PNNL

Ashton Kirol is an Earth scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the Predictive Simulation-Sapphire group within the Subsurface Science division. Since joining PNNL in 2023, Kirol has focused on geologic carbon sequestration projects, notably contributing to the National Risk Assessment Partnership and the Science-Informed Machine Learning for Accelerating Real-Time Decisions in Subsurface Applications initiatives. His expertise includes developing graphical user interfaces, geospatial data science workflows, and advanced visualization techniques. Kirol’s research background centers on environmental chemistry, especially the effects of human activities on watershed and sediment dynamics.

Kirol’s research interests include optimizing subsurface carbon sequestration processes, geospatial statistics, and risk analysis using machine learning. His academic and professional pursuits involve the application of predictive modeling to address the environmental impacts of legacy phosphorus in lake ecosystems, with implications for water quality and management practices. 

• Technical Skills: ArcGIS, Python, R, DASH, Plotly, GIS Analysis, Statistical Programming, Data Visualization, Version Control
• Domain Expertise: Carbon Sequestration, Environmental Chemistry, Geochemistry, Geospatial Data and Modeling, Geostatistics, Reservoir Modeling, Hydrologic Modeling
• Project Development: Algorithm Design, Scientific Visualization, Research Proposals, GUI Development, Data Integration

• MS in geology, University of Vermont, 2022 
  • Thesis: “Assessing the Drivers of Legacy Phosphorus Loading and Distribution in Shallow Eutrophic Lake Sediments and the Impacts of Intervention.” Focus on geospatial and time-series analysis, limnology, and science communication.
• BS in chemistry, Castleton University, 2019
  • Minor in Mathematics
• AS in environmental science, Community College of Vermont, 2014

Kirol collaborates with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and various private industry partners on environmental research projects. His work contributes to interdisciplinary teams dedicated to environmental conservation and sustainable resource management. 

• Spatial Data Science Certification, Esri, 2023
• Advanced Python and Machine Learning Engineer Training, LinkedIn, 2023

Kirol, A. 2024. "Linking Sediment and Water Column Phosphorus Dynamics to Oxygen, Temperature, and Aeration in Shallow Eutrophic Lakes." Water Resources Research, 60:1 e2023WR034813. DOI: 10.1029/2023WR034813