Trenton Franz

Trenton Franz serves as an Associate Professor of Hydrogeophysics at the School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research focuses on applying geophysical methods to study soil moisture dynamics and ecohydrological processes, particularly in dryland ecosystems. He leads the WAVES (Water, Vegetation, & Society) research group investigating the connections between subsurface hydrology and vegetation patterns.

Dr. Franz's research interests center on hydrogeophysics and ecohydrology, with particular emphasis on developing and applying geophysical techniques to monitor soil moisture dynamics at various scales. His work bridges the gap between traditional hydrology and geophysics, creating innovative approaches to understand water movement in the vadose zone and its ecological implications. Current projects investigate how subsurface structures like termite nests influence water distribution in drylands and how these patterns affect vegetation communities.

His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to high-impact hydrology journals including Water Resources Research, Vadose Zone Journal, and Ecohydrology. The research shows progression from laboratory-scale experiments on homogeneous sand to field applications in complex natural systems, with increasing focus on the ecological implications of subsurface hydrological patterns.

Dr. Franz collaborates extensively with researchers across institutions, including notable partnerships with Rutgers University and previous work with Kelly Caylor's lab at UCSB. His research integrates field measurements, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling to address fundamental questions in hydrological science.