Dr. Edward Mehnert, senior geohydrologist with the Illinois State Geological Survey at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is one of the top experts on groundwater and surface water research. Dr. Mehnert will discuss details of the Mahomet Aquifer and other water resources in Illinois on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. in Perkinson Music Center's Kaeuper Hall on Millikin University's campus. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets required.
Most people have little knowledge about the geologic materials beneath their feet, their homes or their farm fields. Yet, geology significantly affects the distribution of vital resources (water, building materials, fuels, etc.) that society needs to build and thrive. Dr. Mehnert will introduce you to the geology of Decatur and how it impacts our water supply and our lives.
Dr. Mehnert is a technical advisor to the Mahomet Aquifer Consortium and the Regional Water Supply Planning Committee of East-Central Illinois (local groups concerned about water supply planning and groundwater protection). In his applied research, he uses modeling to evaluate groundwater-surface water interactions, estimate recharge at the watershed scale and investigate groundwater flow and contaminant transport issues.
Dr. Mehnert is currently participating in geologic carbon sequestration research funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through its carbon sequestration regional partnership and research program and through its Energy Frontiers Research Center program.
In the past, Dr. Mehnert has received research funding from USEPA (STAR grant program), and various state and county level departments in Illinois. He serves several national organizations as a manuscript reviewer (associate editor for Ground Water) and has organized conference sessions at meetings of the American Geophysical Union and Geological Society of America. In 2016, Dr. Mehnert served on the GHGT-13 Expert Review Panel for the International Energy Agency.
Dr. Mehnert holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
For more details on Dr. Edward Mehnert, visit http://www.isgs.illinois.edu/about-isgs/staff-directory/edward-mehnert.
Dr. Mehnert's appearance is Millikin University's 2016 James W. Moore Lecture. The lecture was established in 1991 to honor the late James W. Moore of Decatur. Moore's children, Madeline and James "Mac" Moore, created the endowed fund to present speakers on campus who represent "innovative or progressive political or artistic views."