K. Benjamin Hagedorn

Dr. K. Benjamin Hagedorn is an Associate Professor of Environmental Geochemistry in the Department of Geological Sciences at California State University, Long Beach. His research focuses on groundwater-surface water interactions, climate change impacts on water resources, and environmental forensics. He oversees the Signal Hill Environmental Geochemistry Research Laboratory and actively communicates scientific findings to both academic and public audiences.

Education:

• Ph.D., School of Geosciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
• M.Sc., Geological Institute, RWTH University, Aachen, Germany

Research Interests:

Dr. Hagedorn investigates processes controlling groundwater recharge, inorganic carbon transfer from continents to oceans, and the effects of urbanization/agriculture on water systems. His work integrates chemical tracers, numerical models, and GIS to assess water sustainability, particularly in arid regions and coastal ecosystems. Recent projects include studying groundwater vulnerability in California's Central Valley, coral reef resilience to submarine groundwater discharge, and drought-induced mobilization of geogenic pollutants.

Recent Research Trends:

His publications highlight advancements in SGD modeling, resistivity profiling for contaminant tracking, and interdisciplinary approaches to water resource management. Current projects address freshwater availability on arid islands, climate change effects on groundwater, and objective methods for baseflow estimation in mountainous regions.

Grants & Advising:

He leads the Environmental Geochemistry Research Group, offering graduate research opportunities in M.S. programs. His group collaborates with CSULB's IIRMES Technology Center and focuses on quantitative sustainability assessments for stressed watersheds.

Labs/Teams:

Serves as director of the Signal Hill Environmental Geochemistry Research Laboratory, emphasizing field and laboratory analyses of water systems.