Prof. Gour-Tsyh (George) Yeh

Gour-Tsyh (George) Yeh received his Ph.D. in hydrology from Cornell University in 1969 and M. S. in hydraulics from Syracuse University in 1967.  His areas of specialty are hydrology, environmental fluid mechanics, hydraulics, and water resources.  Dr. Yeh has extensive experience in multidisciplinary research, teaching, professional services, and coordination skills. He specializes in the mathematical formulation of complex physical transport and biogeochemical reactions and their computer implementations.  His current research focuses on physics-based first principle approaches of watershed modeling, coupled surface and subsurface flow and transport processes, geochemical kinetics, biodegradation and micro-organism/geochemical interactions, geochemical equilibrium modelling, multi-phase flow and transport in both fractured and porous media, development of innovative numerical algorithms, and computational fluid dynamics.  He has been actively promoting scientific knowledge exchange, crusading for technology transfer of sponsored research, and conducting workshops and short courses. He is a consultant to IAEA, United Nations.  Achievements in his career include:

Education

  • PhD        Hydrology/Civil Engineering    Cornell University             1967-1969
  • M.S.        Hydraulics/Civil Engineering   Syracuse University           1966-1967
  • B.S.        Civil Engineering               National Taiwan University    1960-1964

Current Position and Affiliation

  • 2010 – Date, NSC (National Sciences Council) Endowed Professor, Graduate Institute of Applied Geology, National Central University, Taiwan
  • 2011 – Date, Emeritus Provost Professor of Engineering, University of Central Florida

Prior Positions

  • 2000 – 2010, Provost Professor, University of Central Florida
  • 2009 – 2010, Research Fellow, Taiwan Typhoon and Flood Resarch Institute, National Applied Laboratory, Taiwan
  • 2007 – 2010, Hydrologic Science Chair Professor, Graduate Institute of Hydrologic and Oceanic Sciences, National Central University, Taiwan
  • 2006 – 2009, Adjunct Chair Professor, National Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan
  • 2006 – 2007, Research Fellow, National High Performance Computing Center, National Applied Laboratory, Taiwan
  • 1989 – 2000, Professor, Penn State University
  • 1983 – 1989, Senior Research Staff, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • 1977 – 1983, Research Staff II, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • 1972 – 1977, Senior Environmental Engineers, Ebasco (1972-1973), Stone and Webster (1973-1975 and 1976-1977), and Tetra Tech (1975-1976)
  • 1971 – 1972, Visiting Scientist, NASA
  • 1971 – 1971, Visiting Associate Professor, National Taiwan University
  • 1969 – 1971, Research Associate, Cornell University

Awards

  • National Academy NRC Associateship (1971)
  • Martin Marietta Publication Award (1987)
  • Presidential PIP (Project Improvement Process) Award (1988)
  • National Academy NRC Senior Research Associateship (1995)
  • PSES Outstanding Research Award (2000)
  • Distinguished Researcher Award, College of Engineering, UCF (2005)
  • Graduate Teaching Award, CECE, University of Central Florida, UCF (2008)
  • Outstanding Alumni Award, CE, National Taiwan University (2010)

Career & Key Achievements

  • Serve as a consultant to IAEA, United Nations on the use of mathematical models for land remediation
  • Developed over 120 physics-based process-level computational models: many of which has been adopted as the de facto standard by academic communities, federal agencies, and industries
  • Achieved seminal advances in computational-models development and mathematical formulation of reactive transport (HYDROGEOCHEM).  Incubate many similar models worldwide.
  • Pioneered the development of variably subsurface flow and contaminant transport models used worldwide for waste management and remediation (FEMWATER).  Referenced worldwide for over 30,000 times.
  • Innovated the development of coupled multi-media, multi-processes watershed models (WASH123D).  Endorsed by US Army Corps and SFWMD for modeling many of more than 65 projects in the world’s largest everglade restoration program (CERP).
  • Transformed the development of coupled surface water, upland, and groundwater hydrodynamics and water quality transport models (BEST3D).  A next generation ocean model.
  • Evolved multiphase flow and contaminant transport models in subsurface media (MPS)
  • Achieved the development of a general analytical transport model that has been has been endorsed as a protocol to assess the severity of groundwater contamination in “Waste Management Guidelines” by more than 25 out of 50 States in United States (AT123D).  Referenced worldwide for over 25,000 times.
  • Served as review panelists for the US EPA STAR program for five times
  • Served as member of the Florida Governor’s Technical Advisory and Review Committee (TARC) on TMDL
  • Developing next generation CO2 sequestration models that coupled mupltiple processes of multiphase flow, thermal transport, visco-elastic geomechanics, and reactive biogeochemical transport for media of multiple scales (micro-, meso-, macro- and frature)

