BSc Geological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison: Madison, WI

2014 - 2018                         BSc Geophysics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison: Madison, WI

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Research, Teaching, & Industry Experience

Publications:

  • Madras Natarajan, B., Kanavas, Z., Sanger, M., Rudolph, J., Chen, J., Edil, T., Ginder-Vogel, M. (2019). Characterization of Recycled Concrete Aggregate After Eight Years of Field Deployment. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering.

 

Presentations:

  • Lecturer. ECI 144 – Groundwater Systems Design. UC Davis. May 25, 2020.

  • Poster Presenter. Predicting Water Flow Paths through Porous Media. Civil & Environmental Engineering Recruit Day. UC Davis. March 6 2020.

  • Panelist. SWE Women in STEM Panel. UC Davis. February 27 2020.

  • Poster Presenter. Predicting Distribution of Primary Flow Paths from Pore-Network Structure in Heterogeneous Media. Mixing in Porous Media Workshop. Leiden, The Netherlands. February 9 2020.

  • Poster Presenter. Predicting Distribution of Primary Flow Paths from Pore-Network Structure in Heterogeneous Media. AGU Fall Meeting. San Francisco, CA. December 11 2019.

  • Lecturer. Python Tutorial for High Schoolers in MESA. University of the Pacific. August 12 2019.

  • Poster Presenter. Flow Path Distributions & Structural Complexities of Porous Media: Shortest Path Analysis. Environmental & Water Resources Open House. UC Davis. April 29 2019.

  • Poster Presenter. Flow Path Distributions & Structural Complexities of Porous Media: Shortest Path Analysis. Civil & Environmental Engineering Recruit Day. UC Davis. March 8 2019.

  • Lecturer. ECI 144 – Groundwater Systems Design. UC Davis. February 11 & March 13, 2019.

  • Panelist. SWE Women in STEM Panel. UC Davis. February 19 2019.

  • Poster Presenter. The Effects of Intermittent Saturation on RCA Leachate Chemistry. Geological Engineering Technical Conference. UW Madison. September 13-15 2017.

  • Lecturer. Special Topics in Hydraulic Fracturing. Frank Lloyd Wright Middle School & Pewaukee High School. December 2016 & 2017.

 

Industry Work:​

  • Engineering Intern. Dane County Public Works - Solid Waste Division. Madison, WI. January 2018 - August 2018.

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​Awards & Honors

September 2020                Dennis L Salisbury and Patricia K. Salisbury Award from the Civil and Environmental                                                           Engineering Department at UC Davis

May 2018                            Bezalel C. Haimson Outstanding Undergraduate Student from the Geological Engineering                                                     Program at UW Madison

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