Professor Banner is a geoscientist who studies Earth surface processes using field, geochemical, and modeling methods. He received his B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania, his M.S. and Ph.D. from Stony Brook University, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology and Louisiana State University. Professor Banner joined the faculty in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Texas in 1990 in Austin, Texas. Professor Banner’s research investigates the impacts of urbanization on aquifers and streams, and the reconstruction of past climate change, soil erosion and ocean chemistry. He teaches Environmental Science, Sustainability and Science Communication.

Becky Johnson P.G. – Chair of the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists
Ms. Johnson is a board certified professional geoscientist and geologist, an environmental science professor at Texas Christian University, and consultant/trainer with more than 26 years of experience. She is a founding member of the Society of Texas Environmental Professionals Sustainability Chapter, and a volunteer with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality EnviroMentor Program. She served for the last 10 years as past president/officer of Society of Texas Environmental Professionals. Ms. Johnson received a bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Hydrogeology from Texas Christian University. 

Ms. Smith is an attorney based in Wharton County, Texas. Her practice focuses on a wide variety of agricultural issues, especially those involving cattle. She additionally spends a significant portion of her time on oil and gas title examination, farm and ranch transactions, and real estate litigation. Ms. Smith also assists clients with estate planning, probates, and business planning needs. Ms. Smith is a graduate of El Campo High School. She received her bachelor of science degree in Agricultural Science from Texas A&M University in 2009, and received her doctor of jurisprudence degree from South Texas College of Law in 2014. She was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2014 and is also admitted to the Southern District of Texas. Ms. Smith is a member of the Wharton County Bar Association, formerly serving as president, and she is a member of the Texas Bar College. 

Charles “Charlie” Werth – Professor and Bettie Margaret Smith Chair in Environmental Health Engineering University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Charles J. Werth is a Professor & Bettie Margaret Smith Chair of Environmental Health Engineering in the Department of Civil, Architecture and Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He joined the UT faculty in August of 2014, after spending 17 years on the faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Werth’s research and teaching focus on the fate and transport of pollutants in the environment, the development of innovative catalytic technologies for drinking water treatment, and the mitigation of environmental impacts associated with energy production and generation. He is presently the Principal Investigator of an NSF NRT on “Reducing Energy Barriers for Novel Water Supply Use in Sustainable Agriculture”, as well as on other NSF, DOD and DOE grants.