product

Senior Engineering Associate with Potesta & Associates with offices in Charleston and Morgantown, West Virginia, and Winchester, Virginia
Mr. Grose has geological/geotechnical engineering experience related to subsurface exploration studies, soil and rock slope design, landslide causation studies, foundation system design, surface/subsurface hydrogeology, ground subsidence, contaminant transport and groundwater flow modeling. He has experience in planning, design, and permitting of natural gas production well pads and access roads. Mr. Grose has studied hazardous waste remediation sites, compiled CERCLA/SARA, RI, and FS reports and worked on geological and geotechnical aspects of siting and design of municipal and industrial waste landfills. His civil/site design experience includes slope stability of both cut and fill slopes in soil and rock for various well production pads in northeastern West Virginia associated with natural gas production in the Marcellus well field. Mr. Grose’s work has consisted of the management of a design engineering team including ground survey crews to development site topographic base mapping, and coordination with clients regarding land ownership, access roadway alignments, site drainage control, and number/location of production wells. Additionally, his work has also included gathering and midstream transmission pipeline locations. The scope of services for these projects also included the preparation of permit documents and attachments for submittal to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection-Office of Oil and Gas.

Past-Chair and Associate Professor of Geology & Geography West Virginia University Morgantown
Dr. Steve Kite’s research interests are in the geomorphology and late Cenozoic history of the Appalachian Mountains and the processes that dominate this ecologically-rich landscape. Surficial geology mapping is a favorite approach to understanding landscapes, relying on a balance of traditional field work techniques with manipulation of LiDAR and other digital data. His current research focuses on landslide risk assessment, cold-air traps that act as floral and faunal refugia, the geomorphic evolution of the Ohio and New River basins, and New World geoarcheology. Professor Kite’s Quaternary geology research includes the evolution of Appalachian slopes, debris fans, terraces and floodplains; the paleohydrology of proglacial lakes and outwash terraces; and the Pleistocene history of Appalachian fluvial systems. This research draws upon understanding of geomorphology, slope process, surface-water hydrology, hydroclimatology, pedology, biogeography, paleoecology, sedimentology, and karst and cave studies. Modern geomorphology research usually includes some focus on man as a geomorphic agent, and Professor Kite’s primary focus is the human activity with the greatest impact in the Appalachian region: surface coal mining, but also includes the effects of agriculture, logging, and other land uses, such as ecological restoration. Several geoarcheological projects have involved grad students, whose contributions have included development of models for landscape genesis, reconstruction of late Quaternary environments, development of archeological testing strategies, and guidance over excavation. His geoarcheological research has covered an array of sites, ranging from Paleo-Indian and Early Archaic sites on the Ohio and Kanawha rivers to 19th century mills.

Branch Manager/Senior Engineer with Potesta & Associates with offices in Charleston and Morgantown, West Virginia, and Winchester, Virginia
Mr. Sharp has been involved with many aspects of civil engineering with a special interest in the geotechnical/environmental aspects. His responsibilities have included projects involving civil/site design; geotechnical design; solid waste management facility design, including geosynthetic applications; hydrologic and hydraulic design; transportation/highway projects, including geotechnical and right-of-way plans; and municipal water and wastewater projects. Mr. Sharp’s geotechnical engineering responsibilities have included performing subsurface investigations, preparing geotechnical reports, coordinating laboratory analysis programs, and providing recommendations for lateral earth pressures, bearing capacities, modulus of subgrade reactions, settlements and construction specifications for multi-story structures. He has served as an expert witness in numerous cases involving geotechnical issues, earthwork construction, and/or drainage issues. Many of these cases involved a review of available information, development of professional opinions, and issuance of expert reports, depositions and expert testimony.

Mr. Halcomb has over 17 years of geotechnical and cold regions engineering experience and works for Devise Engineering in Anchorage, Alaska. He regularly oversees geotechnical efforts on projects ranging from several hundred thousand to multi-million dollars in various environments including the arctic, subarctic, and marine. Mr. Halcomb has experience in designing various geotechnical infrastructure including shallow and deep foundations, flexible and rigid pavements for vehicle and aircraft traffic, retaining structures, excavations, and dewatering. Mr. Halcomb is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Geo-Institute. He earned his B.S., M.C.E., M.S. in Arctic Engineering, and an Earthquake graduate certificate all from the University of Alaska Anchorage. 