Current Research Focuses

  • CO2 Sequestration Model Development and Application
  • Processes-based, Physics-based Distributed Watershed Model Development and Research
  • Coupled Surface and Subsurface Flow and Transport Processes
  • Geochemical Kinetics, Biogeochemical Equilibrium Modeling
  • Micro-organism/Geochemical Interactions, Biodegradation
  • Multi-phase Flow and Transport in both Fractured and Porous Media
  • Coastal Hydrodynamics and Water Quality Model Development and Application

Expertise

  • Groundwater and Surface Water Hydrology
  • Computational Hydrogeology and Biogeochemistry
  • Environmental fluid mechanics
  • Physical Oceanography and Coastal Water Quality
  • Development of Innovative Numerical Algorithms
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics in Environmental Systems

Key Publications (10 highest cited)

  • Yeh, G. T. and V. S. Tripathi, 1989.  A critical evaluation of recent developments of hydrogeochemical transport models of reactive multi-chemical components.  Water Resources Res.  Vol. 25, No. 1, 93-108 (Citation – 255)
  • Yeh, G. T. and V. S. Tripathi, 1991.  A model for simulating transport of reactive multispecies components:  Model development and demonstration.  Water Resour. Res.  Vol. 27, No. 12, 3075-3094 (Citation – 215)
  • Gwo, J. P., G. V. Wilson, P. M. Jardine, and G. T. Yeh.  1995.  A multiple-pore-region concept to  modeling mass transfer in subsurface media, Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 164, 217-237 (Citation – 79)
  • Yeh, G. T., 1990. A Lagrangian-Eulerian method with zoomable hidden fine-mesh approach to solving advection-dispersion equations, Water Resources Res. Vol. 26, No. 6, 1133-1144 (Citation – 63)
  • Yeh, G. T. and D. S. Ward, 1980/1987. FEMWATER: A Finite Element Model of WATER Flow through Saturated Unsaturated Porous Media/First Revision, ORNL5601/ 5567-R1, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 37831. (Citation – 61)
  • Yeh, G. T., 1981.  On the computation of Darcian velocity and mass balance in finite element modeling of groundwater flow, Water Res. Res. 17:1529 34 (Citation – 60)
  • Gwo, J.P., P.M. Jardine, and G.T. Yeh. 1996. Using a multiregion model to study the effects of advective and diffusive mass transfer on local physical nonequilibrium and solute mobility in a structured soil. Water Resour. Res. 32:561 570 (Citation – 38)
  • Yeh, G. T., J. R. Chang, and T. E. Short., 1992.  An Exact Peak Capturing and Essentially Oscillation-Free Scheme to Solve advection-dispersion-reactive transport equations.  Water Resour. Res. Vol. 28, No. 11, 2937-2951 (Citation – 36)
  • Salvage, K. M. and G. T. Yeh, 1998.  Development and application of a numerical model of kinetic and equilibrium microbiological and geochemical reactions (BIOKEMOD).  J. of Hydrology. 209:27-52. (Citation – 33)
  • Yeh, G. T. and C. H. Huang, 1975.  Three dimensional air pollutant modeling in the lower atmosphere, Boundary Layer Meteorology 9:381 390 (Citation – 33)

Professional Services

  • Consultant, International Atomic Agency (IAEA), United Nations, 2007 to date
  • UCF Representative, Consortium of University Association in Hydrology Sciences, Inc (CUAHSI), 2004 to date
  • Panelist for USA EPA Grant-Proposal Panels (2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008)
  • Member of Technical Advisory & Review Committee (TARC) on TMDL, Governor Office, Florida (2003, 2004)
  • Panelist for Florida Bay Hydrodynamics Modeling Interagency Review Panel (2003 and 2004)
  • International Advisory Board, TAO (Terrestrial, Atmospheric, and Oceanic Sciences) Journal
  • Review Panelist for Chair Professor Award by Ministry of Education, Taiwan, 2008 and 2010
  • Review Panelist for Outstanding Research Award by National Science Council, Taiwan, , 2007 and 2010
  • Reviewer for Many Proposals Submitted to US NSF and Taiwan NSC
  • Peer review for Many International Journals