Dr. Dirk de Beer is the leader of the Microsensor Group at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany. His research focuses on the structure and function of marine sediments, investigating how microbial conversions (e.g., photosynthesis, chemoautotrophy, anaerobic nitrogen/carbon/sulfur cycling) are controlled by transport processes and how microbial species distributions are regulated in hot spots like seeps, microbial mats, and biofilms. His group employs advanced techniques such as microsensors and planar optodes to study high-resolution geochemical dynamics in marine systems. Key research areas include: Biogeochemical cycling of oxygen, sulfur, and carbon Microbial community interactions in sediments and mats Environmental regulation of microbial processes Reactive oxygen species in marine environments Coral bleaching and ocean acidification Recent publications highlight collaborations on arsenic cycling, hydrogen peroxide dynamics, and microbial respiration in extreme environments. Dr. de Beer's work is central to understanding how microbial processes influence global elemental cycles and climate regulation.
Ian C. Bourg is an Associate Professor at Princeton University with dual appointments in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and High Meadows Environmental Institute . He directs undergraduate studies in CEE and leads the Interfacial Water Group , focusing on atomistic-level simulations and macroscopic modeling of environmental systems. His concurrent affiliations include the Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials and Chemical and Biological Engineering department. Education Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Berkeley (2004) MSc in Chemical Engineering, INSA Toulouse (1999) B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering, INSA Toulouse (1999) Research Interests span clay mineral surface geochemistry, geologic CO 2 sequestration, kinetic isotope effects, water behavior at interfaces, and coupling geochemistry with geomechanics in porous media. His work integrates molecular simulations with experimental validation to study environmental phenomena like contaminant transport, soil carbon storage, and water dynamics in clays. Publications from 2023-2025 reveal expertise in molecular dynamics of clay-water systems, organic contaminant partitioning, cement hydration, and isotope fractionation. Key themes include Environmental Nanoscience , Geochemical Modeling , and Soft Matter Physics applications to environmental systems. Scientific Recognition NSF CAREER Awardee (2018) Advising includes mentoring 12 current and former PhD/postdoc researchers, with notable alumni at institutions like Cornell, University of Poitiers, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His group has produced 20+ undergraduate advisees now in academia and industry. Laboratory develops multiscale simulation tools like HybridBiotInterFoam and HybridPorousInterFoam, with active collaborations in nuclear waste management, soil remediation, and sustainable construction materials.
Brandon Schmandt is a Professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences at Rice University, where he leads research using seismology to investigate Earth systems. His work integrates interdisciplinary approaches, data science, and numerical modeling to study tectonic processes, magmatic systems, and environmental interactions. His educational background includes a PhD in Geological Sciences from the University of Oregon (2011) and a BA in Environmental Studies from Warren Wilson College (2006). Dr. Schmandt's research focuses on seismology, tectonics, volcanology, and surface processes , with emphasis on seismic imaging of subsurface structures. His group employs innovative time-series analysis and field projects to resolve geologic history and contemporary Earth dynamics, particularly examining fault zones, magmatic reservoirs, and deep convective processes. Key methodologies include dense seismic arrays and machine learning applications. Analysis of his recent publications (2023-2025) reveals dominant trends in seismic event discrimination (earthquakes vs. explosions), magmatic system imaging (Yellowstone, Cascades), and global mantle structure studies. There is strong emphasis on induced seismicity, machine learning applications, and high-resolution imaging of Earth's discontinuities using dense arrays. His distinguished honors include: Aki Award of the AGU Seismology Section GSA Donath Medal AGU Macelwane Medal Body Dr. Schmandt directs an active research group conducting field projects across diverse settings including the Raton Basin, Yellowstone, Antarctica, and the Caribbean. While specific student advisees and grant details aren't provided in available materials, his group's work involves collaborative data collection, advanced computational modeling, and development of novel seismic analysis techniques applicable to both natural and anthropogenic seismic sources. The research program maintains focus on magmatic systems beneath volcanic regions, induced seismicity mechanisms, and global mantle structure using dense node arrays and interdisciplinary approaches to address fundamental questions in Earth dynamics.
