Jay Almlie is a Principal Engineer and Mid/Downstream Oil & Gas Group Lead at the EERC, where he is involved in oil and gas production optimization, pipeline integrity and leak detection, TENORM (technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material) waste management, and natural gas/natural gas liquids technology development. Mr. Almlie received his B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management from UND.
Mr. Almlie’s principal areas of interest and expertise include oil and gas production optimization, pipeline transport of produced fluids, oilfield TENORM waste management, hydrogen generation, data acquisition and control systems, and project/program management.
Prior to his position at the EERC, Mr. Almlie worked at NASA as lead mechanical engineer on life support systems for advanced Mars base designs, potable water and waste and hygiene systems for the International Space Station, and thermal control system upgrades for the Space Shuttle
Chris Athmer
Terran Corporation
Chris is a 1983 graduate of the University of Dayton (BS Chemical Engineering). He has worked 30 years as an environmental and research engineer. His earlier work involved development of the Lasagna soil remediation process, culminating in the very successful full scale implementation at the DOE facility in Paducah. Chris now designs and installs remediation systems as well as overseeing environmental site investigations and feasibility studies. He is also involved in developing various innovative electrokinetic based remediation systems and mine tailings/sludge dewatering methods. He has published several articles and book chapters on the subject of electrokinetic based remediation.
Dave Branson
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Dave Branson received his M.S. degree from the University of Michigan and Ph.D. in Ecology from Utah State University. He has worked for the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Sidney Montana for the past 20 years, with much of his work taking place on the Little Missouri National Grassland. Dave has primarily examined how livestock grazing and fire can be used to reduce rangeland grasshopper problems, how drought and weather variation affect grasshopper populations, and how grasshoppers and other rangeland insects affect rangeland production and belowground processes when they are abundant. More recently, he has examined insect community reassembly as part of larger collaborative projects examining oil field reclamation in western North Dakota and Russian olive removal and subsequent restoration.
Aaron Daigh
North Dakota State University
Dr. Aaron Daigh is an Assistant Professor of Soil Physics in the School of Natural Resource Sciences at North Dakota State University. He obtained his B.S. in Environmental, Soil and Water Science and his M.S. in Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences at the University of Arkansas. He then obtained a PhD in Soil Science and Environmental Science at Iowa State University. Before joining NDSU, he was an Associate Researcher of Drainage Water Quality in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department at Iowa State University. He has conducted research in soil physics and soil management for over 10 years on topics ranging from soil remediation and reclamation, agricultural and urban water management, and crop and pasture production systems.
Tom DeSutter
North Dakota State University
Dr. DeSutter received his BS and MS degrees from South Dakota State University (Brookings, SD) in 1994 and 1998, respectively, and his PhD from Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS). After completing a Post-Doc with the USDA-ARS (Ames, IA) he was hired in 2006 as an Environmental Soil Scientist by the Department of Soil Science at North Dakota State University (Fargo, ND). His research interests are saline and sodic soils, reclamation of energy-extraction impacted soils, distribution of mercury and other trace metals in surface and subsurface soils, phosphorus losses from freeze-thaw systems, and instrumentation for measuring soil physical and biological parameters. DeSutter teaches Soil and Land Use and Environmental Field Instrumentation and Sampling.
Krista Ehlert
South Dakota State University
Dr. Krista Ehlert holds degrees in Biology (BA), Land Resources and Environmental Sciences (M.S.), and Ecology and Environmental Sciences (Ph.D.). She has conducted research in greenhouses and a variety of ecosystems (rangeland and cropping systems of the Intermountain West, Northeast deciduous forests). Her research background is in ecologically based invasive plant management. Krista is currently an Assistant Professor and Extension State Range Specialist in the Natural Resource Management department at South Dakota State University. In this role, she is responsible for Extension programming and research related to South Dakota rangelands.
Jon Ellingson
Terracon Consultants, Inc.
