People | William J. Ullman

• B.S., Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, 1975.
• M.S., Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Michigan, 1977.
• Ph.D., Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, 1982.

Oceanography of Shallow Estuaries and Lagoons; Biogeochemistry of the Coastal Zone; Land Use and Nutrient Export from Watersheds; Groundwater Discharge to the Coastal Zone; Groundwater-Surface Water Exchange; Estuarine Nutrients Inputs and Cycling; Early Diagenesis of Sediments; Chemistry of Sandy Beachfaces; Rock/Water Interactions; Role of Bacteria and Metabolic Products on Rock/Water Interactions; Ethical and Professional Education of Graduate Students

The oceanography of shallow estuaries and coastal lagoons: The focus of this research is on the unique characteristics of shallow coastal ecosystems, as exemplified by Delaware's Inland Bays (Rehoboth, Indian River and Little Assawoman Bays), that affect the concentrations and fluxes of nutrients into, out of, and within these systems. This work, conducted in collaboration with the Inland Bays Program of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays, involves the analysis of seasonal changes in nutrient cycling and the role of direct groundwater fluxes to the Inland Bays ecosystem.

The hydrology and biogeochemistry of estuarine watersheds: Land use practices in coastal-plain watersheds have a dramatic influence on the chemistry of the estuaries to which they discharge. The efficient determination of nutrient loads is therefore an important requirement of estuarine management. In collaboration with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Delaware Geological Survey, we are determining nutrient loads associated with surface and groundwater discharges and atmospheric deposition to Delaware's Inland Bays. The results of theses studies provide the basis for watershed and estuarine management and for the evaluation of the success of implemented and proposed management plans.

Continuous Biogeochemical Monitoring for Management and Research:  With funding from the Kent County Levy Court and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, we are monitoring nutrient concentrations and other chemical  parameters at Bowers, Delaware, at the confluence of the Murderkill Estuary and Delaware Bay and in Bridgeville, Delaware, on the Nanticoke River to determine how nutrient loads from Delaware affect downstream receiving water.  Semi-continuous data from the Bower site is available on the web at kentcounty.loboviz.com/.  Data from the Bridgeville site will shortly be available at the Delaware Enviormental Observing System www.deos.udel.edu/.

Nutrient exchange between marshes and estuaries:  In cooperation with other scientists at the University of Delaware and at the Stroud Water Research Center (Avondale, PA) and with fundng from the Kent County Levy Court and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, we are monitoring nutrient concentrations and water discharge at a channel connecting a polyhaline salt marsh and the Murderkill River Estuary, near Bowers Beach, Delaware. The goal of this work is to determine whether the marsh is a net source or sink of nutrients to the estuary.

Fluid and Particle Dynamics in Sandy Estuarine Beachfaces:  With funding from Delaware EPSCoR and in collaboration with Dr. Holly Michael (Department of Geological Sciences, UD), we will be examining fine particle distributions and transport in both the unsaturated and saturated zones of intertidal beachfaces.  This work will help to better define the sources of materials that contribute to the active cycling of nutrients in this zone and may suggest ways in which management of nutrient inputs to the coastal zone may be improved.

Responsibiity and Integrity in Science and Engineering (RAISE):  In conjunction with the UD Science, Ethics, and Public Policy (SEPP) Program, Dr. Thomas Powers (Delaware Biotechnology Institute and Department of Philsophy) and Dr. Mark Greene (Department of Philosophy) and with funding from NSF and UD, we are developing and testing curricula for teaching scientific ethics and proper conduct of research to graduate students.  The goal of this project is to teach graduate students to address complex ethical issues and to prepare these students to teach ethics to their peers and future students.

