Lory L. Willard, PhD, PE

Professional Record

2024-2025    Postdoctoral Research Associate, USDA-ARS CMAVE, Gainesville, FL

2018-2023     Graduate Research Assistant, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida

2017-2018    Senior Engineer (Water Quality), Stormwater Management Division, City of Raleigh, NC

2016-2017    Project Engineer 1 (Water Quality), Stormwater Management Division, City of Raleigh, NC

2014-2016    Water Resources Engineer, Coastal Resources, Inc., Annapolis, MD

2013-2014    Graduate Research Assistant, Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Certifications

2025              PE, Professional Engineer, Granted by North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors 

2013              EIT, Engineer in Training, Granted by Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation

Research Experience

2024-2025    Development and evaluation of a machine learning model to predict Rift Valley fever virus transmission risk for livestock throughout Africa and the Arabian Peninsula

USDA-ARS CMAVE, Gainesville, FL

        Post-doctoral Advisors: Drs. Seth Gibson and Assaf Anyamba

2018-2023    Quantifying the effects of agricultural intensification practices on streamflow and wildlife: A case study in Laikipia Kenya

  University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

         PhD Advisors: Drs. Rafael Muñoz-Carpena and Cheryl Palm

Committee Member: Drs. Greg Kiker, Gabriel Maltais-Landry, Kelly Caylor, Michael Annable, Young Gu Her

2013-2014    Assessing the hydrologic performance and pollutant removal capacity of a mature bioretention cell

        Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

        MS Advisors: Drs. Tess Wynn Thompson and Leigh-Anne Krometis

        Committee Members: Drs. Brian Badgley and Gregory Evanylo

Teaching Experience

*Denotes laboratory or field component to course

Undergraduate Course Teaching Assistant

2021-2022    ABE 3212C* Land and Water Resources Engineering, Dr. Rafael Muñoz-Carpena, University of Florida (UF)

2014               NSF-REU* Dynamics of Water and Societal Systems at StREAM Lab, Drs. Leigh-Anne Krometis and Cully Hession, Virginia Tech (VT)

2014               BSE 4004* Instrumentation and Experimental Mechanics, Dr. Kumar Mallikarjunan, VT

2013               BSE 3305* Land and Water Resources Engineering, Dr. Tess Thompson, VT

Graduate Course Teaching Assistant

2019              ABE 6932* Tropical Agriculture, Environment, and Livelihoods Field Course,

                      Drs. Cheryl Palm and Gabriel Maltais-Landry, UF at Mpala Research Centre, Kenya

2013              BSE 5224G* Advanced Field Methods in Hydrology, Dr. Durelle Scott, VT

Seminars & workshops

2020              Biocomplexity Engineering Group, Seminar Coordinator, UF

2016-2018    Green Stormwater Infrastructure Policies and Funding Opportunities, City of Raleigh Stormwater, North Carolina

2016-2018    Rain Garden and Rain Barrels Workshop*, City of Raleigh Stormwater, North Carolina

2016-2018    Volunteer Stream Monitoring Workshop*, City of Raleigh Stormwater, North Carolina

Guest Lecturer

2023-2025    ABE 3212C* Land and Water Resources Engineering: GIS Applications Lab, Infiltration Measurements Lab; Dr. Rafael Muñoz-Carpena, UF

2022               Tropical Biology and Sustainability in Kenya: Laikipia Hydrology, Agriculture, and Savanna; Dr. Kevin Uno, Princeton-Columbia Abroad at Mpala Research Centre, Kenya

Private Tutoring

2023-             Freelance private tutor for undergraduate and graduate engineering and environmental courses (calculus, physics, hydrology, hydraulics, GIS, remote sensing) and PE Civil: Water Resources and Environmental Exam preparation

Teaching Certifications

2021              Great Teaching Certificate: TA Edition, Passport to Great Teaching, Center for Teaching Excellence, UF

2013              Graduate Teaching Assistant Workshop Certificate, Virginia Tech Graduate School

Research Journal Publications

Published 

1.     Willard, L.L., T. Wynn-Thompson, L.H. Krometis, T.P. Neher, and B.D. Badgley. 2017. “Does it pay to be    mature? Evaluation of bioretention cell performance seven years postconstruction.” J. Environ. Eng.10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001232.

Under Review

1. Ash, L.V.*, L.L. Willard*, K.K. Harrod, C.J. Tucker, K.J. Linthicum, A. Anyamba, S. Gibson, B.A. Han, A.M. Kramer. “Remote sensing for enhanced surveillance of mosquito-borne diseases.” *Co-first author submission

2. Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena, J. Gitonga, K. Caylor, C. Palm. 2025. “A spatiotemporal biophysical database to evaluate agricultural impacts at the edge of savanna in Laikipia, Kenya.” 

In Preparation

3. Willard, L.L., H. Tubbs, K.K. Harrod, B. Bishnoi, S. Schollaert Uz, C. Pittiglio, S. Gibson, A. Anyamba. “A revised model to predict Rift Valley fever virus transmission for livestock.” 

4. Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena. “Development of a parsimonious link-and-node hydrologic model for evaluation of sustainable agricultural intensification practices.” 

Book Chapters (In Press)

1. Willard, L.L., J. Small, A. Anyamba, S. Gibson, E. Pak. (expected 2026) Visualizing and Implementing Earth Observation Data for Animal Health. In: Naletoski, I (editor). “Application of Geo-Information Systems and Remote Sensing in Animal Production and Health.” International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria.

Oral and Poster Presentations

2025                        Willard, L.L., A. Anyamba*, H. Tubbs, K.K. Harrod, B. Bishnoi, S. Schollaert Uz, C. Pittiglio, S. Gibson. 2025. “A revised model to predict Rift Valley fever virus transmission risk for livestock.” Presentation, American Mosquito Control Association, Mar 2025, San Juan, PR.

