Jason Pinchback
Project Coordinator
Volunteer Coordination and Data Management
Texas Watch, Texas State University at San Marcos

Contact: jason.pinchback@geo.txstate.edu
Website: http://www.texaswatch.geo.swt.edu/

Q. What does your typical workday look like?

A. Well, there are two types of “typical” workdays – The office workday and a field workday. Office work usually includes communicating with people across Texas with email and phone calls. I actively support our volunteer monitors by answering questions about data or monitoring methods. Fieldwork is definitely the preferred type of workday. For example, this could include training a new group at Guadalupe River State Park, meeting with veteran monitors to discuss data findings, or attending a coordination assembly to keep our work on an efficient and productive schedule.

Q. What advice would you give middle & high school students who are interested in a career similar to yours?

A. No matter what we do, we have to work with people, and learning good communications and “people” skills is essential! I strongly recommend learning about new and old dispute resolution methods. Learn how to negotiate with friends and foes, bosses, parents, and girlfriends/boyfriends…this will help you no matter where you go in life.

Going to school and finishing college will open up many doors of opportunity for both making a good living and positively contributing towards a better quality of life. It is important to participate at some level and capacity in your interested field. We all have ambitions – but it is practical experience and good references that will get your foot in the door for that first professional JOB. Everything from volunteer water quality monitoring, to being a mentor, and even being a lifeguard or swimming instructor will help you in the future.

Q. What are some of the challenges of doing what you do?

A. One of the toughest challenges involves actually getting volunteer water quality monitors’ data used at the local, regional, or statewide level. Our data are qualified for education and research, problem identification, establishing baseline levels, and for local decision-making. Working with various stakeholder agencies to use our environmental information is a challenge! Working in the environmental field is also challenging work because there are always serious issues and important decisions to be made.

Working to strike a balance between economic, environmental, and the needs of local communities that depend on clean, abundant water in local streams is the priority issue!

Q. Who are/were some of your role models?

I admire people who persevere through challenging times. My parents are great role models. My high school football coach taught me how to stay tough when things got rough on the field. Knowing how to deal with situations on the playing field has helped a lot in dealing with life’s challenges because there seems to be a new one around every corner.

Q: Which websites do you visit on a regular basis?

http://www.jahworks.org

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

http://www.usgs.gov/

http://www.ncseonline.org/nle/

http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/

http://www.texaswatch.geo.swt.edu/

Biography

A native Texan, Jason Pinchback became involved with volunteer water quality monitoring while working with the Clean Clear Colorado organization in 1988. His involvement with this group was a result of his high school’s (LBJ Science Academy in Austin) participation in a new program that introduced students to water quality monitoring and assessments. After graduating from Southwest Texas State University with a B.S. degree in Geography, Jason was hired by the Lower Colorado River Authority’s Colorado River Watch Network program. After several years with the River Watch, he accepted a position with Texas Watch at Texas State University. His duties at Texas Watch include: statewide quality assurance and data management, data analysis and communications, volunteer coordination and training, and project coordination.

In addition to working for Texas Watch, Jason conducts water quality monitoring and planning, and data assessments for the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association and the Village of Wimberley. He also serves as a board member for the Colorado River Watch Foundation and he is an editorial board member for the international Volunteer Monitor newsletter.

Currently, Jason is working on M.S. degree at Texas State University. His research focuses on water policy and new ways to increase the assessment and pollution response mechanisms at the state and regional level.

When not at work, you will find him playing in the river with his daughter or playing music for enthused audiences. His favorite central Texas hot spots include the Blanco River, Jacob’s Well and Cypress Creek, the San Marcos River, and the Barton Creek greenbelt.