HR: 14:00h
AN: H53G-02 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Hydrogeological Research: A Path to Future Contributions
AU: * Miller, C T
EM: casey_miller@unc.edu
AF: University of North Carolina, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, CB 7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431 United States
AU: Gray, W G
EM: graywg@unc.edu
AF: University of North Carolina, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, CB 7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431 United States
AB: The evolutionary stage of hydrogeology has been debated in the literature in recent years, and a wide range of opinions have been expressed. Rehashing this old ground seems neither interesting nor particularly helpful. While acknowledging that a wide range of opinions exist, we set aside discussions of its past to focus on the future of hydrogeological research. We use societal needs for solutions to hydrogeologic problems as a lens to help us see more clearly the directions this research should take. We discuss the open scientific issues that must be resolved to address more effectively these problems. We consider and recommend reforms in research, education, and practice that may hasten the rate of progress in terms of both meaningful scientific advancement within the field and the application of advances by practioneers working to resolve important societal problems. We provide a set of metrics by which we can judge the effectiveness of hydrogeological research and education in resolving these problems in the future.
DE: 0850 Geoscience education research
DE: 1829 Groundwater hydrology
DE: 1831 Groundwater quality
DE: 1847 Modeling
DE: 1849 Numerical approximations and analysis
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005