Prof. Serge A. Shapiro is a Full Professor of Geophysics at Freie Universität Berlin since 1999 and Director of the PHASE consortium since 2004. He holds a Diploma in Applied Geophysics from Lomonosov Moscow State University (1982), a PhD from the Moscow Research Institute of Geosystems (1987), and a Habilitation from Karlsruhe University (1995). His research focuses on seismogenic processes, induced seismicity, rock physics, and subduction zone dynamics, with applications to geothermal energy, CO2 storage, and hydraulic fracturing. Education: Diploma in Applied Geophysics, Lomonosov Moscow State University (1982) PhD in Geophysics, Moscow Research Institute of Geosystems (1987) Habilitation, Karlsruhe University (1995) Research Interests: Induced seismicity from fluid operations CO2 storage and hydraulic fracturing risks Seismic hazard assessment Rock physics under stress Key Contributions: Developed the Seismogenic Index Model for induced earthquakes Pioneered DAS-based seismic monitoring techniques Advanced understanding of fault stability and pressure diffusion effects Awards: Virgil Kauffman Gold Medal (2013) for work in microseismic monitoring and rock physics Grants & Projects: PHASE consortium leader (2004–present) Utah FORGE EGS project advisor Labs/Teams: Seismology Group, Freie Universität Berlin PHASE university consortium
Dr. Susan D. Hovorka is a Research Professor at the Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, specializing in geological techniques for environmental applications. She focuses on subsurface permeability dynamics in both tight and highly transmissive systems, with a primary emphasis on geological carbon sequestration and CO₂ storage security. Ph.D. in Geology (1990), The University of Texas at Austin M.A. in Geology (1981), The University of Texas at Austin B.A. in Geology (1974), Earlham College Her research addresses critical challenges in carbon geological storage, including: Characterizing salt formations as containment materials Analyzing carbonate fabrics for karst aquifer flow understanding Field CO₂ injection experiments for sequestration assessment Developing composite confining systems for secure CO₂ retention The articles she has contributed to since 2002 demonstrate a consistent focus on: Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies Reservoir pressure dynamics and fault permeability Permit-ready site workflows and risk mitigation Geological analogs from petroleum systems Dr. Hovorka actively collaborates with institutions like the Gulf Coast Carbon Center (GCCC) and participates in international CCS initiatives. Her work integrates sedimentology, geophysics, and environmental policy to advance subsurface carbon management solutions.
Dr. Li Hailong is a Chair Professor at the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen. He holds a PhD in Hydrogeology from the University of Hong Kong (2003), an MSc (1991) and BSc (1988) in Applied Mathematics from Fudan University. His academic journey includes professorships at China University of Geosciences-Beijing (2009-2020) and Anshan Normal University (1999-2009). Recipient of 2010 NSFC Outstanding Young Scientist Grant 2022 Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Award 2008 Chutian Professorship (Hubei Province's highest academic honor) Dr. Li's research focuses on multi-component, multi-phase subsurface flows in coastal zones and their ecological/environmental effects. His work spans aquifer parameter estimation, ecohydrology, marine groundwater discharge, and computational fluid dynamics. Recent projects involve submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) quantification in Bohai Sea and Jiaozhou Bay using radium/radon isotopes. His publications in top journals like Nature Geoscience , Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta , and Water Resources Research have been cited 7,072 times (H-index 49). He has led 19 research projects, including 6 NSFC grants and 973 Program subprojects. Dr. Li serves on editorial boards of Advances in Water Resources and Water Science and Engineering , and was Associate Editor for Hydrogeology Journal (2012-2015).
