Dr. Cording is an Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Coordinator of the Ecological Restoration program at Paul Smith’s College. She is also a Research Affiliate at the University of Hawai’i’s Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) and served on the Board of Directors for the Hawaii Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Dr. Cording’s work in the environmental field spans over twenty years, with reach into both the private and non-profit sectors. Within her consulting company, she serves as the Senior Ecological Designer. She has worked on projects within the northeastern and western U.S, as well as India (Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu), Norway, and Hawaii.
She earned her PhD from the University of Vermont’s (UVM) Department of Plant and Soil Science. Her academic research is focused on reducing pollutant loads reaching waterbodies, by maximizing the pollutant removal mechanisms in ecological design features such as bioretention, permeable pavement, and constructed wetlands. On the policy side, she is working to help others implement sustainability practices at the building, landscape, and community scales by providing design and regulatory guidance.
Academic
- Ph.D., Plant & Soil Science, University of Vermont, 2016
Courses Taught
- Soils & Hydrology
- Watershed Science, Restoration Ecology, and Ecological Restoration
- Introduction to GIS
- Senior Group Science Capstone
Awards:
Outstanding Faculty of the Year | Awarded by the Student Government Association | Spring 2026
Publications:
1. Cording, A. (In Preparation) The Accumulation of Mercury in the Adirondack Mountains’ Common Loon (Gavia immer) Populations.
2. Cording, A., Babcock, R., and Castillo, J. (In Preparation). Investigating the relative pollutant removal efficiency of biochar, mulch, coconut coir, and native soils of Hawaii within bioretention systems.
3. Cording, A., Hurley, S., and Adair, C. (In Preparation). Pollutant mass mobilization and speciation during the stormwater first flush.
4. Mani, M., Bateni, S., Bozorg-Haddad, O., and Cording, A. (2021). “Chapter 4: Stormwater management by low impact development practices.” Water Resources: Future Perspectives, Challenges, Concepts and Necessities, IWA Publishing, 63–86.
5. Cording, A., Hurley, S., and Adair, C. (2018). Influence of Critical Bioretention Design Factors and Projected Increases in Precipitation due to Climate Change on Roadside Bioretention Performance. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 144(9).
6. Cording, A., Hurley, S., and Whitney, D. (2017). Monitoring methods and designs for evaluating bioretention performance. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 143(12).
7. Hurley, S. E., Shrestha, P., and Cording, A. (2017). “Nutrient leaching from compost: a laboratory study with implications for bioretention and other green stormwater infrastructure.” Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment, 1–8.
8. Boving, T. B., Choudri, B. S., Cady, P., Cording, A., Patil, K., and Reddy, V. (2014). “Hydraulic and hydrogeochemical characteristics of a riverbank filtration site in Rural India.” Water Environment Research, 86(7).
9. Cady, P., Boving, T. B., Choudri, B. S., Cording, A., Patil, K., and Reddy, V. (2013). “Attenuation of bacteria at a riverbank filtration site in rural India.” Water Environment Research, 85(11).
Conference Presentations:
1. Society for Ecological Restoration World Conference (October 2025) “Investigating the Relative Pollutant Removal Efficiencies of Biochar, Mulch, Coconut Coir, and Native Soils of Hawaii within Stormwater BMPs.” Denver, CO
2. Kihei Community Association, Monthly Meeting (January 2022, Virtual). “Kihei Drainage Master Plan Ecological Alternatives Assessment for Waipuilani and Kulanihakoi Districts.”
3. International Tropical Islands Water Conference (April 2021, Virtual). “Investigating the Relative Pollutant Removal Efficiencies of Biochar, Mulch, Coconut Coir, and Native Soils of Hawaii within Stormwater BMPs.”
4. City and County of Honolulu Stormwater Workshop (November 2020, Virtual). “Using Engineered Soil Media in Stormwater BMPs.”
5. Waipahu High School, Virtual Coaching Session (October 2020, Virtual). “Designing a Campus Demonstration Project.”
6. Pacific Water Conference (February 2019). “Can LID techniques be used to remove Toxoplasma gondii?” Honolulu, HI
7. Stormwater Quality Conference, Panelist (July 2019). “LID and BMP Implementation and Case Studies.” Honolulu, HI
8. County of Maui Construction and Post Construction BMP Workshop (August 2017). “GSI Performance Monitoring & Design Considerations for Maximizing Pollutant Removal.” Kahului, Maui
9. City and County of Honolulu Construction & Post-Construction BMP Workshop (June 2017). “GSI Performance Monitoring & Design Considerations for Maximizing Pollutant Removal.” Honolulu, HI.
10. American Institute of Architects Maui Annual Workshop. (May 2017). “Stormwater Management the Natural Way.” Kahului, Maui
11. Kihei Community Association, Annual Meeting. (March 2017). “What is Low Impact Development?” Kihei, Maui
12. Hawaii Green Building Council, Community Bike Awareness Event (July 2017). “What is a Truly Green, Complete Street?” Honolulu, HI
13. U.S. Green Building Council Hawaii, Build and Buy Green Annual Conference, Cording, A and Tierney, I. (October 2017). “Green Apple Day of Service, Hālau Kū Māna Rain Garden”, Honolulu, HI.