Assistant Professor: Department of Earth Sciences, Southern Connecticut State University, 8/01 to Present. Instruction of courses, preparation/grading of lectures, assignments and exams, student mentoring, and senior thesis sponsoring.

Post Doc Associate Researcher: Department of Geology, Washington State University, 6/00 to 8/01. Surface and subsurface transport pathways of non-point agricultural pollutants: analysis of problem over four decades of basin scale. The study looks at the migration of triallate, nitrate, silica and O¹⁸ through hydrologic pathways under semi-arid dryland agricultural setting at multiple watershed scales.

Associate Lecturer: Dept. of Geosciences, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, 1/00 to 5/00. Instruction of GEO 106 - Earth Environment. Preparation/presentation/grading of lectures, assignments and exams.

Principal Hydrogeologist: Environmental Systems Consultants, Inc. (Lodi, Wisconsin), 2/93 to 12/99. General administrative, project and technical staff management. Supervision of field investigations and environmental site assessments for LUST and RCRA sites. Report preparation, report review and technical QA/QC. Staff supervision, task and budget allocation for field and office project activities, proposal preparation, marketing, and client and regulatory communication.

Project Hydrogeologist: Residual Management Technologies, Inc. (Madison , Wisconsin), 6/87 to 2/93. Field investigations and environmental assessments for waste disposal and industrial facilities. Field supervision, data management, report preparation, review of feasibility studies, and proposal preparation. Waste characterization, underground storage tank management and remediation projects. Staff supervision and task allocation for field and office project activities. Extensive work experience with RCRA and CERCLA procedures throughout the US.

Project Hydrogeologist: HYDRO-SEARCH, Inc. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), 4/85 to 5/87. Hydrogeology and geochemistry of natural waters. Field supervision and logging of soil borings, monitoring and water supply well design and installation. Groundwater and soil sampling. Field evaluation of geologic and hydrologic conditions and parameters, including the use of low- and high-capacity pumping equipment. Hydraulic testing of monitoring and water supply wells. Magnetic and electromagnetic geophysical and level surveying. Underground storage tank integrity evaluation and removal. Data analysis, report preparation and project management.

Courses

ESC-101 Geology/Oceanography

An introduction for non-science majors to the origin and composition of the earth and its oceans, and the geological processes which modify them. Lecture, 2 hours; laboratory, 2 hours; 3 credits. Syllabus

ESC-104 Geohazards

Examines environmental hazards resulting from natural geologic processes and from human modification of natural systems. Topics include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, water and air pollution, floods, landslides, coastal erosion, waste disposal, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Lecture: 2 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. 3 credits. Syllabus

ESC 110 Earth Sciences

The sciences pertaining to the earth and its place in the universe. Major aspects of geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy are considered. Lecture: 2 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. 3 Credits. Webpage

ESC-120 General Geology

Physical processes, earth materials, geologic hazards and landscapes are studied for a geological perspective on the earth's environment. Lecture: 2 hours; laboratory 2 hours, recommended for non-science majors. 3 credits. Syllabus

ESC-204 Environmental Earth Science

The collection, interpretation and utilization of natural resource information as it applies to environmental decision making. Subject matter will be synthesized through the preparation of an environmental impact statement. Prerequisite: One course in earth science or geography, or ENV 300. Lecture, 3 hours. 3 credits. Syllabus

ESC-357 Hydrology

The development and utilization of water resources; groundwater occurrence, stream flow, and flooding. Lecture, 2 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. Prerequisite: ESC 200 or GEO 201. 3 credits. Syllabus

ESC-359 Engineering Geology

Geological factors which influence engineering practice, and environmental impact of engineering works. Soils, groundwater, materials of construction, tunnels, foundations, dams, shoreline installations. Lecture, 2 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. Prerequisite: ESC 200 or ESC 201 (3 credits). Syllabus

ESC-498 Ground Water

Introduction to ground water occurrence, movement, quality, and resource management, emphasizing physical and geochemical principles. Lecture, 2 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. Prerequisite: ESC 200 or equivalent (3 credits). Syllabus

Research Interest

Physical and contaminant hydrogeology; groundwater microbiology; geomorphology; vadose zone and surface water hydrology; hydrological and hydrogeological field methodology; applied geophysics; groundwater and soil remedial technologies; past and present environmental regulations; and environmental consulting practices, procedures and ethics.

Publications

Van Biersel, Thomas P., Reed, Philip C. and Esling, Steven P., 1984,Morphological delineation of an oil brine plume within a shallow aquifer in Bond County, Illinois, using earth resistivity measurements. GSA Abstract with Programs, vol. 16, no. 6, abstract 39753.