                       Willard, L.L., H. Tubbs, K.K. Harrod, B. Bishnoi, S. Schollaert Uz, C. Pittiglio, W. Thiaw, K. Taylor, A. Anyamba, S. Gibson. “A revised model to predict Rift Valley fever virus transmission risk for livestock.” Presentation, GeoHealth Special Edition: Focus on AfriGEO, Mar 2025, Virtual.

2024                        Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena, S. Zubelzu-Minguez, J. Gitonga. “Linking sustainable agricultural intensification practices to hydrologic ecosystem services in savanna landscapes.” Presentation, American Geophysical Union, Dec 2024, Washington, DC.

Willard, L.L., H. Tubbs, K. Harrod, B. Bishnoi, S.S. Uz, C. Pittiglio, A. Anyamba, S. Gibson. 2024. “Development and evaluation of a machine learning model to predict Rift Valley fever virus transmission risk for livestock.” Presentation, Forum on AI Applications in USDA Science, Nov 2024, College Station, TX.

Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena, J. Gitonga, C. Palm. “Development of a parsimonious link-and-node hydrologic model for evaluation of sustainable agricultural intensification practices.” Invited talk, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Jul 2024, Oak Ridge, TN.

Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena, J. Gitonga, T. Venort, C. Palm. “Quantifying the effects of agricultural intensification practices on streamflow and wildlife: A case study in Laikipia Kenya.” Invited talk, USDA-ARS CMAVE, Apr 2024, Gainesville, FL.

2023               Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena, J. Gitonga, T. Venort, C. Palm. “Quantifying the effects of agricultural intensification practices on streamflow and wildlife: A case study in Laikipia Kenya.” UF ABE Biocomplexity Seminar, Apr 2023, Gainesville, FL.

2022              Willard, L.L. “Lessons on hydrologic field work and stakeholder engagement in an international context.” Invited talk, City of Raleigh Stormwater, Mar 2022, Virtual.

2021              Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena, Frank González. “New hydrological monitoring network in Laikipia, Kenya. Accessing and exploiting data using the Restful API over Hydrobase from R or python.” UF ABE Biocomplexity Seminar, Nov 2021, Gainesville, FL.

2020               Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena, C. Palm. “Linking sustainable agricultural intensification practices to hydrologic ecosystem services in savanna landscapes.” UF ABE Biocomplexity Seminar, Nov 2020, Gainesville, FL.

                       Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena, and C. Palm. “Evaluation of pedotransfer functions with small-scale simple field measurements of hydraulic conductivity in Laikipia, Kenya.” Poster, UF Water Symposium, Feb 2020, Gainesville, FL.

Willard, L.L., R. Muñoz-Carpena, and C. Palm. “Development of a hydrological monitoring network to test a parsimonious hydrologic model.” Invited talk, UPNA, Jan 2020. Pamplona, Spain.

2014               Willard, L.L., T. Wynn-Thompson, and L.H. Krometis. 2014. “Does It Pay to be Mature? Evaluation of Bioretention Cell Performance Seven Years Postconstruction.” Presentation, American Ecological Engineering Society, Jun 2014, Charleston, SC.

*Denotes speaker if different from first author

Panel Presentations

2022                        Global Engagement through the Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium (ASMC). American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International Meeting. Jul 2022, Houston, TX.

Professional Service and Membership

Conference and Forums

2026              Session Convener, 2nd Asia-Pacific Conference on Mosquito and Vector Control (AMV), Pattaya, Thailand

2024              Session Moderator, Forum on AI Applications in USDA Science: Modelling II session, College Station, TX

          2020              Session Moderator, 4th International Conference on Global Food Security, Virtual

          2020              Co-organizer and Moderator, UF Water Institute Career Panel, Gainesville, Fl

Scientific Journal Activities

 2020-             Reviewer for Journal of Hydrology, Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, IEEE Access  

 2020-2021     Editor’s Executive Assistant for Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Hydrology Regional Studies, Impact Factor: 5, https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-hydrology-regional-studies

Scientific and Professional Societies

2024 –           GEO Health Community of Practice, Member

2021 –           American Geophysical Union, Member

2018-2023     American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Member

2018-2023     UF ABE Graduate Student Organization, Vice President ’19-‘20

2018-2021     American Water Resources Association Student Chapter, Treasurer ’19-‘20, President ’20-‘21

2016-2018     North Carolina Watershed Stewardship Network, Steering Committee Member

2016-2018     American Public Works Association

2014-2016     Maryland Stream Restoration Association

Outreach and Mentorship Activities

2022              Presentation to St. John Paul II Catholic School elementary students and discussion on “A Long Walk to Water,” Southern Pines, NC (Virtual Presentation)

2021              Presentation to Ravenscroft High School Honors Engineering Class, Raleigh, NC (Virtual Presentation)

2019-2020      Mentorship of undergraduate student at UF (Junior)

2016-2018    Ongoing public outreach (public information sessions, Earth Day events, Partners for Environmental Justice, tours of green stormwater infrastructure projects, NC State outreach) as part of City of Raleigh Stormwater, Raleigh, NC

2016               Mentorship of undergraduate intern at City of Raleigh: Senior

2013-2014      Mentorship of undergraduate students at VT: 2 senior students

Awards and Honors

2024              USDA-ARS Headquarters Postdoctoral Fellowship

2023              UF ABE Poster Symposium – First Prize

2022              UF Research Abroad for Doctoral Students Award

2019              Ken and Cindy Campbell Graduate Fellowship

2019              Wesley W. Horner Award, ASCE, Does It Pay to be Mature? Evaluation of Bioretention Cell Performance Seven Years Postconstruction.

2018              UF ABE Graduate Fellowship