Tom Franti

Tom Franti is an Associate Professor and Surface Water Management Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Department of Biological Systems Engineering. His work focuses on protecting surface water quality through research and extension programs. He holds a Ph.D. (1987, Purdue University), M.S. (1985, Iowa State University), and B.S. (1983, University of Wisconsin) in Agricultural Engineering, and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Wisconsin.

Research interests include Ecological Engineering, River Restoration, Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, and BMPs for urban and agricultural runoff. He has authored guides on riparian buffers, rain gardens, and compost erosion control, and teaches courses like 'Introduction to Ecological Engineering' and 'Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Engineering.'

Franti has received over a dozen awards for research and extension, including the 2015 Community Landscape Award and multiple ASABE Blue Ribbon Awards. He contributed to regional water quality projects and served on professional association committees, such as the American Ecological Engineering Society's executive committee.

Grants include a $2.5M NSF INFEWS grant (2017-2021) to enhance food-energy-water system resilience and a USDA-NRCS grant (2019-2020) on ephemeral gully erosion.