Niwot welcomes four summer research technicians!

Sarah Newman (top left), AnneMarie Peterson (top right), Emma Farquhar (bottom left), and Lina Wieprecht (bottom right), are new additions to Niwot’s research team.

As field season kicks off on Niwot Ridge, we are thrilled to welcome four technicians to our summer research team.

Emma Farquhar, Sarah Newman, AnneMarie Peterson, and Lina Wieprecht will help maintain NWT LTER long-term datasets and research equipment, as well as collect data from our ongoing turf transplant experiment. Take a moment to learn more about them before you see them up on the Ridge!

Emma Farquhar (Vegetation Technician)

Where are you from? I'm originally from Raleigh, North Carolina and have lived in Boulder for two years now.

What were you doing before you joined us? I've spent my summers as a residential gardener and my winters working at the Eldora nordic center before starting this job.

What are your interests and hobbies outside of work? Outside of work, I take any opportunity I can to be outside, especially if it involves being in the water. I also love yoga, embroidery, and bad reality tv.

What is your favorite treat after a long day in the field? My favorite treat after a long day in the field is a diet coke and pickle in a bag.

Is there anything else you’d like to share to help us get to know you better? I’m currently studying Horticulture at Front Range Community College.

Sarah Newman (General Technician)

Where are you from? I’m originally from Buda, Texas but am now a Colorado resident.

What were you doing before you joined us? Before starting at Niwot as a General Field Technician, I earned my bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Colorado Boulder. During my time at CU, I worked as a Research Assistant in both the Emery Lab and Suding Lab, supporting various ecological research projects. I am passionate about land stewardship, ecological conservation, and sustainability.

What are your interests and hobbies outside of work? Outside of work, I like to see live music, enjoy the outdoors, and work on various crafting projects.

What is your favorite treat after a long day in the field? At the end of a long day in the field, I love treating myself with a fruit smoothie to recharge.

Is there anything else you’d like to share to help us get to know you better? I am so excited to join this community, and look forward to meeting, collaborating with, and learning from everyone during my time on the Ridge this summer!

AnneMarie Peterson (General Technician)

Where are you from? Chicago, IL

What were you doing before you joined us? After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Environmental Management and Protection, I’ve been enjoying the seasonal job life doing botanical field work, working on farms, at a wildfire camp, in restaurants, and at kids ski school!

What are your interests and hobbies outside of work? I love skiing, camping, gardening, planning fun events with friends, and making really long playlists.

What is your favorite treat after a long day in the field? Scrambled eggs with cheese and Cholula.

Is there anything else you’d like to share to help us get to know you better? I'm really excited to join the team this summer.

Lina Wieprecht (General Technician)

Where are you from? I’m originally from Munich, Germany, but my family moved to Austin, where I lived for 11 years before moving to Colorado for college in 2019. I’ve been here ever since!

What were you doing before you joined us? I’ve been working as an environmental scientist/biologist for a private consulting firm for the past five years, during and after college. I specialized in a variety of wildlife, wetland, and vegetation surveys, as well as environmental permitting for renewable energy projects.

What are your interests and hobbies outside of work? I love doing anything outdoors like hiking, camping, snowboarding, and swimming. I also love doing pottery, reading, and yoga.

What is your favorite treat after a long day in the field? My favorite treat after a long day in the field is Thai food and ice cream.

Is there anything else you’d like to share to help us get to know you better? I’m super stoked to be part of the Niwot team this summer! Being outdoors makes me the happiest, and I can’t wait to meet everyone.