Groundwater Model Development with the Analytic Element Method

2-Day Short Course (August 6-7, 2009)
 

General    

The Analytic Element Method (AEM) is an alternative numerical method for solving a wide range of  groundwater problems. Because AEM models do not require a grid or mesh, they are easy to develop, revise, and modify. Many practitioners, therefore, consider AEM methods their model of choice for "quick and dirty" model development, hypothesis testing, and preliminary model design. Because less time is spent building the model, more time is spent understanding the problem, and users are able to gain both insight into the problem and an intution into model behavior (and misbehavior).

The 2-day short course is designed to introduce the basics of the analytic element method, gain familiarity with the Visual AEM modeling interface, and hone your modeling skills outside of the standard Modflow comfort zone, where preconceptions can be challenged and old lessons learned anew. Several practical examples will be given to demonstrate the use of the analytic element method in practice. Discussions will address key concepts in using AEM for conceptual model development, regional water balance modelling, and source water protection. Hands-on examples with the Visual AEM software will leave every participant with a new (and useful) tool in their toolbox.
 

Example screen shots from the Visual AEM Model

Course Outline

Day 1

• Basic principles of the analytic element method

• Modeling with analytic elements: A different way of doing things

• An introduction to the Visual AEM software

• Source water protection and capture zone modeling
  

Day 2

• Regional scale groundwater flow models

• Advanced features of Visual AEM

• Informing numerical models: pre-model testing & development

• Transient and multi-layer analytic element models

Who Should Attend

Groundwater practitioners, educators, students, and scientists interested in learning the ins and outs of the analytic element method and the Visual AEM software package. Participants should have some experience with groundwater modeling and a desire to broaden their horizons.

The Instructor

The course is taught by Dr. James R. Craig. James is an assistant professor in the Civil and Environmental engineering department at the University of Waterloo, specializing in water resources and environmental modeling. He has has taught for 7 years at both Waterloo and the University at Buffalo, where he obtained his Ph.D. in Environmental engineering for integrating AEM with reactive contaminant transport models. He is the cooordinator for the UW Environmental Modelling and Analysis group and a prominent member of the AEM modeling community.

James is also the primary author of Visual AEM, one of the premiere software tools available for analytic element modeling, and a long-term hobby. He has extensive experience in both providing technical support to the environmental consulting industry and trying to keep his students interested in learning. Both lend themselves to keeping this particular short course both enjoyable and informative.

Short Course Pricing (prices assume laptop provided by attendee)

$895 Professional Rate

$795 Student Rate

$100 early-bird discount applied if signed up by July 4th, 2009.

Registration and Other Information

Course size is limited to 16 participants. If the course fills up, a waiting list will be established. However, in the unlikely event of low attendance SSP&A reserves the right to cancel courses up to 21 days prior to the course start date: in this case the final decision on the course will be made no later than Monday July 20th. In the unlikely event of cancellation, SSP&A will provide a full refund of the course registration fees to all registered persons. Please take this cancellation policy into account when booking air transportation as most airlines charge significant change fees.

Registration for the course is available through secure PayPal links below.

Course Location

The course will be held at the Bethesda offices of SS Papadopulos & Associates. A block of rooms will be arranged at a nearby hotel for course participants – details will be provided on this web page soon. The course will commence Thursday, August 6th at 9:00 am and will be completed by Friday, August 7th at 5:00 pm.

Hotel  ( Reduced Rate )

A block of 10 rooms has been secured at a reduced rate at hotel very close (1 block) to the venue of the August 2009 AEM course. The block rate is available for any and all of the nights of August 5th-7th. The block rate is available until the rooms are all booked or 2 weeks (July 24th) before the commencement of the course.

To secure a room at the hotel call the 800 number provided below, and give the group name ("AEM Course") to get the rate of $109.00 per night (Wednesday/Thursday) and $69.00 for Friday night.  The rate does not include applicable taxes. Each room has a single queen sized bed.

• Hotel Details:
• American Inn
• 8130 Wisconsin Avenue
• Bethesda MD
• 1-800-323-7081

Registration