The Hydrogeologist Time Capsule

Jacob Bear (born 1929)

Jacob Bear is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. He is one of the most influential scientists in the field of transport in porous media. His research has focused on many fundamental issues such as the derivation of the basic constitutive equations for flow and transport, and the development of the concept of the dispersivity tensor, and on their applications to solve practical problems, especially sea water intrusion in coastal aquifers. He is widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of groundwater hydraulics. Jacob Bear has also been an influential educator. He has taught in universities, delivered many short courses for engineers and scientists, and has written several major text books that have influenced generations of professionals all over the world.

Jacob Bear: Looking Forward	00:46:23	Play video	Download video	Download audio
Location : Oxford Conference Center, Oxford, Mississippi, USA Date of record : 13 Oct 2006 Date of publication : 17 Mar 2007 Presentation Jacob Bear delivers a lecture describing both past achievements in and a future vision for the field of transport in porous media. The presentation is based on the Boussinesq Lecture that Bear delivered in 2006 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darcy’s Law. The lecture is followed by an interactive discussion with the audience. Credits Alex Cheng, Bob Holt, Sam Wang (University of Mississippi) Brian Waldron, Jerry Anderson (University of Memphis) Sponsors Funding for the filming and editing was provided by : - Department of Civil Engineering, University of Mississippi - Ground Water Institute, University of Memphis - Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, University of Mississippi - National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering, University of Mississippi - School of Engineering, University of Mississippi
Jacob Bear: Personal Perspectives	00:57:00	Play video	Download video	Download audio
Location : Oxford Conference Center, Oxford, Mississippi, USA Date of record : 13 Oct 2006 Date of publication : 17 Mar 2007 Presentation Jacob Bear is interviewed by Alex Cheng and a group of colleagues and students from the Universities of Mississippi and Memphis. Jacob Bear reflects upon his distinguished career and emphasises the important need for connections to be made between fundamental understanding and real-world applications. The video shows us how Jacob Bear started to write his first book “Dynamics of Fluids in Porous Media” for UNESCO, his motivations, the people that influenced him, and how teaching is an important part of his work. Credits Alex Cheng, Bob Holt, Sam Wang (University of Mississippi) Brian Waldron, Jerry Anderson (University of Memphis) Sponsors Funding for the filming and editing was provided by: - Department of Civil Engineering, University of Mississippi - Ground Water Institute, University of Memphis - Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, University of Mississippi - National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering, University of Mississippi - School of Engineering, University of Mississippi

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Yuan Daoxian (born 1933)

Yuan Daoxian is arguably the most experienced karst and hydrogeology researcher in China. With his teams in Guilin and Chongqing, he contributes to the investigation and resolution of the huge environmental problems in the karst regions of Southwest China, which are home to more than 100 million people. Soil erosion, rock desertification, groundwater contamination and local or temporal water shortages are key problems to be addressed. In this interview, Yuan Daoxian tells about his life and research, which is closely related to the younger history of China and the present environmental problems in this emerging economic power.

Yuan Daoxian: An interview with a distinguished hydrogeologist from China	01:17:12	Play video	Download video	Download audio
Location : Southwest University of China in Beibei, Chongqing, China Date of record : 12 Oct 2007 Date of publication : 15 May 2008 Presentation In this interview, Yuan Daoxian tells about his life and research, which is closely related to the younger history of China and the present environmental problems in this emerging economic power. Credits Interview: Nico Goldscheider (Switzerland), Wu Yuexia (China) & Priscilla Baker (USA) Editing: Nico Goldscheider & Sylvain Tissot Sponsors Hoffman Environmental Research Institute, Western Kentucky University, USA

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N. Goldscheider, Wu Yuexia, P. Baker (2008) - Yuan Daoxian: an interview with a distinguished hydrogeologist from China. Hydrogeology Journal

Charles Vernon Theis (1900 — 1987)

In 1935, Charles V. Theis published a brief article that was the first transient solution for groundwater flow toward a well. He did so by understanding the vital analogy between groundwater flow and heat transfer. As John Bredehoeft says: “It takes real genius to see the basic form of the underlying theory - this was Theis' contribution’’. Today, the Theis transient pump test solution is used by all hydrogeologists for well test interpretation. It is one of the many consequences of his discovery. The Theis legacy is not limited to the transient theory. He was one of the first scientists to emphasize the importance of geological heterogeneity. Further information about Theis’ life and discoveries is available in the references provided below.

