Faculty profiles

Ramon Aravena

Research Professor, Isotope Hydrology and Geochemistry

Ramon Aravena's current research focuses on groundwater contamination caused by agricultural and urban activities.

Jim F. Barker

Professor Emeritus, Groundwater (organic pollutants)

Jim Barker's research focuses on groundwater contamination by organic chemicals, especially petroleum hydrocarbons and industrial chemicals.

A faculty member at the University of Waterloo since 1979, he retired in 2010.

Nandita Basu

Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Global Water Sustainability and Ecohydrology

Dr. Nandita Basu is a Professor of Global Water Sustainability and Ecohydrology, jointly appointed between the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Waterloo.

David Blowes

Canada Research Chair in Groundwater Remediation

David Blowes develops improved techniques for the prediction, remediation and prevention of groundwater contamination, including metals, metalloids, pathogens, nutrients and emerging contaminants.

Brewster Conant, Jr.

Continuing Lecturer, Physical and contaminant hydrogeology

Brewster Conant, Jr. studies physical and contaminant hydrogeology. His primary interests are in groundwater–surface-water interactions and using innovative methods to determine conditions and fluxes at the interface.

Mario Coniglio

Department Chair; Professor Emeritus, Carbonate Petrology

Dr. Coniglio's research focused on the chemical and physical changes that occur when carbonate sediments turn into limestone and dolomite. He has been involved in research projects across Canada, as well as in the Caribbean, South America, Egypt, Oman, Iran, Italy, and the United States.

John Cherry

Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Hydrogeology

Since joining the University of Waterloo in 1971, there is no doubt John Cherry has had a profound and sustained impact internationally on the field of hydrogeology.

Raoul-Marie Couture

Research Associate Professor, Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry

Raoul-Marie Couture's research combines in-situ field measurements with environmental modelling to investigate the speciation and fate of nutrients, major and trace elements in freshwater environments.

Tonya DelSontro

Assistant Professor

Tonya DelSontro’s research focus is to advance our understanding of how human activities and climate change alter aquatic carbon cycles and greenhouse gas budgets.

Maurice B. Dusseault

Professor, Engineering Geology

Maurice Dusseault carries out research in petroleum geomechanics (drilling, hydraulic fracturing, reservoir geomechanics), and is a world expert on new production methods, deep waste sequestration in sedimentary basins, and reservoi

Tony Endres

Associate Professor, Geophysics (Associate Chair, Undergraduate)

Tony Endres uses hydrogeophysical techniques to characterize near surface hydrological processes, such as soil moisture, evapotranspiration, freeze-thaw cycles, groundwater recharge and nutrient transport, as well as freshwater ice and seasonal snowpacks

Stephen G. Evans

Professor, Geological Engineering

Stephen Evans is interested in the occurrence and behavior of natural hazards , with a focus on catastrophic landslides, landslide dams, glacial hazards, and tsunamis

Shaun Frape

Professor, Inorganic Geochemistry

Shaun Frape studies groundwater flow, specializing in isotopic tracers used to follow contaminants being transported in natural systems. He studies both deep groundwater systems as well as interactions between groundwater, lakes and rivers on local and regional scales.

Bob Gillham

Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Groundwater

Robert Gillham is one of Waterloo's most recognised research scientists in the field of groundwater remediation. His invention of the reactive permeable barrier is used worldwide today.

Walter Illman

Professor, Physical and Contaminant Hydrogeology

Walter Illman specializes in groundwater hydrology, both in the saturated and unsaturated zones.

He uses mathematical modeling, laboratory and field experiments to understand contaminant transport and natural degradation of organic contaminants in groundwater.

John Johnston

Continuing Lecturer, Sedimentology/Stratigraphy

John Johnston aims to identify natural patterns and trends involving sediment, lake water levels, and climate to help predict future scenarios for some of the largest freshwater resources on Earth.

Brian Kendall

Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair in Redox-Sensitive Metal Isotope Geochemistry (Tier 2)

Brian Kendall uses isotopes (both metal stable isotopes and radiogenic isotopes) to study a wide variety of geochemical processes, including the evolution of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and the formation of and exploration for petroleum and ore deposits.

Shoufa Lin

Professor, Structural Geology (Associate Chair, Graduate)

Shoufa Lin's research focuses on structural geology and its applications for mineral deposit study and exploration. A major part of his research concerns the structural and tectonic evolution of orogenic belts, Archean tectonics and kinematics and tectonic significance of shear zones.

Alan V. Morgan

Professor Emeritus, Quaternary Geology and Paleontology

Alan Morgan was an international expert in Quarternary geology, mapping and studying past permafrost structures in Britain and Canada. He also specialized in Quarternary entomology, the study of fossilised beetles as a way to reconstruct past climate conditions.