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Dr. Alison Appling is a water data scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), where she develops and applies machine learning and statistical methods – including tailored methods that build scientific knowledge directly into deep learning models – to understand water quality in rivers and lakes. She also manages water prediction projects that integrate multiple modeling approaches to support national assessments and local water management decisions.
Recognizing that good science increasingly depends on good artificial intelligence (AI) practices, Alison co-led development of a USGS AI Strategy, leads an organization-wide AI/ML community of practice, and helps shape agency policy on AI applications in science. She holds a Ph.D. in Ecology from Duke University and a B.S. in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University, and in 2025 received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, awarded by the White House to outstanding early-career researchers.
