Her extensive research focuses on the energy exchange between leaf litterfall and streams, specifically how the former may influence a stream’s function. Leaf litterfall refers to the debris ‘litter’ which falls from dead plants and leaves. A faculty member at The Evergreen State College in Washington, Carri received the Presidential Award for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in 2021. As a mentor to over 1,800 undergraduate students since 2006 she is driving scientific understanding and inspiring future generations of environmental stewards. By focusing on these often-forgotten interactions within nature, Carri sheds light on ecological processes at play in newly formed environments and nature’s dynamic structure.