Dr. Denise Bruesewitz is the incoming provost of Colby College in Waterville, Maine where she has been a faculty member for thirteen years. She is a biogeochemist and ecosystem ecologist with a focus on freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems. Dr. Bruesewitz's recent research has focused on predicting harmful algal blooms with the use of tools including eDNA and robotic sensor systems, mitigating nitrogen pollution in urban streams with freshwater mussel restoration, and the balance of carbon storage in lakes. As a member of the faculty at Colby College, she chaired the Interdisciplinary Studies Division, which encompasses 11 departments, as well as the Environmental Studies Department. She has been a key member of the faculty group that is envisioning the future of the sciences at Colby. Denise is an advocate for the transformative power of a liberal arts education and the value of interdisciplinary collaborations across disciplines as well as with community and regional partners. Denise earned her Ph.D. in biology from the University of Notre Dame and had postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute and New Zealand’s University of Waikato before arriving at Colby in 2012.