Paul D. Brooks is a Professor in the Department of Geology/Geophysics at the University of Utah, where he has been a faculty member since July 2014. His research focuses on understanding water, energy, and biogeochemical cycling in seasonally snow-covered catchments, with increasing emphasis on predicting how climate and land use changes impact snow accumulation, ablation, and snowmelt-derived surface and ground water resources. His educational background includes a BS in Biology and Chemistry from Florida State University, followed by an MS in Ecohydrology (1991) and PhD in Biogeochemistry (1995), both from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Prior to his position at the University of Utah, Dr. Brooks was a Professor in the Department of Hydrology and Water Resources at the University of Arizona from December 2000 to June 2014. Dr. Brooks' research spans multiple disciplines within earth sciences, focusing primarily on hydrology, ecohydrology, and biogeochemical cycling in mountainous, snow-dominated environments. His work examines how climate change affects snowmelt processes, groundwater-surface water interactions, and water resource availability in the western United States. He employs a combination of field measurements, isotope hydrology, and modeling approaches to understand complex hydrological processes across multiple spatial and temporal scales. His research increasingly involves collaboration with stakeholders to translate scientific findings into practical water resource management applications. Analysis of Dr. Brooks' recent publications reveals a strong focus on groundwater-surface water interactions in snowmelt-dominated systems, with particular attention to how climate change affects streamflow generation processes. His work bridges fundamental hydrological science with practical water resource concerns, examining topics such as runoff efficiency, groundwater storage dynamics, and the impacts of land cover changes on hydrological processes. A significant portion of his recent research investigates the Western United States water resources under changing climate conditions. AGU Fellow (American Geophysical Union) Dr. Brooks actively mentors graduate students through thesis research (both PhD and Master's level) as evidenced by his teaching activities. His lab conducts research supported by various grants focused on understanding water resources in mountainous regions, particularly examining how climate change affects snowmelt hydrology and water availability. He collaborates extensively with researchers across multiple institutions, as demonstrated by his numerous co-authored publications with scientists from various universities and research organizations. Dr. Brooks leads research efforts through his lab at the University of Utah and is involved with the Wasatch Environmental Observatory, a mountain-to-urban research network in the semi-arid Western US. His work integrates field measurements across complex terrain to understand how topography, vegetation, and climate interact to control water, energy, and biogeochemical cycling in seasonally snow-covered environments.
Dr. C. Rhett Jackson serves as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and holds the John Porter Stevens Distinguished Professorship in Water Resources at the University of Georgia's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. His research focuses on the impacts of land use (forestry, agriculture, urbanization) on water quality and aquatic habitats, with particular emphasis on riparian vegetation, stream temperatures, and hydrological processes. He leads trans-disciplinary projects involving collaborators from environmental engineering, ecology, and geology. Education: PhD in Hydrology (University of Washington), MSE and BSE in Environmental Engineering (Duke University). Affiliations: Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Studies (IRIS), River Basin Center, and Coweeta LTER. Research interests include interflow dynamics, nitrogen cycling in mountain catchments, and the effectiveness of best management practices for nonpoint source pollution. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and has been recognized for his contributions to environmental science through the Distinguished Professor title. Key labs/centers: Water Resources Area, IRIS, and Coweeta LTER. His work bridges basic hydrologic science with applied water resource management, addressing both rural and urban challenges such as bioenergy crop impacts, karst groundwater interactions, and urban stream restoration.