California State University, Fullerton
Dr. Tiwari is a professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department of California State University, Fullerton. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Geotechnical Engineering in 2003 and is expert in the fields of slope stability and stabilization, landslide mitigation, applied GIS, soil behavior and characterization, and geotechnical earthquake engineering. Dr. Tiwari is a member of various technical committees for ASCE and the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, and he is editor as well as reviewer for various international journals. He was post-doc at Niigata University, Japan, and at Virginia Tech for more than three years prior to joining CSUF in the fall of 2006. Dr. Tiwari is a licensed professional engineer in the state of California and has more than 20 years experience in design and implementation of projects pertinent to slope stability and stabilization.

Mr. Mohney is the Engineering Geology Program leader for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The Engineering Geology Program at ODOT encompasses site characterization, subsurface exploration, slopes and embankments, geologic hazards, groundwater, geotechnical instrumentation, and planning and research activities. In this role, he also oversees the Unstable Slopes (landslide/ rockfall) Program for ODOT. He is a registered geologist and a certified engineering geologist in Oregon with over 30 years of experience in Oregon and the western states. Mr. Mohney has been the Engineering Geology Program leader since 2004. Prior to this, he had been a staff and project-level geologist for consulting firms and the mining industry as well as for ODOT. He is a graduate of the Geology Program at Portland State University. During his professional career, Mr. Mohney has been involved in the investigation, design, and construction of a wide range of challenging earthwork projects including high fills on soft ground, side slope embankments, and cut slopes in mixed-face conditions. His other work includes landslide and rockfall mitigation, ground improvement, and dewatering.

Mr. Messmer has over 30 years of engineering experience in analysis, design, plan/specification development, and project management/personnel supervision for geotechnical, foundation and structural engineering projects in the transportation, industrial, municipal and commercial fields of civil engineering. Throughout his career he has placed an emphasis on quality control and staff training. Mr. Messmer is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Concrete Institute, the American Society of Highway Engineers and the Society of American Military Engineers. He earned his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Messmer was accepted into the Academy of Geo-Professionals in 2013.

Palmer Geotechnical Consultants, Inc.Mr. Palmer has over 17 years of experience in civil engineering focusing on water resources and geotechnical engineering. His expertise is in foundation design, below grade and earth retaining structures, hydrology, hydraulics, design of hydraulic structures, hydrogeology, materials testing, slope stability, expansive soils, subsurface seepage, fill placement, and hard rock excavation. Mr. Palmer has performed as project engineer and project manager on many water resources and geotechnical projects for private and government entities. His background includes project management, design and analysis of all phases of municipal and private construction projects, including preliminary geotechnical planning, investigation, geologic mapping, aerial photo review, preparation of plans and specifications, contractor selection, design-build, project engineering support, and forensic studies. Mr. Palmer has designed and prepared plans and specifications for rehabilitation of dams, levees, ponds, and above and below-grade foundations. Other design experience includes treated and raw water transmission pipelines and retaining wall analysis. Mr. Palmer earned his B.S. degree from Colorado State University.

Clay Sterling Midwest Renewable Energy Association
Mr. Sterling has been instructing both solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind courses at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) for over ten years and is an Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) certified instructor in both PV and small wind energy. He has a construction background gained from working in his family’s plumbing shop and working nine years as a commercial electrician on large construction projects. In 2009, Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program named him the “Non-Formal Energy Educator of the Year.” He also received the “Clean Energy Trainer of the Year’’ award in 2013 from the IREC.

Clay Sterling Midwest Renewable Energy Association
Mr. Sterling has been instructing both solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind courses at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) for over ten years and is an Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) certified instructor in both PV and small wind energy. He has a construction background gained from working in his family’s plumbing shop and working nine years as a commercial electrician on large construction projects. In 2009, Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program named him the “Non-Formal Energy Educator of the Year.” He also received the “Clean Energy Trainer of the Year’’ award in 2013 from the IREC.