William Ford III

William Ford III, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department at the University of Kentucky's Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering. His research focuses on watershed-scale water quality assessment, integrating field and laboratory experimentation with advanced stable isotope tracers and numerical modeling.

• Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky, 2014
• M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky, 2011
• B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky, 2010

Research interests emphasize biogeochemical and physical processes affecting nutrient fate and transport in agroecosystems, particularly through surface/subsurface runoff analysis, edge-of-field monitoring, and restoration impact quantification. His work employs time series analysis, deterministic watershed modeling, and uncertainty evaluation to address climate-land-use interactions.

Recent publications demonstrate his focus on phosphorus dynamics in tile-drained landscapes, karst stream nutrient removal, PFAS transport modeling, and isotopic methods for sediment fingerprinting. Key themes include preferential flow pathways, vegetation impacts on nutrient cycling, and sensor-enabled high-resolution water quality monitoring.