Van Biersel, Thomas, Douglas Cherkauer, and Kenneth Nealson, 1997,Permeability reduction using anaerobic bacteria in laboratory experiments simulating porous media. Wisconsin - AWRA abstract presented March 7, 1997, Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Van Biersel, Thomas, Douglas Cherkauer, and Kenneth Nealson, 1999, Permeability reduction in porous media using Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Laboratory Experiments: Physical controls in anaerobic conditions. December, 1999 Meeting Am. Geophys. Union, San Francisco, California, abstract B51C-09.

Van Biersel, Thomas, Richelle Allen-King, C. Kent Keller, Jeffrey Smith, and Amy Simmons, 2000, Non-Point Pesticide Transport to Surface and Ground Water at the Field and Basin Scale: an Update, October 2000 3^rd Symposium on the Hydrogeology of Washington State, Tacoma, Washington.

Van Biersel, Thomas, Douglas Cherkauer, and Kenneth Nealson, 2000, Cyclical hydraulic conductivity fluctuation during permeability reduction Laboratory experiments in porous media using Pseudomonas aeruginosa, November, 2000 Meeting Geological Society of America, Reno, Nevada, abstract 50914.

Allen-King, Richelle, Thomas Van Biersel, C. Kent Keller, and , Jeffrey Smith, 2000, Non-Point Pesticide Loading of Surface Water at the Field and Basin Scale, November, 2000 Meeting Geological Society of America, Reno, Nevada, abstract 51761.

Van Biersel, Thomas, Richelle Allen-King, Jeffrey Smith, and C. Kent Keller, 2000, Field Scale Tracer and Pesticide Transport Through Unsaturated Cultivated Loess, December, 2000 Meeting Am. Geophys. Union, San Francisco, California.

Allen-King, Richelle, C. Kent Keller, Jeffrey Smith, Thomas Van Biersel, and John Schaumloffel, 2001, Field scale pesticide transport to ground and surface water, May 2001 Eleventh Annual V. M. Goldschmidt Conference, Hot Springs, Virginia.

Van Biersel, Thomas, Richelle Allen-King, C. Kent Keller, and Jeffrey Smith, 2001, Ground and surface water contribution to chemical mass discharge in a semi arid dryland agricultural watershed, November, 2001 Meeting Geological Society of America, Boston, Massachusetts, abstract 28903.

Simmons, A N, Allen-King, R M, Van Biersel, T P, Keller, C K, and Smith, J L, 2001. Using Chemical Tracers to Estimate Pesticide Mass Discharge in an Agricultural Watershed. December, 1999 Meeting Am. Geophys. Union, San Francisco, California, abstract H32B-0312.

Van Biersel, Thomas, Bill Bristoll, Robert Taylor and James Rose (2002) Abandoned Underground Storage Tank location using Fluxgate Magnetic Surveying: A Case Study, Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, vol. 22(1), p 116-120.

Jonas, Stephan, Michael Harris, James Tait, Thomas Van Biersel, and James Fullmer, 2002. Stratigraphic control of salt marsh bank retreat in the Housatonic Estuary. October, 2002 Long Island Sound Research Conference, Groton, CT.

Simmons, A.N., R.M. Allen-King, C.K. Keller, J.L. Smith, and T.P. Van Biersel, 2002. Ground and surface water contribution to chemical mass discharge in a semi-arid dryland agricultural watershed. Proceedings of the February 2002 Research and Extension Regional Water Quality Conference, Vancouver, WA.

Tait, James, Thomas Van Biersel, James Fullmer, Mike Harris, and Stephan Jonas, 2003. The Role of historical hurricane deposits in controlling salt marsh erosion in the Housatonic Estuary of Connecticut. May 2003 Coastal Sediments conference, Clearwater Beach, FL.

Van Biersel, Thomas, Douglas Cherkauer, and Kenneth Nealson. Hydraulic Conductivity Reduction with Microbial Growth in Porous Media, in preparation .

Van Biersel, Thomas, Douglas Cherkauer, and Kenneth Nealson. Hydraulic Conductivity Recovery After Pore Clogging Resulting From the Enhanced Growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Laboratory Experiments Simulating Porous Media, in preparation.

Van Biersel, Thomas, Douglas Cherkauer, and Kenneth Nealson. Cyclical Hydraulic Conductivity fluctuation During Permeability Reduction Using Anaerobic Bacteria in Laboratory Experiments Simulating Porous Media, in preparation.

Personal Interests

· Golfing

· Blacksmithing

· Woodworking

Southern Connecticut State University Department of Earth Sciences

Last revised: 03/13/03

Dr. Thomas P. Van Biersel

Assistant Professor

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Professional Experience