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Conner Schultz

Conner Schultz
Senior Scientist

Conner Schultz

Senior Scientist

Mr. Conner Schultz is an environmental consultant with experience in data collection, analysis, and management and in GIS. He extends his use of applications, such as ArcGIS and QGIS, with additional programming languages that include SQL and MATLAB®, to perform quantitative analyses and to develop supporting data visualizations. Mr. Schultz assists in analyzing both spatial and non-spatial data for a variety of projects, including environmental risk assessments, natural resource damage assessments, and RI/FSs. Since joining Integral in early 2019, he has been a contributing member to Integral’s sediment profile and plan view imaging (SPI–PV) data processing team. He supports the...

Mr. Conner Schultz is an environmental consultant with experience in data collection, analysis, and management and in GIS. He extends his use of applications, such as ArcGIS and QGIS, with additional programming languages that include SQL and MATLAB®, to perform quantitative analyses and to develop supporting data visualizations. Mr. Schultz assists in analyzing both spatial and non-spatial data for a variety of projects, including environmental risk assessments, natural resource damage assessments, and RI/FSs. Since joining Integral in early 2019, he has been a contributing member to Integral’s sediment profile and plan view imaging (SPI–PV) data processing team. He supports the planning and design of SPI–PV field surveys, conducts image analysis, manages SPI–PV data post-processing and leads the GIS support. He also manages the development team responsible for analysis and visualization tools and has performed analyses to support the development of custom image processing algorithms using deep learning and machine learning methodologies. In addition, Mr. Schultz has served as a project manager for seven projects with responsibilities that include management of the technical team, cost management, resource allocation, and successful deliverable tracking and client communication.

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Using Machine Learning to Efficiently Deliver CMECS Compliant Benthic Habitat Maps

Poster

August 26 2024

Using Ecological Risk Assessment to Assess EMF Impacts to Marine Life From offshore Wind Infrastructure

Publication

July 01 2024

Environmental Impact Assessment

Offshore Cable Electromagnetic Field Modeling and Impacts to Marine Life, East Coast, U.S. Served as project manager for electromagnetic field (EMF) modeling of proposed buried transmission cables located in coastal waters of New York. Modeling of EMFs was performed for both high-voltage direct current and high-voltage alternating current cables using the FIELDS computer program, developed by Southern California Edison, in addition to COMSOL. Potential modeled exposures to EMFs and thermal changes were evaluated relative to current state-of-the-science on potential threshold level impacts to demersal teleost fish, elasmobranchs, and lobster.
Offshore Wind Benthic Baseline Studies, East Coast, U.S. On behalf of confidential commercial developers, served as project manager on the design and implementation of benthic community baseline surveys for lease areas located off New York and New Jersey. Responsible for supporting principle-in-charge for overall management and execution of SPI field activities, data interpretation, and reporting.

Offshore Wind

Wind EMF Assessment, East Coast, U.S. Served as lead project manager and provided support to a team modeling electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produced by offshore and onshore wind farm operations. Served as GIS project lead and was responsible for preparing data visualizations in support of assessing the associated impacts of electro- and magneto-sensitive species.
Offshore Wind Farm Baseline Surveys, East Coast, U.S. Served as data management lead for post-survey image analysis and data processing for five proposed offshore windfarm lease areas and export cable routes (14 total surveys) off the U.S. Atlantic coast. Managed the pre-processing of the acquired images, conducted extensive image analysis using the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standards (CMECS), managed the data throughputs, and generated supporting data visualizations used in the technical reports.  
Benthic Habitat and Essential Fish Habitat Survey, East Coast, U.S. Responsible for design of a seasonal survey to assist in mapping benthic communities and essential fish habitat (EFH) within the lease area and along multiple export cable corridor options. Surveys were conducted using a mix of sampling equipment, including grab samplers, SPI cameras, and towed video systems. Responsible for incorporating geophysical and geotechnical reconnaissance and historical survey data into the survey design. Successfully planned and achieved an adaptive sampling approach to refine benthic habitat delineation and assisted in coordinating with other contractors to achieve sufficient data collection for use in the construction and operations plan.