Jon completed his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Geology from the University of North Dakota. After working on his PhD, he moved to Rome, Georgia where he taught college geology and environmental classes. Jon then moved to Minnesota, where he worked on mineral exploration and mine reclamation for the MN/DNR. From there, he went into consulting, where he worked on large reclamation and remediation projects in Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina. About six years ago he moved back to North Dakota, primarily working on oil and gas and brine spill cleanup in the Williston Basin. Jon is currently the office manager and principal consultant for Terracon Consultants, Inc. in West Fargo, North Dakota and the office’s project director for site investigation, remediation, site closure, and reclamation projects.
Miranda Meehan
North Dakota State University
Miranda is the NDSU Extension Livestock Environmental Stewardship Specialist. She earned B.S and M.S degrees in Animal and Range Science and a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Management, all from NDSU. The focus of her research and extension program is livestock and environmental interactions, specifically those related to grazing. Her current research focuses on riparian ecology and brine spill remediation.
Degrees Attained:
• B.S. Animal & Range Sciences, North Dakota State University, 2005
• M.S. Animal & Range Sciences, North Dakota State University, 2008
• Ph.D. Natural Resource Management, North Dakota State University, 2012
Elizabeth Murray
Earthmaster Environmental Strategies
Elizabeth Murray is a Senior Scientist at Earthmaster Environmental Strategies in Calgary, Alberta. She is a graduate of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario and Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. She has a Ph.D. in human genetics and she has worked for more than 20 years in medical related research and in plant based biotechnology, developing biologics as treatments for human diseases. Elizabeth has worked in environmental sciences for over 6 years and plays a lead role in the analysis and reporting of phytoremediation research and results. She also manages the research and development of Earthmaster’s PEPSystems technologies.
Greg Petrick
BNI Coal
Greg grew up in western ND on small grains farm. He attended the University of North Dakota where received his degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology. Greg has worked for numerous state and federal agencies along with 6 years of experience as an environmental consultant focused on regulatory activities in the Bakken oil field. Greg currently works as a Reclamation Specialist for BNI Coal at the Center Mine located near Center, ND where he is involved in permitting, environmental compliance, landowner interactions, reclamation, and bond release activities at the mine. Greg currently lives in Bismarck with his wife Megan.
Matt Rinella
USDA-ARS Livestock and Range Research Laboratory
Matt Rinella is a research ecologist working for the USDA-ARS Livestock and Range Research Laboratory in Miles City, Montana. Dr. Rinella conducts applied research focused on rangeland restoration and invasive plant ecology management and theoretical research on plant competition and interactions between plants and soil organisms.
Bernhardt Saini-Eidukat
North Dakota State University
Dr. Saini-Eidukat is Associate Professor of Geology in the Department of Geosciences at North Dakota State University, where he teaches a variety of courses including Mineralogy, Petrology, Geochemistry and Field Courses. He obtained his B.S. degrees in Geology and Geophysics, and a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Minnesota. He conducts research internationally on topics ranging from precious and base metal ore deposits to mineralogy and geochemistry of rocks, sediments, soils, and water.
Kevin Sedivic
NDSU Extension Service &Â Grasslands Research and Extension Center
Current Position: Extension Rangeland Specialist – NDSU Extension Service, Range Professor – School of Natural Resource Sciences, and Interim Director – Central Grasslands Research and Extension Center
Started working for NDSU in 1989
Took over as Interim Director of Central Grasslands Research and Extension Center in October 2016
Located on the Main Campus in Fargo in the School of Natural Resource Sciences and Research Center near Streeter
Education
B.S in Zoology – Wildlife Management
M.S. in Animal and Range Sciences
Ph.D. in Animal and Range Sciences from North Dakota State University in 1994
Started working on reclamation and remediation of lands disturbed by energy development in 2013. Other areas of interest include impacts of Kentucky bluegrass on the biodiversity of rangelands, grazing systems, noxious weeds, range nutrition, late-season grazing options, cover crops, and prescribed burning.
