Education
B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
M.S., Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University
Ph.D., Pennsylvania State
University
While at SD Mines, I have focused on a variety of collaborative and interdisciplinary research projects focusing on sustainability and the environment. The focus of my research mimics the shift in environmental engineering towards multi-disciplinary
environmental challenges that utilize collaborative expertise from various science and engineering disciplines. My research focus includes:
• Life cycle assessment (LCA) and holistic triple-bottom line analyses with applications towards
agricultural and environmental engineering processes;
• Fate and transport of uranium from historical legacy mine sites and insitu solution recovery (ISR) uranium operations;
• Hydrologic and water quality impacts resulting from the mountain
pine beetle outbreak in the Black Hills;
• Anaerobic digestion and bioenergy production for agricultural and domestic waste treatment;
• Food energy water (FEW) nexus challenges for the northern Great Plains.
I joined SD Mines after completing my Ph.D. and post-doctoral studies at Penn State, where I investigated biogeochemical interactions within contaminated subsurface environments. My post-doctoral research focused on the effect of natural organic material on the biological reduction of uranium contaminated ground waters [through biotic reduction of soluble U(VI) to insoluble U(IV)]. I completed my BS in Civil Engineering, and MS degree in Environmental Engineering from Virginia Tech. Between my studies at Virginia Tech and Penn State, I worked as an environmental consultant for five years where I designed environmental remediation systems for water, wastewater, and hazardous waste applications.
I have taught a wide range of engineering courses at SD Mines, at both the graduate and undergraduate level, and have participated in several teaching workshops, particularly those integrating active and problem based learning and new environmental engineering concepts into the classroom. I continually strive to provide SD Mine’s environmental-focused students with relevant, real world case studies and assignments to better prepare them to handle tomorrow’s complex environmental problems in addition to developing new courses that broaden their environmental and sustainability knowledge base.