Are You 'In'to Teaching? Research?

University of Alberta, Canada | The University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is among the top six Canadian universities in annual total research funding. In June, they were one of two Canadian universities to take delivery of a Geoprobe® 77 Series machine.

Dr. Gary Kachanoski, Vice-President (Research) and Professor in the Department of Renewable Resources, believes that the acquisition of the Geoprobe® Model 7730DT with direct sensing, soil sampling, and groundwater monitoring equipment, will further the research being done by his department and many other disciplines offered at the University of Alberta. “I plan to encourage many of our faculty and students in several departments to use the equipment,” he said. Dr. Kachanoski was the first to use the new purchase for two weeks on a project in the neighboring province of Saskatchewan.

Staff and students at the University of Alberta focus on the Direct Image® Field Instrument after the University’s new 7730DT and tooling were delivered.	Dr. Gary Kachonowski (seated far right) enjoys the new Geoprobe® Model 7730DT with students at one of the University of Alberta’s research stations.

Dr. Kachanoski was appointed the University’s Vice- President in 2001, and is responsible for providing leadership and direction to research activities and initiatives on campus, and for creating a climate of support where individuals can achieve success. Sven Dean and Mark Klessons of Groundtech Solutions delivered the 7730DT and trained the university staff. Groundtech Solutions is the exclusive distributor of
Geoprobe® machines and tooling in Canada.

University of Waterloo, Canada | The University of Waterloo’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (home of the Waterloo Institute for Groundwater Research) joined the long list of proud owners of a ‘Genuine’ Geoprobe® direct push machine in June. The University, located in Waterloo, Ontario, is a world leader in fieldbased contaminant hydrogeological research, and recently added the Geoprobe® Model 7720DT to their arsenal of research tools. The purchase was made possible through financial contributions from the University of Waterloo and a Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant titled, “The Water Initiative: Integrated Groundwater and Surface Water Remediation and Management”.

The 7720DT will be used in different types of research, such as: hydrogeology, contaminant hydrogeology; watershed hydrology; groundwater modeling and remediation; aqueous inorganic and organic geochemistry; isotope geochemistry; geological engineering; environmental geophysics; sedimentology; and Quaternary geology. The rig will be used to obtain cores, collect water quality profiles, and install monitoring devices at: organic contaminant remediation test cell sites at the renowned Canadian Forces Base Borden research site; nitrate contaminated agricultural sites; contaminated drinking water supply sites; road salt contaminated sites; riparian zone/groundwater-surface water interaction sites; contaminated industrial sites; and acid rock/ mine tailings sites. The graduate school will also feature the 7720DT as part of their annual course on field methods.

Professors Dr. David Rudolph and Brewster Conant Jr. chose the Geoprobe®rig to meet specific needs of researchers at Waterloo. “The 7720DT’s mobility and compact size made it attractive to us,” Dr. Rudolph said. “Also important to us was the rig’s downforce (equal to the larger 7730DT), our ability to use Waterloo’s existing drilling/sampling equipment with it, and the Geoprobe® reputation and commitment to research and development.” Robert Ingelton and Paul Johnson, two senior hydrogeological technicians at the University, are operating the rig according to Sven Dean, President of Groundtech Solutions. “Bob and Paul have decades of drilling experience, and have invented, designed, and built numerous innovative sampling devices for our industry.” Groundtech Solutions in Richmond Hill, Ontario, is the exclusive distributor of Geoprobe® machines and tooling in Canada.

“We’re very happy to have the 7720DT”, said Dr. Conant. “It will help us continue our tradition of leading-edge, fieldbased hydrogeological research.”

Paul Johnson (left) and Robert Ingelton, senior hydrogeological technicians at the University of Waterloo with the newly acquired 7720DT. (at right starting from left) Trevor Draper, Groundtech Solutions; Paul Johnson, Robert Ingleton, and Dr. David Rudolph, University of Waterloo; and Sven Dean, Groundtech Solutions.