Seeing a need for professional development courses for hydrogeologists, Midwest GeoSciences tapped the expertise of top industry professionals and partnered with In-Situ to develop the definitive course on aquifer testing.

As is the case with many professions, in hydrogeology, a gulf exists between the textbook-based instruction students get in college and the requirements of the job, especially in the sometimes-murky realm of groundwater characterization.

More than 20 years ago, Midwest GeoSciences Group (Midwest Geo) cofounder Dan Kelleher realized that professional-education opportunities for hydrogeologists were both scarce and sorely needed. So, as an enterprising individual with expertise in quantitative groundwater monitoring, he set out to do something about it.

His plan of attack was simple: “I went directly to the experts to find out how to build a bridge between professional geology and engineering and what was being taught in school,” Kelleher says.

Over the years, he and his fellow cofounder Tim Kemmis have developed about 10 different courses taught by more than 35 instructors all over the world. “Advanced Aquifer Testing Techniques for Improved Hydrogeologic Site Characterization” is one of the most popular, a course Kelleher co-teaches with some heavy-hitting partners.

“With regard to aquifer testing in particular, I saw senior-level hydrogeologists arguing about basic terminology,” Kelleher says. “So, I called the guy who literally wrote the book on this stuff – Jim Butler – and asked him to teach a section on slug testing.”

Butler was the 2007 National Ground Water Association Distinguished Darcy Lecturer and the recipient of the 2009 Pioneers in Groundwater Award from the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. As the author of many scientific papers and the popular book “The Design, Performance and Analysis of Slug Tests,” he is eminently qualified to co-lead what has become the definitive course on aquifer testing.

Joining Kelleher and Butler is Glenn Duffield, president of HydroSOLVE Inc. and author of AQTESOLV, the leading software for the analysis of aquifer tests for more than 20 years. These three seasoned pros have honed what Kelleher describes as a “pure, purposeful and nonpromotional” course, which they teach to enthusiastic professional audiences.

About 10 years ago, In-Situ saw a natural fit with Kelleher’s aquifer-testing course and offered to host the course at its corporate headquarters in Fort Collins, CO. Kelleher has been a fan of In-Situ equipment for years, so he was happy to partner.

“There’s no doubt that In-Situ is the industry leader in terms of the efficiency of their equipment and how it works and lasts,” he says. “So, we saw it as a great opportunity to give our students some additional value.”

In-Situ’s Application Development Manager for Groundwater and former Midwest Geo student Adam Hobson works with Kelleher, Butler and Duffield to integrate In-Situ aquifer testing equipment into the course to great effect. The company also recently installed four new wells on its property, and the latest iteration of the course includes a full day of field work to give students invaluable hands-on experience.

“Over many years and countless courses and webinars, Midwest Geo has stayed relevant because they continue to meet the needs of a growing and changing industry and provide professionals with information they can readily use in their daily work,” says Hobson. “Because In-Situ is also working to meet the needs of an evolving industry, it only makes sense that we would work together to give people the best information and the opportunity to work with the best equipment.”

Kelleher says students find their way to Midwest Geo’s aquifer testing course for different reasons, but they all leave with a deeper understanding of how to test more effectively and get more from their data.

“Our courses aren’t for people just looking for credits,” he says. “Come for the education and discover an added benefit through CEUs, because these courses can change your life. And that’s not an exaggeration.”