Gregory W. Characklis

Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Engineering
School of Public Health
Rosenau Hall, CB7431
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400
email: charack@email.unc.edu

Full C.V. (pdf)

Education

  • Ph.D. Environmental Science and Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, 1999.
  • M.S. Environmental Science and Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, 1994.
  • B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 1989.


Professional Experience

  • Associate Professor, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 2007-present.
  • Associate Editor, Water Resources Research, 2003-present.
  • Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 2001-2007.
  • Director, Resource Development & Management, Azurix Corp., Houston, TX, 1999–2001.
  • Fellow, National Academy of Engineering, Washington, DC, 1997-1999.
  • Research Asst., Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, 1992–1997.
  • Visiting Scholar, Van Hall Institute, Groningen, Netherlands, May–July 1994.
  • Associate Scientist, EG&G Idaho, Inc., Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Idaho Falls, ID, 1990–1991.


Honors & Professional Activities

  • Invited Participant, German-American Frontiers of Engineering, National Academy of Engineering, Potsdam, Germany, April 2009.
  • Past-Chair, ASCE Environmental and Water Resource Systems Committee, 2009 (Secretary, 2006; Vice-Chair, 2007; Chair, 2008).
  • Technical Advisory Committee, North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute, 2003; 2006-present.
  • Chair, ASCE Task Committee on Systems Analysis and NSF Environmental Observatories, 2006-2008.
  • Session Co-Chair, Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008.
  • Invited Speaker, Frontiers of Engineering, National Academy of Engineering, Irvine, CA, September 2003.
  • Fellow, National Academy of Engineering, Washington, D.C., 1997-99.
  • Outstanding Doctoral Student, Environmental Science and Eng., Rice University, 1998.
  • Hudspeth Graduate Research Award, Delange Conference, Houston, TX, March 1997.
  • Graduate Research Award, Water Environment Association, Austin, TX, June 1993.


Publications
(superscript indicates student or postdoc working with Dr. Characklis: M = masters; D = doctoral; P = post-doc)

