Peg Buman spent over 20 years learning how the environment can impact our health by working as a critical care nurse, a health educator, a county sanitarian, and an environmental programs coordinator, prior to joining the Iowa Department of Public Health in 2005. Peg is currently a Community Health Consultant in the Division of Environmental Health at IDPH. She develops education and outreach materials for the hazardous waste site health assessment and the harmful algal blooms programs. A graduate of the University of Iowa, Peg is a member of the Iowa Environmental Health Association and the Iowa Public Health Association. Melinda A. Coogan is an Assistant Professor of Biology with Buena Vista University (BVU), Storm Lake, Iowa. Her Ph.D. in Environmental Science was received from the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas. She has recently published two emerging contaminant bioaccumulation papers in refereed journals within her field of Aquatic Toxicology. Since coming to BVU, she has become involved in nutrient toxicological and wetland bioremediation studies supported through education and research grants. Nutrient studies along Outlet Creek, Iowa, have resulted in numerous local, state, and national invitations to present findings and propose potential remediation options. She is a member of the Comprehensive State (IA) Wetland Action Plan Committee, the Board of Directors of the Raccoon River Watershed Association, and the Little Storm Lake Discovery Center Planning Group. She has recently been appointed to the Storm Lake Storm Water Advisory Committee. Steve Corsi works with the U.S. Geological Survey as a Research Hydrologist based out of Middleton, Wisconsin. He has been with the USGS for 21 years focusing primarily on water quality investigations of surface water with emphasis in nonpoint source pollution. In the past 10 years, he has been involved with investigations of waterborne microorganisms in urban and agricultural areas specializing in design and implementation of automatic sampling capabilities for capturing hydrologically relevant data. Chad Fields is a Research Geologist for the Iowa Geological and Water Survey. His interests include characterizing groundwater quality and quantity through computer modeling, understanding and protecting surface water from human pollution, and learning about Iowa’s rich geologic history. He has worked on protecting drinking water in the state’s Source Water Protection (SWP) program, compiled the Iowa Groundwater Quality Database, and has worked on many surface water projects including the Sny Magill National Monitoring Project. Lora Friest is currently the USDA/NRCS RC&D Coordinator for Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development Inc. (RC&D) in Postville, Iowa where she has developed or assisted with numerous multi-state and multi-county watershed projects and water quality improvement efforts. Prior to becoming the RC&D Coordinator, Lora served as director for the Fillmore County SWCD in Southeast Minnesota. Before the move to Minnesota, Lora was instrumental in starting the Upper Iowa River Watershed Project at Northeast Iowa RC&D in 1999 and served as the project's first coordinator. She was responsible for creating and expanding partnerships working to improve the quality of the Upper Iowa River and its associated streams and also in developing the first watershed wide monitoring efforts on the 640,000 acre watershed that are still going strong over 10 years later. Barry Johnson has over 35 years of experience as a researcher in aquatic ecology, including 20 years with the U.S. Geological Survey and previous experience with the Wisconsin and Ohio state resource management agencies. Dr. Johnson has a M.S. from The Ohio State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is currently Chief of the Long Term Monitoring Branch at the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He also manages the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program on the Upper Mississippi River System in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal and state partners. Stephen J. Kalkhoff began his career with the U.S. Geological Survey in 1980 in Mississippi where he was involved with a number of water-quality investigations including studies of coastal salt-water intrusion and oil-field brine contamination of streams and groundwater. Steve transferred to the Iowa District of the U.S. Geological Survey in 1986 and became chief of an investigation to study the effects of changing agricultural practices on the quality of streams and groundwater in northeastern Iowa. Since 1994, Steve has been chief of the Eastern Iowa Basins study unit of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA). His current NAWQA duties include planning, budgeting, and supervising the collection of data and the interpretation of study results. In addition to his NAWQA responsibilities, he was been the lead investigator of the USGS Central Region Integrated Science Program perchlorate project in 2004. Steve began serving as a science assistant to the U.S. Geological Survey North Central Area Science program officer in January 2010. Jennifer Kurth is a Natural Resources Biologist in the Watershed Improvement Section of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. She works on stressor identification for streams that are listed as impaired for aquatic life use (fish, bugs, and/or mussels) but the cause of the impairment is unknown. She has a B.A in theatre and a B.S. in biology from the University of Minnesota and a M.S. in ecology and environmental science from the University of Maine. Richard Leopold became Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in January 2007. Prior to the DNR, Richard was the Executive Director of the Iowa Environmental Council since 2003. He has held a variety of biologist, naturalist, and administrative positions within the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Minnesota and Iowa Department of Natural Resources and served as the coordinator for IOWATER, Iowa's statewide volunteer water-quality monitoring program. Richard holds an M.S. in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University. He obtained undergraduate degrees in biology from Minnesota State University and natural resources technology from Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minnesota. Richard has been the past chairperson of the Iowa Conservation Education Council, a recipient of the Izaak Walton League of America's "National Honor Roll Award" in 2001, and more recently has been recognized as a Henry Toll Fellow by the Council of State Governments. Rob Middlemis-Brown is the Director of the United States Geological Survey’s Water Science Center in Iowa located in Iowa City, Iowa. Rob has been leading USGS’s water resource programs in Iowa since 1994 which an emphasis on the impacts of agricultural land use on water quality in streams and ground water. Prior to arriving in Iowa, Rob was located in Ithaca, New York were he was an adjunct professor at Cornell University and the Program Leader for USGS water resource programs in western New York. He had also been with USGS in Michigan working on Great lakes issues, in Minnesota addressing the impacts of non-point source pollution on wetlands and lakes, and in Nevada investigating the impacts of long-term radioactive waste storage on water supplies. Rob has authored over 40 articles including one book and has provided over 100 oral technical presentations including congressional testimonies. Connie Mutel is the author or editor of several books on Iowa’s native landscapes and restoration ecology, including most recently The Emerald Horizon: The History of Nature in Iowa (2008) and A Watershed Year: Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008 (2010). Valerie Nelson is the Director of the Coalition for Alternative Wastewater Treatment, which is a national alliance of advocates for and experts in decentralized water, wastewater, and stormwater treatment and management. Dr. Nelson is Chair of the Decentralized Systems Advisory Committee at the National Decentralized Water Resources Capacity Development Project hosted by WERF, and served two terms on the Gloucester City Council. She was the Director of the Lighthouse Preservation Society and was a Lecturer and Visiting Assistant Professor at the Kennedy School of Government and M.I.T. Eric O’Brien is supervisor of the Water Monitoring and Assessment Section of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Eric completed his master’s research in Environmental Science at the University of Northern Iowa in May 2003, his primary area of interest being environmental microbiology, specifically focusing on bacterial source tracking. In 2006 he spearheaded an effort to incorporate cyanotoxin monitoring into Iowa’s beach monitoring program. This program has garnered recognition as being one of the most comprehensive toxin monitoring programs for recreational waters in the United States. Robert E. Pitt, (Ph.D. Wisconsin). Cudworth Professor of Urban Water Systems. Prior to his academic career, Pitt was a senior engineer in industry and government for 16 years. He has conducted more than $7 million in research concerning the effects, sources, and control of urban runoff in his 23 years in academic positions. He has written more than 100 publications, including journal articles, book chapters, research reports, and several books (including co-authoring of Construction Site Erosion and Sediment Controls: Planning, Design, and Performance, 2007; Contemporary Modeling of Urban Water Systems, 2007; Water Systems Modelers User’s Guide to SWMM, 10th edition, 2005; Stormwater Effects Handbook: A Tool Box for Watershed Managers, Scientists, and Engineers, 2002; and Groundwater Contamination from Stormwater, 1996). He has developed specialized course materials that have been used at many institutions, including international Internet-based instruction in urban water systems. He received a Distinguished Service Citation from the University of Wisconsin, was a member of the project team that received a first place national award for a combined sewer project from the Water Environment Federation, and has received several outstanding teaching and volunteer service awards. He is a registered Engineer (WI) and a Board Certified Environmental Engineer by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and a Diplomate of the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers. He has also served on numerous professional committees in the U.S. and abroad, including memberships on the Homeland Security Committee of the EPA’s Science Advisory Board; the Committee on Reducing Stormwater Discharge Contributions to Water Pollution of the National Academy of Science; and has directed several project review panels for the Water Environment Research Foundation. Currently, he and his graduate students are conducting research on integrating green infrastructure controls in combined sewer areas; characterization and treatment of emerging contaminants in wet weather flows; stormwater treatment using media filtration; relationships between the variability of stormwater characteristics and development characteristics; PAH contamination from newly paved surfaces; heavy metal releases from alternative drainage system components; optimized drainage options for biofiltration systems; groundwater impacts from seepage wells used for the disposal of stormwater; beneficial uses of stormwater in times of changing weather; heavy metal contamination of soils in treated wood burn areas; sources and fate of indicator bacteria in urban areas; and continued work on enhancements to the Source Loading and Management Model (WinSLAMM). Keith Schilling is a research geologist at the Iowa Geological and Water Survey. He received a B.A. degree in Geology from Knox College, an M.S. degree in Water Resources from Iowa State University and a Ph.D. degree in Geology from the University of Iowa. He conducts research on a variety of water-related issues in Iowa, including groundwater flow and quality, surface and groundwater interaction, nonpoint source pollution and watershed and floodplain processes. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles related to Iowa's water resources. Kathleen Scholl, Ph.D. is a faculty member and chair of the Leisure, Youth and Human Services Division, and a Research Associate for Recreation, Research and Service (R2S) at the University of Northern Iowa. She currently teaches course in Research and Evaluation, and Outdoor Recreation Management. Dr. Scholl integrates practical experiences for her students to apply best practices to outdoor recreation planning and programming. For example, outdoor recreation students have been involved in the design and development of an interpretative trail at UNI, and currently her students are designing a survey to assess the general usage and constraints to trail use at George Wyth State Park. Dr. Scholl sits on a number of agency boards: Friends of Hartman Reserve; Cedar Valley Resource, Conservation and Development; Cedar River Festival Group; and the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition. Mark Seeley joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota Department of Soil, Water, and Climate in 1978, after spending time at the NASA/Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. Since that time he has served as Extension Climatologist and Meteorologist, working closely with the National Weather Service, the Minnesota State Climatology Office, and various state agencies, as well as regional Extension Offices around the state. He has served as a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio’s Morning Edition news program and written the weekly newsletter “Minnesota WeatherTalk” since 1992. Dr. Seeley is author of “Minnesota Weather Almanac” published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press (2006). He is co-author of the Voyageur Skies: Weather in the Wilderness of Minnesota’s National Park” published by Afton Historical Press (2010). He also edited two series of children’s books on weather and climate, helped produce the public radio podcasts “Jet Streaming” and writes a monthly column for The Farmer magazine. His honors and awards include: the only two-time recipient of the Sigma Xi Scientific Communication and Education Award in 2001 and 2008; recipient in 2003 of the Mn/DOT Research Partnership Award, as leader of a project dedicated to the design and deployment of living snow fences; in 2006 he received the Extension Dean and Director’s Award for Distinguished Extension Faculty; in 2007 he received the University of Minnesota Alumni Association Faculty Volunteer Award and the Career Achievement Award from Minneapolis/St Paul Magazine. Dr. Seeley’s great-great grandfather, Ira Seeley, founded the town of Mazeppa, MN (Wabasha County) and was a member of the first Minnesota Territorial Legislature (1854-1858) and State Legislature (1858- 1862). His great grandfather and grandfather farmed near Appleton until the famous drought of 1910 forced them to quit. Dr. Seeley shares stories and lessons from Minnesota’s weather history, as well as thoughts on the importance of weather and climate research applied to the management and preservation of Minnesota’s natural resources, agricultural and energy enterprises. Lynette Seigley received her B.A. in geology from the College of Wooster, Ohio, and her M.S. in geology from the University of Iowa. Since 1987, she has worked as a research geologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on a variety of projects addressing the impacts of nonpoint source pollution on surface water and groundwater. Since January 2000 she has worked on the state's ambient water monitoring program where she analyzes water quality data to assess water quality and trends over time; trains volunteers as part of IOWATER; coordinates snapshot sampling event; and assists with Project AWARE. Bill Selbig is a hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey. He has over 15 years of experience monitoring and interpreting nonpoint source runoff in urban environments. Bill has participated in several research studies that focus on the evaluation of structural and non-structural practices designed to mitigate stormwater pollution. He has considerable knowledge in instrumentation of nonpoint runoff monitoring systems. He has a M.S. in water resources management and a B.S. in geology, both from the University of Wisconsin. Mary Skopec has worked at the Iowa Geological and Water Survey in the Department of Natural Resources since 1991. During that time, she has been involved in several projects including the development of a water quality database to track pesticide occurrences in Iowa's water resources, a study on the historical changes in herbicide concentrations in surface and groundwater, and water quality monitoring to track the performance of best management practices. In January 2000, she joined the Water Monitoring Section where she served as the section supervisor until 2009. In her current role as the Interim IOWATER coordinator and the Ambient Stream Monitoring Coordinator, Mary is leading the effort to redesign the IOWATER program and to analyze the water quality results from the Floods of 2008. Mary earned her B.S. and M.A. degrees in geography from The University of Iowa, and in 1999, she completed her interdisciplinary Ph.D. in environmental science at The University of Iowa. Peter Weyer is Associate Director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination and is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Geography and the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Iowa. He is responsible for developing the center’s research programs, which focus on exposure assessment of drinking water contaminants and health outcomes. Dr. Weyer’s research interests include environmental epidemiology, water contaminants and chronic health effects, and environmental health policy. He received his Ph.D. in preventive medicine and environmental health from the University of Iowa. Tom Wilton has engaged in a variety of work related to the protection and improvement of lakes, rivers and streams since joining the Iowa DNR in 1990. He coordinates the development and application of biological assessment protocols for evaluating stream biological health and determining the attainment status of aquatic life uses. He also participates in the Stressor Identification process, which seeks to determine the primary causes of stream biological impairments. Tom was as a coordinator in the Lake Restoration program, and recently served as a member of the Nutrient Science Advisors group that drafted recreational use criteria for Iowa lakes. Tom received a graduate degree (M.S.) from the University of Minnesota and an undergraduate degree (B.S.) from Iowa State University. |