William Tyler Brandt
Tel: 1-509-301-4865; Email: wbrandt@bren.ucsb.edu
Address: 2400 Bren Hall, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-5131
Education
University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA – Graduate Studies
o Bren School for Environmental Science and Policy (PhD), 2012—
o Research Areas: Snow Pack Hydrology, Water Resources, Remote Sensing, GIS
California State University of Monterey Bay, Monterey Bay CA – Graduate Studies
o Coastal & Watershed Science and Policy (Masters), 2012
o Research Areas: Hydrology, Remote Sensing, GIS
Whitman College, Walla Walla WA – Undergraduate Studies
o Bachelor of Arts (BA), 2006
o Major: Biology
Work Experience
NASA Ames Research Center and California State University of Monterey Bay
Student Researcher for the Terrestrial Observation and Prediction System Satellite Irrigation
Management Support (TOPS SIMS) program, January—August 2012
o Evaluated and tested Landsat image alternatives for potential Landsat data gap
o Developed coefficients to convert SPOT Top of Atmosphere NDVI to surface reflectance
NDVI using corrected Landsat data (LEDAPS)
o Installed sensor networks in agricultural fields to measure soil moisture, and irrigation
quantities to generate field water budgets
NASA Ames Research Center and Science Systems and Applications Inc. DEVELOP National Program
Independent Researcher, June 2011—March 2012
o Investigated and analyzed groundwater changes in California’s Central Valley using
GRACE satellite data and hydrologic models
o Evaluated applicability of downscaling GRACE data for small scale aquifer management
o Presented findings to Department of Water Resources
Stanford University and Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey CA
Research Technician at the Tuna Research and Conservation Center, January 2007—August 2011
o Examined and analyzed bluefin tuna and white shark metabolism
o Assisted in electronically tagging bluefin tuna and white sharks in the field and lab
o Contributed to population genetic studies of bluefin tuna and white sharks
Recent Conferences and Publications
Brandt WT, Kuss AM, Randall J, Floyd B, Bourai A, Newcomer ME, Schmidt C, Skiles JW. 2012.
Tools for improving groundwater storage estimates in the Sacramento River Basin: a
comparison of remote sensing techniques, a hydrologic model, and in-situ groundwater
elevations. Poster for Poster Session I. Remote Sensing of the Terrestrial Water Cycle. AGU
Chapman Conference, Kona, HI. February 19-22.
Brandt WT, Kuss AM, Randall J, Floyd B, Bourai A, Newcomer ME, Schmidt C, Skiles JW. 2011. A
comparison of groundwater using GRACE data, a hydrological model, and groundwater
levels in California’s Central Valley. Oral presentation for session 4A. Remote Sensing
Technologies & Applications. 28th Biennial Groundwater Conference and 20th GRA Annual
Meeting, Sacramento, CA. October 5-6.
Clark TD, Brandt WT, Nogueira J, Rodriguez LE, Price M, Farwell CJ, Block BA. 2010. Postprandial
metabolism of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis). Journal of Experimental Biology 213:
2379-2385.
Professional/Academic Affiliations
American Geophysical Union (AGU)