Engineering Alum Wins Stockholm Water Prize
A 1969 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, William J. Mitsch, professor
of natural resources at The Ohio State University (OSU) and director
of the OSU Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, was named co-recipient
of the 2004 Stockholm Water Prize, the top honor in the area of water
resources. On campus in November 2004, Mitsch presented a lecture, “Applying
Science to Conservation and Restoration of the World’s Wetlands,”
to the Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences in which
he discussed the work that led to the prize. [more]
CEST Co-sponsors Third Annual
Environmental Symposium
Sponsored by the Center for Environmental Science and Technology and
the Graduate School, the third annual Symposium on Notre Dame Environmental
Education and Research was held in November 2004 in cooperation with
the “Faith, Ethics, and the Environment” conference
sponsored by the Reilly Center for Science, Technology, and Values. The
keynote
speaker was James Fredrickson, senior staff scientist and laboratory
fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. [more]
Research Effort May Solve
Sewer Problem
Assistant Professor Jeffrey W. Talley is leading a team of researchers
in an effort to develop a novel technology to address the problem of
combined sewer outflow (CSO). Talley’s team is developing, deploying,
and testing embedded sensors and communication networks in a tributary
of South Bend’s St. Joseph River and in Elkhart’s CSO Constructed
Wetland. Collaborators in the University’s CSO research effort
are Purdue University scientists; Environmental Health Laboratories and
Distributed Sensing Technologies of South Bend; the cities of South Bend,
Elkhart, and Mishawaka; and the CSO Partnership of Richmond, Va. [more]
EMSI
Offers Outreach Programs
The Environmental Molecular Science Institute at Notre Dame offers a
variety of educational and outreach programs. These include: Research
Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), a summer session for undergraduate
students from across the country that provides hands-on experiences in
geomicrobiology, environmental mineralogy and geochemistry, and hydrology;
a high school program for area students; and a middle school outreach
program.
This summer’s REU program sponsored eight students. Three local
schools participated in the 2003-04 high school program; several students
from the participating schools won prizes for their work at the 2004
Indiana Regional Science Fair. Forty junior high students were also served
through middle school outreach activities. [more]
Kirkner Honored for Service
In spring 2004 Associate Professor David J. Kirkner was recognized for
25 years of service to the University.
Silliman
Receives Kaneb Teaching Award
The University named Professor Stephen E. Silliman, associate dean for
educational programs in the College of Engineering, a recipient of a
2004 Kaneb Teaching Award.
Talley Named to Joint Chiefs
Since January 2004 Assistant Professor Jeffrey W.
Talley has been serving
as a strategic planner for the War on Terrorism Directorate of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff (JSC). He is one of a handful of reserve officers who
have been appointed to the JCS. A full-time faculty member, Talley’s
work for the Joint Chiefs is conducted during semester breaks and summer
reserve service. In fact, a good part of this past summer was spent helping
to prepare Joint Staff Action Packages, white papers suggesting terrorism
policies to JCS Chairman Gen. Richard Meyers, Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld, and President Bush.
Westerink Named Teacher of the Year
Associate Professor Joannes J. Westerink, director of the Environmental
Hydraulics Laboratory, was named outstanding teacher for the 2003-04
academic year by the College of Engineering.
Related Articles
Nano- and Microparticles: Out of
Sight, Out of Mind?
Invisible to the human eye, nano- and microparticles exist in virtually
all groundwater systems. More important, they affect the mobility of contaminants
in the subsurface. This article discusses the creation of the Environmental
Molecular Science Institute and the scope of research in this area at
the University of Notre Dame. [more]
The Circle
of Life
By exploring how the Earth works, environmental geoscientists at Notre
Dame are finding clues to pollution remediation that are very interdisciplinary
and earth-friendly. In addition to a recap of research activities, this
article reviews the new environmental geosciences curriculum for undergraduates.
[more]
Movers & Shakers:
Natural Hazard Mitigation at the University of Notre Dame
Are there ways to lessen the effects of hurricanes, tornadoes, high winds,
and other natural disasters? Researchers in the Department of Civil Engineering
and Geological Sciences are pioneering studies in urban environments to
better understand and predict the wind flow in large cities and its affect
on tall buildings and other structures. [more]
Reclaiming Those
Amber Waves
The past 30 years have brought about many changes in environmental policies
dealing with water, soil, and air-quality issues. What has also changed
is the way engineers and scientists are approaching pollution … how
to prevent it as well as how to reclaim contaminated areas. Researchers
within the Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences have
developed cutting-edge programs to prevent and remediate pollutants in
the environment. [more]