Education
PhD, Environmental Engineering, University of Minnesota
MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa
BS, Civil Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Professional Experience
- Currently Professor of Engineering and Calvin’s Dean for Faculty Development: Research, Teaching, and Learning
- Founding Executive Director, Clean Water Institute of Calvin College
- Past research projects in the following areas:
- The fate and impact of pharmaceutical antibiotics in biofiltration processes used for drinking water production
- The production and capacity of bagasse charcoal for dual use as a water treatment media and a fuel supply for stoves
- The role of divalent cations in wastewater treatments processes
- Process engineering for varied municipal regional water projects, specializing in the optimization of biological treatment processes
- 10 years of experience with evaluation, planning, design, and construction of drinking water and wastewater treatment systems (prior to joining the Calvin faculty in 2004)
Current research and scholarship
- Reactivation of an ancient Roman water system for modern use in Umm al-Jimal, Jordan
- Sustainable disinfection practices for rural community water supplies in Ecuador
- Evaluation and assessment of novel and proven point-of-use drinking water filtration technologies
Research and Scholarship
Reactivation of Ancient Water Delivery System in Jordan
<h5>The challenge</h5>
<p>Waves of refugees straining an already water-starved environment</p>
<h5>What we do</h5>
<ol>
<li>Evaluate the system's surface water supply. This involves delineating the water basin, assessing the quality of the water, hydrologic modeling, and flooding mitigation.</li>
<li>Assess current conditions of the system through mapping and hydrologic and hydraulic modeling.</li>
<li>Evaluate the system's future operation — its adequacy to respond to the demand for water in surrounding communities. This involves designing options for the repurposed system, providing optimized capacity with minimized archeological compromise.</li>
</ol>
<h5>Academic disciplines</h5>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/geo/?dotcmsredir=1">G…;
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/chemistry-biochemistr…;
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/public-health/?dotcms… health</a></li>
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/engineering/?dotcmsre…;
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/history/?dotcmsredir=…;
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/political-science/">P… science</a></li>
</ul>
<h5>The Impact</h5>
<ul>
<li>Local</li>
<li>Regional</li>
</ul>
Water Disinfection in Ecuador
<h5>THE CHALLENGE</h5>
<p>Diverse georgraphy and cultural practices</p>
<h5>WHAT WE DO</h5>
<ol>
<li>Evaluate delivery systems (chemical and feed) and determine best practices and critical success factors. </li>
<li>Evaluate water chemistry and provide field testing methods.</li>
<li>Test water system dynamics for proper levels of disinfectant residual. </li>
<li>Evaluate palatability—the taste/odor-based rejection threshold for disinfected water. </li>
</ol>
<!--<ul>
<li>We provide evaluation of delivery systems (chemical and feed), along with best practices and critical success factors.</li>
<li>We evaluate water chemistry and provide field testing methods.</li>
<li>We test water system dynamics for proper levels of disinfectant residual.</li>
<li>We evaluate palatability—the taste/odor-based rejection threshold for disinfected water.</li>
</ul>-->
<h5>ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES:</h5>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/chemistry-biochemistr…;
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/geo/?dotcmsredir=1">G…;
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/public-health/?dotcms… health</a></li>
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/engineering/?dotcmsre…;
<li><a href="https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/psychology/?dotcmsred…;
</ul>
<h5>OUR PARTNERS</h5>
<ul>
<li>Lifegiving Water International</li>
<li>CODEINSE</li>
<li>Ecuadorian regional governments (Cantons, Guamote, Colta) responsible for about 400 communities</li>
</ul>
<h5>THE IMPACT</h5>
<ul>
<li>Household</li>
<li>Local</li>
<li>Regional</li>
<li>Global</li>
</ul>