Data Analysis

Automating Workflow for Benthic Habitat Evaluation, Mapping and Reporting, U.S. Worked with project team and programmers to establish data management protocols incorporating the internal applications developed for analysis of the image data collected. Used a combination of Python and PostgreSQL software to take the data from the application, standardize the data, and create formatted data tables and report figures tailored for use in benthic habitat and EFH mapping.
Baseline Benthic Seafloor Habitat and Seafloor Characterization Assessment, Wind Energy Lease Area and Cable Routes, Outer Continental Shelf, U.S. Served as data management lead for 16 SPI–PV surveys to document baseline benthic conditions at proposed offshore wind energy areas. Supported field team in the collection of the data, managed the post-survey processing of SPI–PV images, and supported project lead in data management, data visualizations, and reporting, including benthic habitat classifications in accordance with CMECS.
Baseline Benthic Seafloor Habitat and Seafloor Characterization Assessment, Cable Route, Northern Florida Data management lead for the analysis of SPI–PV images collected to document baseline seafloor conditions (50–2,500 m depth) with an emphasis on seafloor substrate types and the presence, type, and condition of deepwater coral species. Oversaw image analysis and data processing, and produced visualizations to support reporting.
Baseline Benthic Seafloor Habitat and Seafloor Characterization Assessment, Cable Route, North Carolina Data management lead for the analysis of SPI–PV images collected in 2022 to document baseline seafloor conditions (50–2,500 m depth) with an emphasis on seafloor substrate types and the presence, type, and condition of deepwater coral species. Oversaw image analysis, data quality assurance, data processing, and produced visualizations to support reporting.
Multiple Environmental Baseline Study SPI–PV Surveys, Mexican Gulf of Mexico Data management lead for surveys of multiple oil block lease areas in the southern Gulf of Mexico (400–3,600 m water depths). Analyzed SPI–PV images, interpreted results, managed data quality assurance, and generated GIS figures in support of data reports. Oversaw the development of a web-based data visualization tool and supported review of towed video data for analysis of benthic conditions at the site.

Sampling

Ward Cove Long-Term Monitoring, Ketchikan, Alaska Assisted in the collection and processing of surface sediment samples for chemical analysis and benthic fauna. Served as field lead and in a support role for collection of SPI–PV images prior to construction of a marine terminal used for docking of future cruise lines. Analyzed SPI–PV images and assisted in mapping for final data report.
Former Port Blakely Mill, Bainbridge Island, Washington Assisted field team lead in conducting an intertidal site-walk using a handheld SPI system to capture SPI images as part of a RI/FS and draft cleanup action plan to gather baseline conditions of a former pulp mill site. Analyzed SPI–PV images and assisted in the interpretation of results.
Groundwater Monitoring, Wood Treatment Superfund Site, Bellingham, Washington Supported field team lead for biannual groundwater sampling event and assisted in the long-term groundwater compliance monitoring of an active Superfund site. Collected groundwater samples using low-flow purging methods and dedicated bladder pumps.

Site Assessment

Ward Cove Long-Term Monitoring, Ketchikan, Alaska Assisted in the collection and processing of surface sediment samples for chemical analysis and benthic fauna. Served as field lead and in a support role for collection of SPI–PV images prior to construction of a marine terminal used for docking of future cruise lines. Analyzed SPI–PV images and assisted in mapping for final data report.
Former Port Blakely Mill, Bainbridge Island, Washington Assisted field team lead in conducting an intertidal site-walk using a handheld SPI system to capture SPI images as part of a RI/FS and draft cleanup action plan to gather baseline conditions of a former pulp mill site. Analyzed SPI–PV images and assisted in the interpretation of results.