C.V. Theis: Full interview by John Bredehoeft	01:40:10	Play video	Download video	Download audio
Location : Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Date of record : 13 Nov 1985 Date of publication : 10 Jan 2008 Presentation Through a discussion with John Bredehoeft, C.V. Theis recalls the early days of hydrogeology at the US Geological Survey. Together, they take a journey through Theis’ major discoveries, discussing their context, and the roles of the other important people that were involved at that time (Hubbert, Wenzel, Jacob, Meinzer, Thiem, etc.). We discover Theis’ personality in detail and he shares with us many professional and private anecdotes and stories that punctuated his life. Credits Interview: John Bredehoeft, Camera and direction: Ben Jones Sponsors US Geological Survey
C.V. Theis: Short edit on his scientific achievements	00:15:35	Play video	Download video	Download audio
Location : Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Date of record : 13 Nov 1985 Date of publication : 01 Feb 2008 Presentation This video is an edited and illustrated selection of the original C.V. Theis interview by John Bredehoeft. It is focused on his main scientific accomplishments and on his relations with some of the most influential geologists at that time (Hubbert, Meinzer, Wenzel). Theis’ major contributions to hydrogeology including transient theory of groundwater flow, heat-flow analogy, well testing, and early work on dispersion are discussed. Credits Interview: John Bredehoeft Camera and direction: Ben Jones Editing: Philippe Renard, Craig Simmons, and Sylvain Tissot Sponsors US Geological Survey, IAH Hydrogeologist Time Capsule Project

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József Tóth (born 1933)

The best way to explain why József Tóth changed the way that hydrogeologists see groundwater flow systems is to cite how he was introduced in January 2004, when he received the M. King Hubbert Award in Orlando: "When it comes to predicting the movement and location of groundwater, few in the world have made as big a splash as Dr. József Tóth. […] Tóth's biggest breakthrough is a mathematical formula used to explain how groundwater moves under the influence of gravity. It is used to predict the location of drinking water, the migration of hydrocarbons, the generation of various ore deposits, and to understand the distribution of vegetation and the origin of soil salinity." His work has been recognised in numerous ways. Amongst other awards, Toth won the first O.E. Meinzer Award from the Geological Society of America's Hydrogeology Division for his earliest publications and in recognition of distinguished contributions to hydrogeology.

József Tóth talks with Ben Rostron	00:58:17	Play video	Download video	Download audio
Location : Denver, Colorado, USA Date of record : 27 Oct 2007 Date of publication : 03 Jul 2009 Presentation Toth talks with Ben Rostron about his major contributions to hydrogeology, his career as a professor and teacher, and the way in which he came to make his breakthrough in the early 1960’s concerning gravity-driven groundwater flow. He discusses the theoretical developments, its practical applications and the impact it has had in the hydrogeology community. Toth talks about his PhD and early career, being the recipient of the first O.E. Meinzer Award by the Geological Society of America and the development of early hydrogeology courses at University of Alberta. Toth reflects on his successful career spanning some 50 years and offers some important thoughts on the future of hydrogeology. Credits Interview: Ben Rostron (U. Alberta, Canada), Camera and direction: Craig Simmons (Flinders University), Todd Halihan (Oklahoma State University), Tim Sickbert (Oklahoma State University) Studio: John M. Sharp (University of Texas at Austin, Geological Society of America) Editing: Martha Halihan, Sylvain Tissot, Philippe Renard Sponsors University of Alberta, Flinders University, Oklahoma State University, Geological Society of America.

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William B. and Elizabeth L. White

Hydrogeologists and speleologists all over the world recognise William B. White (Born 1934, USA) and Elizabeth L. White (Born 1936, USA) for their achievements in the fields of karst hydrogeology and cave research. It is also thanks to the Whites that many aspects of the specific hydrogeological characteristics of carbonate aquifers, such as turbulent flow in caves and conduits, are generally acknowledged today.

William B. White & Elizabeth L. White: their contributions to karst hydrogeology	00:53:34	Play video	Download video	Download audio
Location : Southwest University of China in Beibei, Chongqing, China Date of record : 12 Oct 2007 Date of publication : 15 May 2008 Presentation In this interview, the Whites explain how they organise their scientific cooperation as a couple and how William B. White could cope with 17 different research topics, including spectroscopic techniques, crystal chemistry, glass and materials science. Credits Interview: Nico Goldscheider (Switzerland), Priscilla Baker (USA), Wu Yuexia (China) & Chris Groves (USA) Editing: Nico Goldscheider & Sylvain Tissot Sponsors Enviroscan, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

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N. Goldscheider, P. Baker, Wu Yuexia, C. Groves (2008) - William B. White and Elizabeth L. White (USA): their contributions to karst hydrogeology discussed in an interview. Hydrogeology Journal

Paul Witherspoon (born 1919)

Paul Witherspoon is known for his pioneering achievements in basic understanding of geothermal energy, underground storage of nuclear wastes, hydrogeology, and the flow of fluids in fractured and porous rocks. He was one of the first to realize the importance that low permeability formations may have as potential barriers against the migration of contaminants. He developed specific techniques to investigate such environments and always emphasized the importance of in situ underground experiments. Last but not least, he was the academic advisor of many graduate student who have become well-known hydrogeologists of today.

A conversation between Paul Witherspoon and Alan Freeze	00:55:01	Play video	Download video	Download audio
Location : Berkeley, California Date of record : 30 Oct 2007 Date of publication : 10 Jan 2008 Credits Interview: Alan Freeze Sponsors Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

The Hydrogeologist Time Capsule

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