Graeme Spiers
Laurentian University
Graeme Spiers, Chair of Environmental Monitoring, Laurentian University, Sudbury, is cross-appointed in the School of the Environment, the Harquail School of Earth Sciences and the Department of Biology. Graeme obtained a B.Sc. in Earth Science and Botany at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, and obtained M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Alberta, specializing in Pedology, Clay Mineralogy and Chemistry. Spiers ongoing research initiatives examine the effects of both historical and current anthropogenic metal emissions on soils, rivers and lakes, as well as vegetation within the Sudbury Smelter Footprint. With an active interest in Technosol development in Land Reclamation on the impacted lands of the mineral industry, he is also involved in a wide variety of research programs across Canada, and actively collaborates with researchers in USA, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, China and South Africa. His research has resulted in both technical and scientific publications, as well as numerous presentations in analytical chemistry, aquatic chemistry, environmental geology, ecology, plant biology and soil science. Prior to attending university on a full-time basis, Spiers was a New Zealand dairy farmer for 10 years, earning an undergraduate degree as a long-term hobby between milkings.
Randy St. Germain
Dakota Technologies, Inc.
Randy St. Germain is a graduate of Dickinson State with a B.S. Chemistry in 1987. Randy later developed a laser-induced fluorescence petroleum detection technology during his M.S. work at North Dakota State University from 1987 to 1991.
Mr. St. Germain co-founded Dakota Technologies, Inc. in Fargo in 1993. Randy and his colleagues have spent the last 25 years developing a continually improving series of direct push deployable high resolution site characterization systems for rapid delineation of petroleum, coal tar, creosote, and chlorinated solvent releases in the subsurface.
Bill Suess
NDDoH Groundwater Protection Program
Bill obtained a degree in geology/geophysics from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. He then spent 16 years as an environmental consultant in the Midwest and Northern High Plains regions. Bill joined the NDDoH Groundwater Protection Program in February of 2014 and was named the Spill Investigation Program Manager on August 1, 2015.
Brett Tuchscherer
Vertex
Brett is a Professional Agrologist with over 10 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and environmental consulting management. As a Project Manager, Brett is responsible for overseeing seven staff members conducting reclamation and remediation activities in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Brett is proficient in developing project scopes of work, estimating project costs, managing timelines, company structures and budgets and developing strong client relationships. Brett has a Bachelor of Science from Brandon University with a Physical Sciences – Geology focus. Brett has been with Vertex since 2012 as a project manager; before that he was an environmental field coordinator for Crescent Point Energy.
Carmen Waldo
US Forest Service
I am a native of Fryburg Township, Billings County, North Dakota. I joined the US Army after graduating from Belfield High School, electing to serve in an overseas assignment. After completing my tour of active duty, I continued to work primarily for the Department of the Army until I had the opportunity to attend and graduate from Dickinson State University. I went to work for Plant Protection and Quarantine conducting agriculture inspections until I was fortunate enough to land my current position with the US Forest Service, Medora Ranger District, where I serve as the Natural Resources Specialist for the Minerals Department. I have 4 children, 8 grandchildren, 4 cats, and a dog, and I (mostly) love my job!
Cathy Walsh
Medora Ranger District
I am currently the cost reimbursement technician on the Medora Ranger District. I have been working on the district for 26 years, with the last 14 years permitting and inspecting of oil and gas pipeline right-of-ways and facilities. I am a graduate of Dickinson State University. I am married and have 2 grown children and 2 Labradors.
Jeremy Yeglin
Golder Associates
Mr. Jeremy Yeglin joined Golder Associates in 2010 as a Staff Engineer in Golder’s Houston, TX office. During his first few years at Golder he developed and grew an oil & gas environmental consulting practice in the Eagle Ford shale basin in south Texas, primarily providing emergency spill response and site assessment services to the upstream E&P sector. In 2014, he was given the opportunity to move to North Dakota to serve in the role of Operations Manager in Golder’s Bismarck office, serving clients in the Williston basin. He has a civil engineering degree from LSU and is a Registered Professional Engineer in multiple states. Mr. Yeglin possesses over ten years of civil and environmental engineering consulting experience serving the oil & gas, petrochemical, power, and mining sectors. His main areas of technical focus are environmental compliance, emergency spill response, site assessment and remediation, and water resources. He has been involved with oil & gas reclamation projects in several states, including North Dakota, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Although Mr. Yeglin has since moved back to his native home of Houston, he remains very active in the Bakken.