Modeling

Standardized and Cost-Effective Benthic Habitat Mapping Tools for Marine and Hydrokinetic Site Environmental Assessments, U.S. Department of Energy Worked closely with a computer vision/pattern recognition professional to create a standard operating procedure (SOP) for curating images used to estimate sediment grain size from sediment profile images. The SOP was used to sort more than 100,000 images to develop and train a neural network to expedite the process of detecting grain size in future images. Similar approaches are currently in development to assist in detecting apparent redox potential discontinuity, penetration depth, and other features of interest.

GIS Design

Benthic Habitat Mapping, East Coast, U.S. Serving as GIS analyst supporting the design and reporting for 16 seasonal surveys to assist in mapping benthic communities and EFH within the lease area and along multiple export cable corridor options. Providing GIS support including map production, spatial analysis, and data management.
Invasive Species Detection, Methow Conservancy, Winthrop, Washington Identified and annotated an invasive plant species (whitetop) using orthomosaics developed from drone surveys over a 400+ acre area within a land conservancy. The process involved locating patches of whitetop, assigning a certainty assessment, and using these annotations to help the training of a deep neural network being developed to automatically detect whitetop from aerial imagery.
GIS Technical Support, Multiple Projects Created and designed maps using the ArcGIS platform, as well as open sources mapping software (e.g., QGIS). Generated visualizations of spatial data for use in allocation, remediation, and restoration projects. Incorporated various ArcGIS extensions to create sophisticated interpolations of point-based measurements that were subsequently used to support additional high-level analyses and reporting efforts.

Ecological Modeling

Toxicology Modeling Support, Confidential Location Supported a team using AQUATOX® to model and analyze single species- and ecosystem-level effects of a specific herbicide in edge-of-field waterbodies. Helped with model calibration, validation, testing, and sensitivity analysis in addition to assisting with comprehensive literature reviews and report writing.
Modeling Offshore Wind Impacts to the Environment, U.S. Assisted in coordination of modeling for preconstruction environmental impact assessments of several offshore wind development projects. Work areas included modeling EMF exposure from energized undersea cables to benthic organisms, and modeling movement and acoustic impacts of construction activities to marine mammals and sea turtles.

Project Management

Project Management Support, Multiple Projects Provided project management services, including updating schedules, managing financial administration, and allocating resources for multiple modeling projects. Managed client communications and subcontracting. Assisted in facilitating communications between all project stakeholders.

Groundwater Sampling

Groundwater Monitoring, Wood Treatment Superfund Site, Bellingham, Washington Supported field team lead for biannual groundwater sampling event and assisted in the long-term groundwater compliance monitoring of an active Superfund site. Collected groundwater samples using low-flow purging methods and dedicated bladder pumps.

Site Investigation

Ward Cove Long-Term Monitoring, Ketchikan, Alaska Assisted in the collection and processing of surface sediment samples for chemical analysis and benthic fauna. Served as field lead and in a support role for collection of SPI–PV images prior to construction of a marine terminal used for docking of future cruise lines. Analyzed SPI–PV images and assisted in mapping for final data report.

Natural Resource Damage Assessment

Fox Point Park, Remedial Investigation and Natural Resource Damage Assessment, Delaware River, Delaware Supported efforts to perform strategic liability analysis for environmental remediation, restoration, and settlement condition costs, incorporating both transactional and litigation costs. Executed spatial analysis and constructed supporting data visuals to assess and display site damages.

Environment, Social and Governance

Environmental, Social, and Governance Benchmarking and Planning, Biopharmaceutical Sector, U.S. Assisted in conducting peer benchmarking for an early-stage biopharmaceutical company, to facilitate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) target setting and establish the framework for future ESG reporting. Included identification of preferred regions for future expansion within the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia, given taxation and policy frameworks, and the projected availability of research and production facilities. Compiled peer reports and evaluated relevant data to ensure benchmarks were established with data-driven rationale and were aligned with industry expectations.
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