Graduate Students in Hydrogeology

Graduates

David Butler, M.S. 1999 (B.S., Geology, University of Kentucky)
Thesis topic: Assessment of potential trichloroethene biodegradation in wetland soils, McCracken County, Kentucky
Post-UK employment: Division of Waste Management, Commonwealth of Kentucky, 1999 - 2000; Smoothstone Systems Inc., 2000 - 2003; Voltaic Commerce, 2003 - present

Danita Maynard LaSage, Ph.D. 2004 (B.S., Geology, Eastern Kentucky University; M.S., Environmental Quality Science, University of Alaska-Anchorage)
Dissertation topic: Natural attenuation along a first-order stream receiving contaminated ground-water discharge
Post-UK employment: Department of Earth Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, 2001 - present

Todd McFarland, M.S. 2003 (B.S., Chemistry, University of Kentucky)
Thesis topic: Characterizing sediment transport during storm flow through an Inner Bluegrass karst aquifer
Post-UK employment: Shield Environmental, 2003 - present

Sunil Mehta, Ph.D. 2000 (B.Sc., Geology, Chemistry, and Zoology, University of Jodhpur [India]; M.Sc., Geology, University of Poona [India]; M.S., Geology, University of Louisiana-Monroe)
Dissertation topic: Investigation of the source of regional salinization of the Ogallala aquifer, Southern High Plains, Texas, U.S.A.
Post-UK employment: Duke Engineering and Services, 2000 - 2002; Framatome ANP DE&S, 2002 - present

Abhijit Mukherjee, M.S. 2003 (B.Sc., M.Sc., Geology, Calcutta University [India])
Thesis topic: Identification of natural attenuation of trichloroethene and technetium-99 along Little Bayou Creek, McCracken County, Kentucky

Christofer Sweat, M.S. 2000 (B.S., Geology, University of Kentucky)
Thesis topic: The role of organic carbon in natural attenuation of a trichloroethene-contaminated aquifer system, Paducah, Kentucky
Post-UK employment: Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Division of Fire & Emergency Services, 1999 - present

Karen Exton Thompson, M.S. 2002 (B.S., Geology, Eastern New Mexico University)
Thesis topic: Ground-water flow in the Ledbetter Creek watershed, Calloway County, Kentucky
Post-UK employment: Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, 2001 - 2002; Shield Environmental, 2002 - present

Eric Wallin, M.S. 1998 (B.S., Geology, Georgia Southern University)
Thesis topic: Ground-water/stream-water interactions in the vicinity of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, McCracken County, Kentucky
Post-UK employment: GME Consultants Inc., 1998 - 2002; Widseth, Smith, Nolting, 2003 - 2004; Joyce Engineering, 2004 - present
 

Current students

Todd Aseltyne, Ph.D. candidate (B.S., Geology, University of Dayton; M.S., Geology, University of Akron)
Dissertation topic: Interactions of bank storage and solute flux in a reservoir embayment
Post-UK employment: St. John's Jesuit High School, Toledo, OH, 2005 - present

Estifanos Haile, Ph.D. aspirant (B.Sc., Addis Ababa University [Ethiopia]; Licenciate, Hydrogeochemistry, Kungliga Tekniska Hogskalan [Sweden])
Thesis topic: Chemical evolution and paleorecharge of groundwater in the lower Wilcox aquifer of the northern Gulf Coastal Plain, USA

Abhijit Mukherjee, Ph.D. candidate (B.Sc., M.Sc., Geology, Calcutta University [India]; M.S., Geology, University of Kentucky)
Thesis topic: The role of regional flow and chemical evolution of deeper groundwater in arsenic contamination of the western Bengal basin, India

Tom Reed, M.S. candidate (B.S., Geology, University of Kentucky)
Thesis topic: Suspended sediment and pathogen transport in two Inner Bluegrass karst ground-water basins
Post-UK employment: AMEC Earth and Environmental, 2004 - present

Josh Sexton, M.S. candidate (B.S., Geology, Radford University)
Thesis topic: Development of a conceptual stratigraphic model of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and surrounding area

James Ward, Ph.D candidate (B.S., Environmental Geology, M.S. Geology, Sul Ross State University)
Thesis topic: The mobility and viability of fecal indicator microorganisms within a karst groundwater basin in the Inner Bluegrass region, Kentucky 

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