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Olya Skulovich

Earth and Environmental Engineering Ph.D. student at Columbia University

New York, New York, United States of America

Research Expertise

Soil moisture
Land-Atmosphere interaction
climate change
ML
carbon cycle modeling
Water Science and Technology
Education
Computer Science Applications
Statistics and Probability
Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty
remote sensing data
satellite data
machine learning
neural network

About

My name is Olya (Ola) Skulovich, I am near completion of my Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University. During my Ph.D. program, I worked with remote sensing data and utilized machine learning to create long-term consistent soil moisture and vegetation optical depth datasets. In particular, my work included analyzing, regridding, and deseasonalizing remote sensing data from SMAP, SMOS, AMSR-E, and AMSR-2 satellite missions to prepare the data for machine learning. On the methodological side, I developed, tested, and fine-tuned Deep and Convolutional neural networks and built a unique transfer learning training scheme to merge the patched remote sensing data into a consistent dataset. The soil moisture dataset and the corresponding paper (Scientific Data – Nature family journal, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02053-x ) have been published. The soil moisture dataset is the only consistent quality dataset available globally, covering 18 years, explicitly targeting soil moisture extremes and anomalies. The vegetation optical depth dataset is the only L-band dataset that spawns back to 2002. After developing the datasets, my research was focused on analyzing trends and variability of soil moisture, including spatiotemporal statistical analysis and identifying regions of different dynamics.  A part of my research was dedicated to modifying and analyzing the process-based carbon cycle model (CARDAMOM). It is a model that simulates carbon fluxes and pools by assimilating data using the Metropolis-Hastings Markov chain Monte Carlo method. My part of the project included developing two new model modules for assimilating solar-induced fluorescence and vegetation optical depth data, including developing model formulation, incorporating the modules in the main model (C and Python), adjusting model uncertainties, likelihood functions, and ecological dynamical constraints, as well as analyzing the updated model’s performance, information content effect, effect on constraining respiration flux and carbon pools. In addition to that, I participated as a collaborator in several research projects investigating the effects of soil moisture and land-atmosphere feedback on European and Siberian droughts and the spatiotemporal relationship between soil moisture dynamics and vegetation productivity.  I presented the results of my research at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meetings in 2020, 2022, and 2023, the USMILE Kickoff Meeting 2020, USMILE Meeting 2022, and LEMONTREE Science Meeting: Soil Moisture Stress 2023. I take pride in building a compelling story from scientific findings and enjoy communicating my research to various stakeholders, creating captivating presentations, and engaging public speaking.

Publications

A sensitive biomarker for the detection of aquatic contamination based on behavioral assays using zebrafish larvae

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety / Nov 01, 2016

Nüßer, L. K., Skulovich, O., Hartmann, S., Seiler, T.-B., Cofalla, C., Schuettrumpf, H., Hollert, H., Salomons, E., & Ostfeld, A. (2016). A sensitive biomarker for the detection of aquatic contamination based on behavioral assays using zebrafish larvae. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 133, 271–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.07.033

Battle of Water Networks DMAs: Multistage Design Approach

Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management / Oct 01, 2017

Salomons, E., Skulovich, O., & Ostfeld, A. (2017). Battle of Water Networks DMAs: Multistage Design Approach. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 143(10). https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)wr.1943-5452.0000830

Modeling and Optimizing Hydraulic Transients in Water Distribution Systems

Procedia Engineering / Jan 01, 2014

Skulovich, O., Perelman, L., & Ostfeld, A. (2014). Modeling and Optimizing Hydraulic Transients in Water Distribution Systems. Procedia Engineering, 70, 1558–1565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2014.02.172

Bi-level Optimization of Closed Surge Tanks Placement and Sizing in Water Distribution System Subjected to Transient Events

Procedia Engineering / Jan 01, 2014

Skulovich, O., Perelman, L., & Ostfeld, A. (2014). Bi-level Optimization of Closed Surge Tanks Placement and Sizing in Water Distribution System Subjected to Transient Events. Procedia Engineering, 89, 1329–1335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2014.11.449