Dr. Sohrab Zendehboudi is an Equinor Chair Professor and research lead in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at Memorial University's Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. His work focuses on energy and environmental challenges through experimental and modeling approaches. He has over 15 years of experience across academia and industry in Iran, Kuwait, the U.S., and Canada. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering (specializing in transport phenomena) from the University of Waterloo. Research interests include carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), renewable energy systems, process systems engineering, and advanced wastewater treatment. He leads a large research team addressing theoretical and practical challenges in energy sustainability and environmental protection. Key achievements include the 2023 Lectureship Award. His publications span topics like hydrogen production, CO2 storage, solar energy systems, and novel adsorbent materials. He actively seeks graduate students and researchers skilled in experimental work, numerical modeling, and machine learning for energy applications. Education: PhD in Chemical Engineering (University of Waterloo) Key Areas: CO2 Management, Bioenergy, Adsorption Technologies Labs/Teams: Large interdisciplinary research group Grants: Focus on renewable energy and sustainability projects
Niklas Linde is a full professor at the University of Lausanne's Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, leading the Department of Earth Sciences. He holds a PhD in Geophysics from Uppsala University (2005) and has held roles including Assistant Professor (2008), Associate Professor (2013), and Full Professor (2019). His research focuses on transforming geophysical signals into realistic hydrogeological models with rigorous uncertainty quantification. Key areas include probabilistic inversion, Bayesian methods, and geostatistical modeling applied to environmental and subsurface processes. Education: PhD in Geophysics (Uppsala University, 2005), postdoctoral positions at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (USA), CNRS-CEREGE (France), and ETH Zurich (Switzerland). He joined UNIL in 2008 as an Assistant Professor in Environmental Geophysics. Research interests span geophysical inversion techniques, subsurface heterogeneity characterization, and the integration of geophysical and hydrological data. Current projects emphasize Bayesian approaches for model selection and rare event estimation, supported by grants from the European Commission and Swiss National Science Foundation. Collaborations involve international teams addressing challenges in hydrogeology, rock fracture dynamics, and 4D hydrogeology. Publications reflect advancements in inverse problem solving, stochastic simulation, and machine learning applications. His work bridges theory and practice, with field studies in alpine environments, fractured media, and environmental monitoring. Students under his supervision have explored topics like deep generative networks and Bayesian hydrogeological inversion. Advising: Supervised over a dozen PhD students, including recent works on variational Bayesian methods and geophysical data fusion. Grants include projects on uncertainty quantification and experimental design. Active in scientific societies and editorial roles, contributing to methodological advancements in Earth sciences.
Dr. Mary E. Power is a Professor of the Graduate School at the University of California, Berkeley. She specializes in river ecology, focusing on algal-based food webs and their interactions with hydroclimatic regimes. Her research integrates field experiments and long-term monitoring in the South Fork Eel River, examining how flow variations and environmental conditions drive ecosystem state transitions. Primary Research Site: Angelo Coast Range Reserve (Mendocino Co., CA) Key Methodologies: In situ incubations, stable isotope probing, nanoSIMS analysis Current Focus: 2024- study of three alternative algal food web states during summer low flows Her work reveals critical thresholds where reduced summer flows and warming pools shift nutritious algal ecosystems toward toxic cyanobacterial dominance, impacting salmon and cross-ecosystem linkages. Selected Research Trends: Hydrological control of food web structure Cyanotoxin dynamics in river networks Climate change impacts on freshwater ecosystems Long-term ecological reconstructions via sediment cores Top-down and bottom-up regulation of river communities Her lab employs cutting-edge techniques to analyze microbiome elemental exchanges and successional patterns in Cladophora glomerata, a dominant green macroalga in the Eel River system.
Georg Stadler is a Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at New York University's Courant Institute. His research focuses on computational inverse problems, uncertainty quantification, and PDE-constrained optimization, driven by applications in climate modeling, geophysics, and plasma physics. He holds a PhD from the University of Graz (2004) and has been recognized with awards including the Gordon Bell Prize (2015) and the SIAM Computational Science & Engineering Best Paper Prize (2019). Education: Ph.D. (Dr.), Mathematics, University of Graz, Austria, 2004. M.S. (Mag.), Mathematics, University of Graz, Austria, 2001. M.S., Mathematics and Geometry Education, Graz University of Technology and University of Graz, 2001. Research Interests: Large-scale PDE solvers, Bayesian inverse problems, extreme event probability estimation, and optimization under uncertainty. Applications in climate (sea/land ice, tsunamis), plasma physics (fusion), and computational earth science (mantle flow, plate tectonics). Recent Research Trends: His work emphasizes scalable algorithms for high-dimensional Bayesian inverse problems, with applications to tsunamis, stellarator coil design, and ice sheet dynamics. Recent articles highlight advancements in extreme event probability estimation and robust multigrid solvers for incompressible Stokes equations. Awards: Gordon Bell Prize (2015) for extreme scalability of implicit solvers. SIAM Best Paper Prize (2019) for computational science contributions. Young Scientist ASCINA Award and Springer CSE Prize (2011). Advising & Grants: Current PhD student Sonia Reilly and former advisees include Chen Li and Shanyin Tong. His research is supported by NSF, ONR MURI, and the Simons Foundation. He co-leads the Computational Mathematics and Scientific Computing Seminar at Courant. Labs & Collaborations: Active in Courant’s interdisciplinary groups, focusing on high-performance computing and inverse problems. Collaborates with institutions like UT Austin on mantle dynamics and fusion energy projects.
