Dr. Mead’s career objective is to develop and apply tools for managing natural resources at multiple spatial and temporal scales. He promotes interdisciplinary science using the Systems Ecology approach.

Before joining the modeling and analysis group at NYC DEP in March of 2016 he led a research section at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA and was a research and teaching professor at Drexel University. He completed his PhD at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 2007 and was a Post-Doctoral research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania from 2006-2008.

Broadly, Dr. Mead is proficient at formalizing knowledge about the disruption, development, and dynamics of ecosystems using field data, systems analysis, and simulation modeling. He is fluent in several computer programming languages, and an expert in spatial statistics, statistics, Geographic Information Systems and Geographic modeling. He also is skilled in hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, stream ecosystem simulation models, and surveying and mapping for the purposes of modeling or environmental assessment.

At NYC DEP, Dr. Mead develops software that assists in managing the water supply system and helps maintain and advance NYC DEP's Operations Support Tool (OST). He is passionate about supporting operations in the Bureau Water Supply. Examples of some of software he has developed in the last 4 years to assist in managing the water supply includes:

• Volume Projection tool (VoPro) that rapidly ingest water supply data and inflow forecasts to allow for real-time evaluation of operations in the water supply
• Vo Pro WQI: A version of VoPro that evaluates the impacts of operations on critical water quality metrics such as disinfection bi-products and Turbidity (in development)
• Inflow forecast tracking system to evaluate National Weather Service inflow forecast performance for more effective use of forecasts in OST and VoPro models
• Rapid Processing GUI (RPG) that rapidly processes and then reports OST output
• Water temperature model of the upper Delaware River for efficient use of reservoir releases to mitigate high water temperatures in the upper Delaware River

Additional Research Interests:
Technical measures required to resolve issues related to water resource management due to the changes in hydrology, including development of conceptual and mathematical model to address water quality issues in rivers and estuaries; expertise in working at different climatic regimes.

Education:

• PhD Coastal and Marine System Science, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Jan 2010-Aug 2014
• MS Environmental Science, Specialization: Water Resource Development and Planning, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, Dec 2002- Dec 2004
• BS Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, 1999-2002

Professional Positions:

• 2018 to Present: Environmental Scientist IV, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Dover, DE
• 2017 to Present: Adjunct Faculty, BEES, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Recent Class teaching: ENVS 310 – Introduction to Environmental Chemistry

Website Information: Google Citation, Researchgate

Nick Procopio, PhD has served as an adjunct at Drexel University since 2011 and has been teaching on the college level since 2000. Full CV can be found by clicking this link here.

Education:

• PhD, Drexel University, 2006
• BS/MS, Drexel University, 2000