Optimal closure of system actuators for transient control: an analytical approach

Journal of Hydroinformatics / Dec 14, 2015

Skulovich, O., Sela Perelman, L., & Ostfeld, A. (2015). Optimal closure of system actuators for transient control: an analytical approach. Journal of Hydroinformatics, 18(3), 393–408. https://doi.org/10.2166/hydro.2015.121

Piece‐wise mixed integer programming for optimal sizing of surge control devices in water distribution systems

Water Resources Research / Jun 01, 2015

Skulovich, O., Bent, R., Judi, D., Perelman, L. S., & Ostfeld, A. (2015). Piece‐wise mixed integer programming for optimal sizing of surge control devices in water distribution systems. Water Resources Research, 51(6), 4391–4408. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014wr016256

Industry Effluent Disposal into Rivers: Coupled Multiobjective-Analytical Optimization Model

Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management / Feb 01, 2018

Skulovich, O., & Ostfeld, A. (2018). Industry Effluent Disposal into Rivers: Coupled Multiobjective-Analytical Optimization Model. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 144(2). https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)wr.1943-5452.0000861

A Long-term Consistent Artificial Intelligence and Remote Sensing-based Soil Moisture Dataset

Scientific Data / Mar 22, 2023

Skulovich, O., & Gentine, P. (2023). A Long-term Consistent Artificial Intelligence and Remote Sensing-based Soil Moisture Dataset. Scientific Data, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02053-x

Land‐Atmosphere Cascade Fueled the 2020 Siberian Heatwave

AGU Advances / Nov 05, 2022

Gloege, L., Kornhuber, K., Skulovich, O., Pal, I., Zhou, S., Ciais, P., & Gentine, P. (2022). Land‐Atmosphere Cascade Fueled the 2020 Siberian Heatwave. AGU Advances, 3(6). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021av000619

Modelling of resuspension due to fish activity: Mathematical modeling and annular flume experiments

International Journal of Sediment Research / Sep 01, 2017

Skulovich, O., Cofalla, C., Ganal, C., Schüttrumpf, H., & Ostfeld, A. (2017). Modelling of resuspension due to fish activity: Mathematical modeling and annular flume experiments. International Journal of Sediment Research, 32(3), 421–431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2017.07.003

Optimization of Surge Protection Devices in Water Distribution Systems

World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2014 / May 29, 2014

Skulovich, O., Perelman, L., & Ostfeld, A. (2014, May 29). Optimization of Surge Protection Devices in Water Distribution Systems. World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2014. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784413548.053

Prediction of erosional rates for cohesive sediments in annular flume experiments using artificial neural networks

H2Open Journal / Aug 27, 2018

Skulovich, O., Ganal, C., Nüßer, L. K., Cofalla, C., Schuettrumpf, H., Hollert, H., Seiler, T.-B., & Ostfeld, A. (2018). Prediction of erosional rates for cohesive sediments in annular flume experiments using artificial neural networks. H2Open Journal, 1(2), 99–111. https://doi.org/10.2166/h2oj.2018.107

Fish Activity Impact on Sediment Erosion Resuspension: Mathematical Modeling and Annular Flume Verification Experiments

World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2017 / May 18, 2017

Skulovich, O., Cofalla, C., Schüttrumpf, H., & Ostfeld, A. (2017, May 18). Fish Activity Impact on Sediment Erosion Resuspension: Mathematical Modeling and Annular Flume Verification Experiments. World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2017. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784480601.060

Education

Columbia University

Ph.D., Earth and Environmental Engineering

New York, New York, United States of America

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

M.Sc., Civil and Environmental Engineering / December, 2014

Haifa

Experience

Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Researcher / November, 2015 — June, 2017

Research interests: Optimization methods, Numerical modeling Administrative: grant writing, leading and coordinating research groups, presenting research ideas, results

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Intern / March, 2014 — May, 2014

Optimization methods

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