Angela Sasic Kalagasidis is a Professor and Department Head at Chalmers University of Technology , leading the Building Physics research group. She serves as a board member of the Moisture Center at Lund University of Technology , contributing to interdisciplinary research in building science. Building Physics Heat and Mass Transfer Energy Efficiency Moisture Safety Indoor VOC Emissions Climate Change Adaptation Her recent publications focus on aerogel-based materials for insulation, urban heat island mitigation , and thermal energy storage systems . Key methodologies include CFD simulations , field testing , and life cycle assessment frameworks . Research trends show emphasis on: Advanced computational tools for hygrothermal analysis Integration of phase change materials in building systems Climate resilience in building envelopes Optimization of ventilation and moisture control
Chaopeng Shen is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. His research bridges hydrology with state-of-the-art deep learning and differentiable modeling techniques, focusing on advancing our understanding of hydrologic cycles and their interactions with ecosystems, energy, and carbon cycles. He leads the Multi-scale Hydrology, Processes and Intelligence group (MHPI) and has developed the Process-based Adaptive Watershed Simulator (PAWS) for large-scale hydrologic modeling. Shen's work emphasizes physics-informed machine learning , where deep learning components are integrated with process-based equations through differentiable modeling. This approach enables training neural networks using big data while respecting physical laws, leading to improved generalizability and robustness. His group has demonstrated advantages of differentiable models in rainfall-runoff prediction, routing, ecosystem modeling, and water quality studies. Notably, his team's deepLDB project addresses landslide prediction using AI and big datasets. Recent publications highlight his contributions to global water modeling (grid-LSTM, differentiable Muskingum-Cunge routing), extreme flood forecasting (probabilistic diffusion models), and hydrologic uncertainty quantification . Shen actively engages in interdisciplinary collaborations through the PRISM Cooperative Institute, which aims to integrate multi-domain data for systemic risk assessment. His group has advised students including Dapeng Feng, Wen-Ping Tsai, Kuai Fang, Xinye Ji, and Tasnuva Mahjabin. Shen's research is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DoE), USGS, Google.org, and the Gates Foundation. He serves as Editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research - Machine Learning & Computation and Chief Editor for Frontiers in Water: Water & AI. His open-source software tools like PAWS and deepLDB are available through dedicated project websites.
Prof. Patrick Jenny is a Full Professor at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering and Head of the Institute of Fluid Dynamics at ETH Zurich. His research focuses on computational fluid dynamics (CFD), numerical methods for turbulent and multiphase flows, and reservoir simulation. He has held positions at ChevronTexaco and Cornell University, and received the National Latsis Prize 2005. PhD in CFD from ETH Zurich (1997) Postdoctoral work at Cornell University (1997–1999) Senior Researcher at ChevronTexaco (1999–2003) Research interests include: turbulent reactive flows, PDF modeling, multi-scale reservoir simulation, and data assimilation in engineering systems. He teaches courses on fluid dynamics, turbulence, and computational methods. Over 100 peer-reviewed publications span topics like fracture modeling, LES/RANS coupling, and particle-laden flows. His work bridges academia and industry, addressing challenges in energy systems, environmental engineering, and numerical algorithms. Winner: National Latsis Prize 2005 Led over 20 PhD projects and collaborates with institutions globally. His lab develops open-source tools for CFD and energy systems analysis.
