Dr. Tom Phelan
Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Bio
A native of Albany, NY, Dr. Phelan received his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Manhattan College (now Manhattan University) and graduate degrees in environmental engineering from the University of Michigan. He was subsequently a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Tufts University. A licensed professional engineer, Dr. Phelan spent several years a practicing engineer with Geosyntec Consultants in their Boston-area office prior to joining the USAFA faculty in 2009. He a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. Dr. Phelan has taught courses in fluid mechanics, hydraulics, hydrology, contaminant transport, and water & wastewater treatment in both the civil & environmental engineering curricula. He has served as President of the Air Force Academy’s Faculty Senate and Head of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. His research uses mathematical and numerical modeling techniques to explore the fate, transport, and potential remediation of contaminants in the subsurface environment. He currently serves on the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying’s Civil Engineering Principles and Practice of Engineering Examination Committee. He is a 2013 recipient of the Outstanding Academy Educator, the 2016 recipient of the William H. Heiser Award, and the Meritorious Civilian Service medal.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. (2004)
Master of Science, Engineering (Environmental Engineering), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. (1997)
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Manhattan College, New York, N.Y. (1995)
Professional Registration:
Professional Engineer – Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Board Certified Environmental Engineer, American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists
Professional Experience
Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado (2024-present)
Professor & Head, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado (2022-2024)
Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, Environmental Engineering Division Chief, & Research Director, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado (2017-2022)
Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering and Research Director, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado (2016-2017)
Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado (2009-2016)
Project Engineer, Geosyntec Consultants, Inc., Acton, MA (2005-2009)
Adjunct Professor, Tufts University, Medford, MA (2006)
Postdoctoral Associate, Tufts University, Medford, MA (2004-2005)
Lecturer, University of Massachusetts – Boston, Boston, MA (2005)
Honors & Awards
Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, United States Air Force Academy (2024)
The William H. Heiser Award for the USAFA Outstanding Senior Faculty Educator (2016)
Outstanding Academy Educator (2013)
Distinguished Achievement Award, University of Michigan Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Graduate Program (2002)
University of Michigan Regents Fellowship (1995-1996)
Tau Beta Pi Fellowship (1995-1996)
Chi Epsilon Scholarship, Metropolitan District (1995)
Manhattan College Joseph J. Gunn Alumni Senior Medal (1995)
Manhattan College Draddy Medal for General Excellence in Engineering (1995)
Research and Scholarly Interests
Modeling of fate and transport of subsurface contaminants
Fate and transport of perfluorinated compounds in the subsurface
Humanitarian engineering
Engineering education
Publications
Schwartz, M., K. Smits, and T. Phelan, 2023, Quantifying mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining for the Minamata Convention on Mercury’s national action plans: Approaches and policy implications, Environmental Science & Policy, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2022.12.002.
Smith, J. M., J. Lucena, A. Rivera, T. Phelan, K. Smits, and R. Bullock, 2021, Developing Global Sociotechnical Competency through Humanitarian Engineering: A Comparison of In-Person and Virtual International Project Experiences, Journal of International Engineering Education 3(1), DOI: https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jiee/vol3/iss1/5.
O’Brien, R. M., K. M. Smits, N. M. Smith, M. R. Schwartz, D. R. Crouse, and T. J. Phelan, 2021, Integrating Scientific and Local Knowledge into Pollution Remediation Planning: An Iterative Conceptual Site Model Framework, Environmental Development, DOI: 10.1016/j.envdev.2021.100675.
Schwartz, M., K. Smits, J. Smith, T. Phelan, and O. J. R. Baena, 2021, Incorporating positive deviance into comprehensive remediation projects: A case study from artisanal and small-scale gold mining in the municipality of Andes, Colombia, Environmental Science & Policy, DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2021.05.021.
Sloan, J., M. S. Stanford, T. J. Phelan, and J. Pocock, 2021, 1Infrastructure Truths for Air, Space, and Cyberspace, Air and Space Power Journal, 35(1), pp. 19-36.
O’Brien, R. M., T. J. Phelan, N. M. Smith, and K. M. Smits, 2020, Remediation in Developing Countries: A Review of Previously Implemented Projects and Analysis of Stakeholder Participation Efforts, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, DOI: 10.1080/10643389.2020.1755203.
Schwartz, M., K. Smits, N. Smith, and T. Phelan, 2020, How lessons from an evolving comprehensive approach for water and sanitation can improve artisanal and small-scale mining environmental initiatives, Journal of Cleaner Production, DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124457.
Phelan, T. J., L. M. Abriola, J. L. Gibson, K. M. Smits, and J. A. Christ, 2015, Development and application of a screening model for evaluating bioenhanced dissolution in DNAPL source zones, Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 183, 115, doi: 10.1016/j.conhyd.2015.10.001.
Christ, J., J. Heiderscheidt, M. Pickenpaugh, T. Phelan, J. Pocock, S. Stanford, G. Seely, P. Suermann, and T. Twesme, 2014, Incorporating Sustainability and Green Engineering into a Constrained Civil Engineering Curriculum, Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000226.
Li, Y., L. M. Abriola, T.J. Phelan, C. A. Ramsburg, and K. D. Pennell, 2007, Experimental and Numerical Validation of the Total Trapping Number for Prediction of Entrapped DNAPL Mobilization, Environmental Science and Technology, 41(23), pp. 8135-8141, doi: 10.1021/es070834i.
Abriola, L. M., A. H. Demond, D. M. O'Carroll, H.-L. Hsu, T. J. Phelan, C. A. Polityka, and J. L. Ryder, 2005, Compositional Effects on Interfacial Properties in Contaminated Systems: Implications for Organic Liquid Migration and Recovery, in Subsurface Contamination Remediation: Accomplishments of the Environmental Management Science Program, T. Zachry and E. Berkey, editors. American Chemical Society., doi: 10.1021/bk-2005-0904.ch008.
O’Carroll, D. M., T. J. Phelan and L. M. Abriola, 2005, Exploring dynamic effects in capillary pressure in multistep outflow experiments, Water Resources Research, 41, W11419, doi:10.1029/2005WR004010.
Phelan, T. J., L. D. Lemke, S. A. Bradford, D. M. O'Carroll and L. M. Abriola, 2004, Influence of textural and wettability variations on predictions of DNAPL persistence and plume development in saturated porous media, Advances in Water Resources, 27(4), 411-427, doi: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2004.02.011.
Abriola, L. M., D. M. O’Carroll, S. A. Bradford, and T. J. Phelan, 2002, Compositional effects on interfacial properties in contaminated systems: implications for organic liquid migration and recovery, Developments in Water Science, 47(1), 795-802, doi: 10.1016/S0167-5648(02)80143-5.
Bradford, S. A., T. J. Phelan and L. M. Abriola, 2000, Dissolution of residual tetrachloroethylene in fractional wettability porous media: Correlation development and application, Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 45(1-2), 35-61, doi: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2004.02.011.