For Work: I am a geographer, geospatial data scientist, and hydrologist. I use remote sensing and in situ data to study the Earth, with a focus on the hydrosphere.

For Fun: I love whitewater boating, backcountry skiing, and just being outside with friends and family.

I am a PhD student in Watershed Science at Colorado State University. I study how wildfire affects hydrologic regimes in mountain environments. I have a background in remote sensing and GIS and love applying this knowledge to hydrology problems. I am also the executive officer for the CO Army National Guard’s Military Intelligence Company: D CO, 572 BEB, 86th IBCT.

Background

I grew up in Germantown, TN, a suburb of Memphis. From an early age, I was obsessed with natural landscapes and the maps that described them. As soon as I was old enough to ride a bike and paddle a kayak I began exploring the neighborhoods, woods, and various waterways and drainage ditches around Memphis. Kayaking and camping along the Mississippi River was a formative experience that made me appreciate the beauty and power of rivers.

After high school, I decided to move to the front range of Colorado. The University of Colorado Boulder provided the where, and a US Army ROTC scholarship provided the how. There, I double majored in GIS and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and worked as a raft guide in the summer. For the first 4 years after undergrad, I did ecological field work jobs, GIS application engineering, and deployed to Kosovo with the Army. In 2022, I felt the pull of a research focused career and found my way back to school at the University of Denver. My time at DU solidified my passion for science and teaching.

At Colorado State University I work with Dr. Stephanie Kampf on an interdiscplinary team of civil engineers, geoscientists, and water scientists studying post-fire hydrology.

Contact Info

Email: wkeenan21@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-keenan-391020175/
Office: Colorado State University, NESB A105