Mark Raleigh

Mark Raleigh is an Assistant Professor in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS) at Oregon State University. His research focuses on snow, mountain, and forest hydrology, leveraging remote sensing, numerical modeling, and machine learning to improve understanding of seasonal snowpack dynamics and their interactions with climate and ecosystems. He leads the CryoSIGHT research group, which integrates geospatial tools and field observations to address water resource challenges in mountainous regions.

Education: Ph.D. (2013), M.S. (2009), and B.S. (2005) in Civil Engineering from University of Washington and Gonzaga University. His work emphasizes data assimilation for snow water equivalent (SWE) estimation and streamflow forecasting, with applications in the Colorado River Basin and western U.S. watersheds.

Research spans remote sensing techniques (e.g., Sentinel-1, LiDAR), canopy-snow interactions, and groundwater-streamflow linkages. He collaborates internationally on initiatives like the Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL) to advance hydrological science. CryoSIGHT’s fieldwork spans subalpine forests, mountain basins, and post-fire landscapes, using innovative sensors and modeling to track snowpack variability and climate impacts.

Notable contributions include hybrid machine learning approaches for SWE mapping, assessments of snow station representativeness, and strategies for improving water supply forecasts. His team actively engages students in interdisciplinary projects, blending fieldwork, remote sensing, and computational hydrology.