     National Research Council
  • Characklis, G. W. (2004)."Interface of Water Resource Engineering with Economics and Public Policy", Frontiers of Engineering, National Academy of Engineering, National Academy Press, pp. 11-18.
  • Characklis, G. W. (2003). "Interface of Water Resource Engineering with Economics and Public Policy", The Bridge (Journal of the National Academy of Engineering), Winter, pp. 4-9.
  • Industrial Environmental Performance Metrics: Challenges and Opportunities (1999). National Academy of Engineering/National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 252 pp.
     Peer-Review Journals
  • Kasprzyk, J. R., Reed, P. M., Kirsch, B. R.D, and G. W. Characklis. "Managing Population and Drought Risk Using Many-objective Water Portfolio Planning Under Uncertainty," Water Resources Research. (in press).
  • Krometis, L. A.D, Characklis, G. W., Drummey, P. N.M and M. D. Sobsey. “Comparison of indicator organism and Salmonella spp. partitioning behavior in an urban watershed," Journal of Water and Health. (in press)
  • Krometis, L. A.D, Characklis, G. W. and M. D. Sobsey (2009). “Identification of particle size classes inhibiting protozoan recovery from surface water samples via USEPA Method 1623," Applied Environmental Microbiology, 75(20), pp. 6619-6621.
  • Krometis, L. A.D, Drummey, P. N.M, Characklis, G. W. and M. D. Sobsey (2009). “The Impact of Microbial Partitioning of Wet Retention Pond Effectiveness," Journal of Environmental Engineering, 135(9), pp. 758-767.
  • Kirsch, B. R.D, Characklis, G. W., Dillard, K. E. M. and C. T. Kelley (2009). "More Efficient Optimization of Long-term Water Supply Portfolios," Water Resources Research, 45, W03414.
  • Palmer, R. N.M and G. W. Characklis (2009). “Reducing the Costs of Meeting Regional Water Demand Through Risk-based Transfer Agreements,” Journal of Environmental Management, 90, pp. 1703-1714.
  • Cizek, A. R.M, Characklis, G. W., Krometis, L. A.D, Hayes, J. A., Simmons, O. D., DiLonardo, S., Alderisio, K. A. and M. D. Sobsey (2008). "Comparing the Partitioning Behavior of Giardia and Cryptosporidium with that of Indicator Organisms in Stormwater Runoff," Water Research, 42, pp. 4421-4438.
  • Characklis, G. W. and P. M. Reed (2008). "An Evolving Paradigm for Publication in the Water Resources Management Field," Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education, 139, pp. 37-40.
  • Fries, J. S.P, Characklis, G. W. and R. T. Noble (2008). “Sediment-Water Exchange of Vibrio sp. and Fecal Indicator Bacteria: Implications for Persistence and Transport in the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, USA,” Water Research, 42, pp. 941-950.
  • Fries, J. S.P, Noble, R. T., Paerl, H. W. and G. W. Characklis (2007). "Particle Suspension as Indicators of Estuarine Water Quality in the Neuse River Estuary," Estuaries & Coasts, 30(2), pp. 359-364.
  • LoBuglio, J. N.D, Characklis, G. W. and M. L. Serre (2007). "Cost-effective Water Quality Assessment through Integration of Monitoring Data and Modeling Results," Water Resources Research, 43(3), W03435.
  • Krometis, L. A.D, Characklis, G. W., Simmons, O. D., Dilts, M. J.M,  Likirdopulos, C. A.,  and M. D. Sobsey (2007). “Intra-Storm Variability in Microbial Partitioning and Microbial Loading Rates”, Water Research, 41, pp. 506-516.
  • Characklis, G. W., Reed, P. M. and B. S. Minsker (2007).  “The Role of Systems Analysis in NSF’s Environmental Observatories,” Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 133(1), pp. 1-3.
  • Fries, J. S.P, Characklis, G. W. and R. T. Noble (2006). "Attachment of Fecal Indicator Bacteria to Particle Suspensions in Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, USA," Journal of Environmental Engineering, 132(10), pp. 1338-1345.
  • Traviglia, A. M.M and G. W. Characklis (2006). "Considering Location, Compliance, and Storage in Decisions on Brackish Water Resource Development", Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 132(6), pp. 514-520.
  • Kirsch, B. R.M and G. W. Characklis (2006). "An Equilibrium Approach to Integrating Regional Surface Water Treatment and Limited Groundwater Pumping Capacity", Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 132(6), pp. 444-454.
  • Lund, J. R., Cai, X. and G. W. Characklis (2006). “Economic Engineering of Environmental and Water Resource Systems”,  Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 132(6), pp. 399-402.
  • Characklis, G. W., Kirsch, B. R.D, Ramsey, J.M, Dillard, K. E. M. and C. T. Kelley (2006). "Developing Portfolios of Water Supply Transfers", Water Resources Research, 42(5), W05403.
  • Characklis, G. W., Dilts, M. JM, Simmons, O. D., Likirdopulos, C. A., Krometis, L. A.D, and M. D. Sobsey (2005). "Microbial Partitioning to Settleable Particles in Stormwater", Water Research, 39, pp. 1773-1782.
  • Characklis, G. W., Griffin, R. C. and P. B. Bedient (2005). "Measuring the Long-term Regional Benefits of Salinity Reduction", Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 30(1), pp. 69-93.
  • Characklis, G. W. (2004). "Economic Decisionmaking in the Use of Membrane Desalination for Brackish Supplies", Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 40(2), pp. 615-630.
  • Aitken, M. D., Novak, J. T., Characklis, G. W., Jones, K. L., and P. J. Vikesland (2004). "The Evolution of Environmental Engineering as a Professional Discipline", Environmental Engineering Science, 21(2), pp. 117-123.
  • Characklis, G. W. and D. J. Richards (1999). "The Evolution of Industrial Environmental Performance Metrics", Corporate Environmental Strategy, 6(4), pp. 324-336.
  • Characklis, G. W., Griffin, R. C. and P. B. Bedient (1999). "Improving the Ability of a Water Market to Efficiently Manage Drought", Water Resources Research, 35(3), pp. 823-831.
  • Characklis, G. W. and M. R. Wiesner (1997)."Particles, Metals, and Water Quality in Runoff from a Large Urban Watershed", Journal of Environmental Engineering, 123(8), pp. 753-759.

