CURRENT PROJECTS
ANALYSIS OF NUTRIENT FLOW FROM FARM TO GLOBE USING AGRICULTURAL SOIL WATER SUSTAINABILITY EVALUATION (ASWSE) FRAMEWORK
2017 - 2020
A USDA funded project in collaboration with Dr. Amy Landis, Colorado School of Mines.
The overarching goal of this project is to develop a multi-spatial-scale framework to better enable technology and policy analysis for nutrient management to produce more agricultural products using agricultural soil water sustainability evaluation (ASWSE) framework. Our framework will improve the understanding of sustainable production of agroecosystems while retaining needed ecosystems services.
This project builds on Costello's doctoral and post-graduate work using environmentally-extended input-output life cycle assessment and modified nutrient accounting tools.
Check out this foundational publication for this project:
RIPS TYPE 2 COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: WATER AND ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE SOUTHEAST (WEIS-APPROACHES TO RESILIENT INTERDEPENDENT SYSTEMS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE
2016-2018
A multi-institution, National Science Foundation sponsored research program led by Dr. Paulina Jaramillo, Carnegie Mellon University.
At Mizzou we are using regression analysis and recently developed crop emulators to estimate future crop yields and water demands to assess water supply and crop yield risks into the future. These results are integrated with other teams' efforts to determining water needs from the power, commercial, and residential sectors in southeastern U.S.
ASSESSING FUTURE CLIMATE IMPACTS ON HYDROLOGY IN THE GOODWATER CREEK EXPERIMENTAL WATERSHED
2014-2018
In collaboration with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service I and doctoral candidate Sagar Gautam are modeling the hydrologic responses to future climate projections. This work also explores how the scale of modeling (i.e., field, watershed or larger grid) impacts representation of the target hydrological variable. Risk of extreme events, e.g., drought, excess precipitation, are evaluated and agronomic risks are identified.
Check out a publication from this project:
FEASIBILITY OF LOCAL/REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS
2014 - ongoing
Local and regional food systems are often touted as the key to realizing a "sustainable" food system. In addition, novel production methods, e.g., urban farming, vertical farming, are popping up that could contribute to localized food production.
My first line of inquiry is the most simple: is it possible to meet the nutritional needs of a specified population within distances considered to be "local." I am also interested in quantifying relevant environmental metrics e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient pollution, associated with these systems to increase our understanding of whether these systems are "better." Finally, I am interested in understanding what sorts of societal implications these food systems hold, i.e., labor, education, and community building.
Check out a publication from this project (if you lack access, email me for a copy):
FOOD WASTE
After years of quantifying the greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient inputs (and pollution) associated with producing food, I learned how much food is wasted...30-40% of production! That means that significant environmental impacts are incurred only to produce garbage.
Over the past few years my team and I have led food waste audits at universities, a football stadium, a luxury hotel, and an elementary school. Our work in this area includes estimation of embodied life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and comparative analysis of waste management options.
Our publication from our campus food waste audit (if you lack access, email me for a copy):
Our publication on our waste audit and management options evaluation:
Life Cycle Assessment
Past Projects
ANALYSIS OF NUTRIENT FLOW FROM FARM TO GLOBE USING AGRICULTURAL SOIL WATER SUSTAINABILITY EVALUATION (ASWSE) FRAMEWORK
2017 - 2020
A USDA funded project in collaboration with Dr. Amy Landis, Colorado School of Mines.
The overarching goal of this project is to develop a multi-spatial-scale framework to better enable technology and policy analysis for nutrient management to produce more agricultural products using agricultural soil water sustainability evaluation (ASWSE) framework. Our framework will improve the understanding of sustainable production of agroecosystems while retaining needed ecosystems services.
This project builds on Costello's doctoral and post-graduate work using environmentally-extended input-output life cycle assessment and modified nutrient accounting tools.
Check out this foundational publication for this project:
RIPS TYPE 2 COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: WATER AND ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE SOUTHEAST (WEIS-APPROACHES TO RESILIENT INTERDEPENDENT SYSTEMS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE
2016-2018
A multi-institution, National Science Foundation sponsored research program led by Dr. Paulina Jaramillo, Carnegie Mellon University.
At Mizzou we are using regression analysis and recently developed crop emulators to estimate future crop yields and water demands to assess water supply and crop yield risks into the future. These results are integrated with other teams' efforts to determining water needs from the power, commercial, and residential sectors in southeastern U.S.
ASSESSING FUTURE CLIMATE IMPACTS ON HYDROLOGY IN THE GOODWATER CREEK EXPERIMENTAL WATERSHED
2014-2018
In collaboration with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service I and doctoral candidate Sagar Gautam are modeling the hydrologic responses to future climate projections. This work also explores how the scale of modeling (i.e., field, watershed or larger grid) impacts representation of the target hydrological variable. Risk of extreme events, e.g., drought, excess precipitation, are evaluated and agronomic risks are identified.
Check out a publication from this project:
FEASIBILITY OF LOCAL/REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS
2014 - ongoing
Local and regional food systems are often touted as the key to realizing a "sustainable" food system. In addition, novel production methods, e.g., urban farming, vertical farming, are popping up that could contribute to localized food production.
My first line of inquiry is the most simple: is it possible to meet the nutritional needs of a specified population within distances considered to be "local." I am also interested in quantifying relevant environmental metrics e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient pollution, associated with these systems to increase our understanding of whether these systems are "better." Finally, I am interested in understanding what sorts of societal implications these food systems hold, i.e., labor, education, and community building.
Check out a publication from this project (if you lack access, email me for a copy):
FOOD WASTE
After years of quantifying the greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient inputs (and pollution) associated with producing food, I learned how much food is wasted...30-40% of production! That means that significant environmental impacts are incurred only to produce garbage.
Over the past few years my team and I have led food waste audits at universities, a football stadium, a luxury hotel, and an elementary school. Our work in this area includes estimation of embodied life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and comparative analysis of waste management options.
Our publication from our campus food waste audit (if you lack access, email me for a copy):
Our publication on our waste audit and management options evaluation:
Life Cycle Assessment
LCA typically utilizes a weight- or volume-based metric to evaluate a product. And, for many agricultural studies, only uses one or two years of data. For some products, like wine, quality is as important, if not more important than quantity. And, the sensory profile can vary considerably from year-to-year.
In this preliminary study, presented at Oeno 2019, we explore how we might include quality parameters and how they influence decision-making about what is "best." Email me for the poster (I will add here soon!).