Joseph N. Ryan

Joseph N. Ryan is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and serves as the Associate Faculty Director of the Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Program. He holds a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from MIT (1992), an MS from MIT (1988), and a BS in Geological Engineering from Princeton University (1983). His research focuses on the fate and transport of contaminants in natural waters, with a particular emphasis on environmental engineering challenges related to water quality, hydraulic fracturing, and geochemical processes.

Dr. Ryan’s honors include the 2008 Pacesetter Award for Science, Medicine, and Health (Boulder Daily Camera) and the 2006 U.S. EPA National Notable Achievement Award. He is affiliated with the American Geophysical Union, American Chemical Society, and the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors.

His recent publications highlight interdisciplinary research on wildfire impacts on stormwater runoff, surface casing fluids in oil/gas regions, and microbial indicators of methane in groundwater. Key themes include colloid mobilization, mercury biogeochemistry, and hydraulic fracturing fluid mobility. His work bridges field studies, laboratory experiments, and computational modeling to address environmental challenges in energy development, water resources, and ecological systems.