     Book Chapters

  • Wiesner, M.R., G.W. Characklis and D. Brejchova,"Metals and Colloids in Urban Runoff", Chapter 2 in Metals in the Environment, ed. H. Allen, A.W. Garrison and G.W. Luther, III. Ann Arbor Press, 1998.
     Invited Papers, Reports and other publications
  • Report of the Water Allocation Study Team (2009). North Carolina Environmental Management Commission, Raleigh, NC.
  • Climate Change Committee Report (2008). Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
  • Raucher, R. S., Cromwell, J., Henderson, J., Wagner, C., Rubin, S., Goldstein, J., Huber-Lee, A. ,Young, C., Characklis, G. W. and B. R. Kirsch (2006). "Regional Solutions to Water Supply Provision", American Water Works Association Research Foundation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, IWA Publishing.
  • Characklis, G. W., Kirsch, B. R.D, Ramsey, J.M, Dillard, K. E. M. and C. T. Kelley (2006). “Using Water Transfers to Manage Supply Risk,” Safe Drinking Water: Where Science Meets Policy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, March 2006.
  • Traviglia, A. M.M and G. W. Characklis (2004)."An Expert System for Decisionmaking in the Use of Desalination for Augmenting Water Supplies", Desalination and Water Purification Research and Development Program, Bureau of Reclamation, U. S. Dept. of the Interior, Denver, June 2004, pp. 41.
  • Aitken, M. D., Novak, J. T., Characklis, G. W., Jones, K. L., and P. J. Vikesland (2003)."The Evolution of Environmental Engineering as a Professional Discipline", National Science Foundation/Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, Toronto, Ontario, 23 pp.
  • Griffin, R. C. and G. W. Characklis (2002). "Issues and Trends in Texas Water Marketing", Water Resources Update, 121, pp. 29-33.


Funded Projects

  • “Operating Policies and Administrative Procedures Governing Operations of the John H. Kerr Project on the Roanoke River”, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, $74,282; 09/08 – 04/09, co-Principal Investigator (PI: Richard Whisnant).
  • “Linkage of bacterial pathogens to human infectious disease in an estuary subjected to extreme climatic events”, National Science Foundation, $1,527,139, 9/08 – 08/12, co-Principal Investigator (PI: Rachel Noble). .
  • “National Strategy for Environment and Health for the United Arab Emirates,” Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, $4,562,312, 6/08 – 5/11, co-investigator (PI: Jacqueline MacDonald).
  • “North Carolina Water Allocation Study”, North Carolina Environmental Review Commission, $100,000, 1/08 – 12/08, co-Principal Investigator (PI: Richard Whisnant).
  • "Promoting North Carolina's Economic Development through Strategic Water Resource Management", North Carolina Research Competitiveness Fund, $246,000, 12/07 – 12/08, Principal Investigator.
  • “Evaluating Giardia and Cryptosporidium Partitioning in New York City Water Supply Reservoirs”, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/New York City Department of Environmental Protection, $385,000, 8/06 – 8/07, Principal Investigator.
  • "Improved Regional Supply Strategies Using Probability-based Inter-utility Transfer Agreements," Research Triangle Utilities, $80,000, 9/06-7/08, Principal Investigator.
  • "Developing a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for a Biologically Impaired Waterbody", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/North Carolina Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources, $200,000, 7/06 – 6/09, Principal Investigator.
  • "Identifying the Origins and Attachment Behavior of Non-point Source Microbial Contaminants", North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute/North Carolina Urban Water Consortium, $49,000, 7/05 – 12/06, Principal Investigator.
  • "Regional Solutions to Developing Water Supplies", American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AWWARF) and USEPA, $347,000, 10/03 – 9/05, co-Principal Investigator (PI: Stratus Consulting, Inc.).
  • "Reducing the Cost of Maintaining Regional Water Supply Reliability", Progress Energy/NC Urban Water Consortium, $80,000, 6/04 – 6/06, Principal Investigator.
  • "Impacts of Anthropogenic Change on the Ecology of Human Pathogens in a Eutrophic Estuary", National Science Foundation/National Institutes of Health, $1,796,000, 9/03 – 8/08, co-Principal Investigator (PI: Crawford-Brown, D.).
  • "Impact of Microbial-Particle Interaction on Microbial Fate and Transport in Stormwater", North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, $75,000, 6/03-5/04, Principal Investigator.
  • "Drought vulnerability in the Catawba River Basin", Duke Energy Foundation, $100,000, 5/03 – 1/04, co-Principal Investigator (PI: Band, L.).
  • "Reducing the Cost of Maintaining Reliability in Regional Water Supplies", IBM/UNC Junior Faculty Development Grant, $5,000, 1/03 – 12/03, Principal Investigator.
  • "An Expert System for Decisionmaking in the Use of Desalination for Augmenting Water Supply", U. S. Dept. of Interior/Bureau of Reclamation, $60,000, 9/02 – 6/04, Principal Investigator.
  • "Developing a Minimum Cost Portfolio of Water Assets", University Research Council, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, $3,900, 5/02 – 4/04, Principal Investigator.
  • "Reduced Cost Strategies for Regional Integration of Surface and Ground-water Use", North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute, $80,000, 2/02 – 6/04, Principal Investigator.
  • "Minimizing Regional Cost of Conjunctive Use of Surface and Groundwater", University Research Council, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, $3,900, 12/01 – 11/03, Principal Investigator.
  • "Conversion from Conventional Treatment to Microfiltration in a Small Water System", U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, $115,000, 12/01 – 3/03, co-Principal Investigator (PI: DiGiano, F. A.).


