Dr. Ben Kisila Odhiambo
I am interested in the behavior of contaminants and nutrients in the context of natural aquatic systems; using tools such as hydrochemical water analysis, transient and steady state tracers, particle fluxes and sedimentation rates, multivariate statistics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Of particular interest are analyses of surface water contaminant sources; eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs associated with fluxes of nutrients and increase of productivity in surface waters; watershed geomorphological analysis; use of geophysical methods in sedimentation research such as multifrequency echo-sounding systems to estimate sedimentation rates, sediment thicknesses and stratigraphical sequences in lakes and reservoirs; using isotopes in estimating sediment fluxes and sediment fingerprinting (natural versus anthropogenic); ground water quality and contamination; and the interaction between surface and ground waters, i.e., using major ions and stable isotopes in establishing mixing trends and contamination.
I am interested in the behavior of contaminants and nutrients in the context of natural aquatic systems; using tools such as hydrochemical water analysis, transient and steady state tracers, particle fluxes and sedimentation rates, multivariate statistics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Of particular interest are analyses of surface water contaminant sources; eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs associated with fluxes of nutrients and increase of productivity in surface waters; watershed geomorphological analysis; use of geophysical methods in sedimentation research such as multifrequency echo-sounding systems to estimate sedimentation rates, sediment thicknesses and stratigraphical sequences in lakes and reservoirs; using isotopes in estimating sediment fluxes and sediment fingerprinting (natural versus anthropogenic); ground water quality and contamination; and the interaction between surface and ground waters, i.e., using major ions and stable isotopes in establishing mixing trends and contamination.
Associate Professor
Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sci.
University of Mary Washington
1301 College Avenue
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
e-mail: [email protected]
Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sci.
University of Mary Washington
1301 College Avenue
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
e-mail: [email protected]
Present research focus includes the following:
1. Trace metals distribution as a result of coal ash waste disposal in fluvial systems
2. Microplastics accumulation and distribution with respects to wastewater treatment plant effluent outflow sites
3. Anthropogenic impact on the biochemical makeup of soils
1. Trace metals distribution as a result of coal ash waste disposal in fluvial systems
2. Microplastics accumulation and distribution with respects to wastewater treatment plant effluent outflow sites
3. Anthropogenic impact on the biochemical makeup of soils
Current Research Students
Catherine Crowell - Analysis of trace metals in the James River, VA (a collaboration with Dr. Giancarlo, L. - Department of Chemistry)
Lauren Chartier - Assessing the changes of biogeochemistry of reclaimed sand-mined soils in the Coastal Plains, VA
Thanh-Binh Duong - Determination of spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in the Rappahannock and Potomac River, VA
Lauren Chartier - Assessing the changes of biogeochemistry of reclaimed sand-mined soils in the Coastal Plains, VA
Thanh-Binh Duong - Determination of spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in the Rappahannock and Potomac River, VA
Past Research Students
Jenifer Grove - Spatial and temporal analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment and fish tissue of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin (a collaboration with Dr. Sharpless C. - Dept. of Chemistry and Dr. Wieland W. - Dept of Biology).
Taylor Coxon and Megan Clevenger - Trace metals distribution in the fluvial and lacustrine sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin (a collaboration with Dr. Giancarlo, L. - UMW Dept. of Chemistry).
Kristin Frye - Using the SWAT model to analyze phosphorous dynamics in the sub-watersheds of the Potomac basin.
Coalter Holberg - Impact of floodplains/wetlands soil properties on phosphorus dynamics in Aquia Creek Basin, Stafford, VA.
Lauren Mosesso - The impact of climate and sea level changes on phosphorous dynamics in wetlands and floodplain soils in the lower Rappahannock River basin.
