Zach Simpson received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Arkansas in the Department of Biological Engineering. As a graduate student, he studied under Brian Haggard, on the topic of water quality in two important watersheds in Northwest Arkansas — the Illinois River and the White River watersheds.

His focus was on water quality trends, or how water quality was changing over time, and between base- and storm-flows. He also became a master of "R," a statistical program, where he developed his own statistical codes to improve the methodology of trend analysis. Or, as he describes it, he spent his time learning statistical witchcraft.

Now Simpson is continuing his studies as a doctoral student at Lincoln University in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Read more about Simpson at the Arkansas Water Currents journal.