Recent Invited Presentations

  • Characklis, G. W. “Emerging Issues in Water Management: Water Quantity and Water Quality,” North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute Advisory Board Meeting, Raleigh, NC, May 2009.
  • Characklis, G. W. “Meeting Future Water Demands,” Rotary International, Chapel Hill, NC, May 2009.
  • Characklis, G. W. “Developing Improved Water Management Strategies Using Coupled Engineering-Economic Models,” Water CAMPWS Series, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, May 2009.
  • Characklis, G. W. "Developing Improved Water Management Strategies using Coupled Engineering-Economic Models," UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Delft, Netherlands, April 2009.
  • Characklis, G. W. "Developing More Efficient Water Resource Management Strategies," Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, April 2009.
  • Characklis, G. W. “Developing Regional Strategies for Water Resource Management,” Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 2009.
  • Characklis, G. W. “Meeting Future Water Demands in the Face of Rapid Development,” Global American South Conference, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, April 2008.
  • Characklis, G. W. “Improved Methods for Managing Drought,” Current Science Forum, Morehead Planetarium, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, December 2007.
  • Characklis, G. W. "Using Coupled Models of Hydrologic and Economic Systems to Develop Water Resource Strategies,” Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, November 2007.
  • Characklis, G. W. "Developing Regional Strategies for Managing Water Scarcity," Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Penn State University, State College, PA, October 2007.
  • Characklis, G. W. "Developing More Efficient Water Resource Management Strategies," Nicholas School for the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, March 2007.
  • Characklis, G. W. “Microbial Partitioning in Stormwater and its Implications for Water Quality Management,” Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina, Morehead City, NC, September 2006.
  • Characklis, G. W. “Private Sector Opportunities for Water Resource Development,” Property and Environment Research Center (PERC), Bozeman, MT, June 2006.
  • Characklis, G. W. “Using Coupled Models of Hydrologic-Economic Systems to Develop More Sustainable Water Resource Strategies,” Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, March 2006.
  • Characklis, G. W. "Alternative Approaches to Managing Water Resources," College of Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, April 2005.
  • Characklis, G. W."Developing Regional Strategies for Water Resource Development," Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, March 2005.
  • Characklis, G. W."Alternatives for Managing Water Supply Risk", Kenan-Flagler Business School, Water and Wastewater Executive Education Program, Chapel Hill, NC, February 2005.
  • Characklis, G. W."Reducing Costs and Managing Water Supply Risk", Dept. of Earth & Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, November 2004.
  • Characklis, G. W."New Approaches for Managing Water Resources", Dept. of Geography & Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, November 2004.
  • Characklis, G. W."The Use of Regionalized Treatment Systems and Transferable Water Rights in Managing Water Resources", Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, October 2004.
  • Characklis, G. W. and B. R. Kirsch."Regional Management and Development of Water Resources", CONCARIBE Environmental Conference, Cartagena, Colombia, May 2004.
  • Characklis, G. W."Opportunities for Regionalization and Risk Management in the Water Business", Kenan-Flagler Business School, Water and Wastewater Executive Education Program, Chapel Hill, NC, February 2004.
  • Characklis, G.W."Interface of Water Resource Engineering with Economics and Public Policy", Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, National Academy of Engineering, National Academies Beckman Center, Irvine, CA, September 2003.