Meghan King - Application of soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) to model the impact of progressive land-use changes on sediment and nutrient fluxes in Rivanna basin, Virginia
Dr. Matt Ricker - (2006): Department of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences, Bloomsburg University, PA
Joe Church - (2006): Staff member with Golder Associates (water sampling/analysis/wetland delineation), Richmond, Virginia
Johanna Carpenter - (2007): USGS staff member, Baltimore, Maryland
Miriam Maynard-Ford - (2008): M.S. University of Massachusetts Amherst (2012)
Shelby Zelonis - (2008): M.S. Geography University of South Carolina (2010)
Joey Kiker - (2009): M.S. East Carolina University (2011)
Jenae Pinney - (2009): M.S. Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech (2012)
Leslie Wilson - (2009): M.S. Western Carolina University (2012), Ph.D. candidate at North Carolina State University
Brittney Baker - (2009): M.S. Nicolas School of Environmental Studies at Duke University (2011)
Kelley Landau - (2010): M.S. Dartmouth College (2013)
Stephanie Andreucci - (2010): M.S. candidate at University of Wisconsin Madison
Virginia Brown - (2010): M.S. North Carolina State University (2012)
Matthew Magruder - (2010): M.S. Dept. of Forestry at Michigan State University (2012)
Filla Baliwag - (2010): M.Ed. George Mason University (2013)
Chelsea Wegner - (2011): M.S. University of South Carolina (2013), Knauss Fellow, NOAA (2014 - Present)
Ian Pope - (2011): M.S. candidate at Purdue University
Miriam Cross - (2011): JD candidate at George Washington University Law School
Dr. Elyse Clark - (2013): Virginia Tech University, VA
Robert Clark - (2013): Soil Technician at AlexCom & Associates, Washington DC
Kelsey Moxey - (2014): M.S. candidate at University of Delaware
Lainey Le Blanc - (2014): M.S. candidate at Auburn University
Hannah Somers - (2015): M.S. candidate at University of Vermont
Lauren Mosesso - (2016): M.S. candidate at University of Delaware
Taylor Coxon - (2016): ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC, Fredericsksburg, Virginia
Taylor Coxon and Megan Clevenger - Trace metals distribution in the fluvial and lacustrine sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin (a collaboration with Dr. Giancarlo, L. - UMW Dept. of Chemistry).
Kristin Frye - Using the SWAT model to analyze phosphorous dynamics in the sub-watersheds of the Potomac basin.
Coalter Holberg - Impact of floodplains/wetlands soil properties on phosphorus dynamics in Aquia Creek Basin, Stafford, VA.
Lauren Mosesso - The impact of climate and sea level changes on phosphorous dynamics in wetlands and floodplain soils in the lower Rappahannock River basin.
Meghan King - Application of soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) to model the impact of progressive land-use changes on sediment and nutrient fluxes in Rivanna basin, Virginia
Dr. Matt Ricker - (2006): Department of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences, Bloomsburg University, PA
Joe Church - (2006): Staff member with Golder Associates (water sampling/analysis/wetland delineation), Richmond, Virginia
Johanna Carpenter - (2007): USGS staff member, Baltimore, Maryland
Miriam Maynard-Ford - (2008): M.S. University of Massachusetts Amherst (2012)
Shelby Zelonis - (2008): M.S. Geography University of South Carolina (2010)
Joey Kiker - (2009): M.S. East Carolina University (2011)
Jenae Pinney - (2009): M.S. Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech (2012)
Leslie Wilson - (2009): M.S. Western Carolina University (2012), Ph.D. candidate at North Carolina State University
Brittney Baker - (2009): M.S. Nicolas School of Environmental Studies at Duke University (2011)
Kelley Landau - (2010): M.S. Dartmouth College (2013)
Stephanie Andreucci - (2010): M.S. candidate at University of Wisconsin Madison
Virginia Brown - (2010): M.S. North Carolina State University (2012)
Matthew Magruder - (2010): M.S. Dept. of Forestry at Michigan State University (2012)
Filla Baliwag - (2010): M.Ed. George Mason University (2013)
Chelsea Wegner - (2011): M.S. University of South Carolina (2013), Knauss Fellow, NOAA (2014 - Present)
Ian Pope - (2011): M.S. candidate at Purdue University
Miriam Cross - (2011): JD candidate at George Washington University Law School
Dr. Elyse Clark - (2013): Virginia Tech University, VA
Robert Clark - (2013): Soil Technician at AlexCom & Associates, Washington DC
Kelsey Moxey - (2014): M.S. candidate at University of Delaware
Lainey Le Blanc - (2014): M.S. candidate at Auburn University
Hannah Somers - (2015): M.S. candidate at University of Vermont
Lauren Mosesso - (2016): M.S. candidate at University of Delaware
Taylor Coxon - (2016): ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC, Fredericsksburg, Virginia