• Sarah Jane Fisher, M.S. Student, Marine Studies (B.A., Chemistry, Occidental College)
• Dr. Yoana G. Voynova, Postdoctoral Associate (PhD, Oceanography, University of Delaware)
• Other Collaborators:
• A. Scott Andres, Senior Hydrologist, Delaware Geological Survey, University of Delaware
• Dr. Anthony K. Aufdenkampe, Associate Research Scientist, Stroud Water Research Center, Avondale, PA.
• Dr. Brian Dzwonkoski, Research Assistant Professor, School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine
• Dr. Holly A. Micheal, Assistant Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Delaware
• Dr. Thomas E. McKenna, Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, Associate Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Delaware
• Dr. Kuo-Chuin Wong, Professor, Physical Ocean Science and Enginneering, School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware
• Dr. Joanna K. York, Research Assostant Professor, School of Marine Science and Policy, Unversity of Delaware.

Chemical Oceanography (MAST 646), Oceanography Seminar (MAST853); Introduction to Oceanography (MAST 601),Isotope Geochemistry (MAST 852); Responsibility and Integrity in Science and Engineering (PHIL667/UNIV604).

I advise graduate students in both the Department of Geological Sciences (students with interests in low-temperature geochemistry and groundwater chemistry) and in the Oceanography Program. I have also advised National Science Foundation Summer Interns and Semester-In-Residence students from a number of universities outside of the University of Delaware.

Planned Courses: Chemical Oceanography (MAST 646), Spring 2010, 2011; Ingtroduction to Ocean Sciences (MAST482), Fall 2010; Isotope Geochemistry (MAST 852), Spring 2011;  General Geochemistry (GEOL 446/646), Fall 2011; Responsibility and Integrity in Science and Engineering (PHIL613/UNIV604), Spring 2010, 2011.

Volk, J.A., J.R. Scudlark, K.B. Savidge, A.S. Andres, R.J. Stenger, and W.J. Ullman, 2011.  Intra- and inter-annual treads in phosphorus loads and comparison with nitrogen loads to Rehoboth Bay, Delaware. Estuarine, Coastal, and Shelf Science 96:139-150.

Kasper, J.W., J.M. Denver, T.E. McKenna, and W.J. Ullman. 2010. Simulated impacts of artificial groundwater recharge and discharge on the source area and source volume of an Atlantic Coastal Plain stream, Delaware, USA.  Hydrogeology Journal 18:1855-1866.

Wong, K.-C., B. Dzwonkowski*, and W.J. Ullman, 2009. On the temporal and spatial variability of sea level and volume flux in the Murderkill River estuary. Estuarine, Coastal, and Shelf Science 84:440-446.

Hays*, R.L., and W.J. Ullman, 2007. Dissolved nutrient fluxes through a sandy estuarine beachface (Cape Henlopen, Delaware, USA): Contributions from fresh groundwater discharge, seawater recycling, and diagenesis. Estuaries and Coasts 30:710-724.

*Hays, R.L. and W.J. Ullman. 2007. Direct determination of total and fresh groundwater discharge and nutrient loads from a sandy beachface at low tide (Cape Henlopen, Delaware). Limnology & Oceanography, 52:240-247.

*Volk, J.A., K.B. Savidge, J.R. Scudlark, A.S. Andres and W.J. Ullman. 2006. Nitrogen loads through baseflow, stormflow, and underflow to Rehoboth Bay, Delaware. Journal of Environmental Quality 35:1742-1755.

Scudlark, J.R., J.A. Jennings*, M.J. Roadman*, K.B. Savidge and W.J. Ullman. 2005. Atmospheric nitrogen inputs to the Delaware Inland Bays: The role of ammonia. Environmental Pollution 135:433-443.

Miller, D.C. and W.J. Ullman. 2004. Ecological consequences of ground water discharge to Delaware Bay, United States. Ground Water Journal 42(7):959-970.

Lamontagne, S., A.L. Herczeg, J.C. Dighton, J.L. Pritchard, J.S. Jiwan and W.J. Ullman. 2003. Groundwater-surface water interactions between streams and alluvial aquifers: Results form the Wollombi Brook (NSW) study (Part II-Biogeochemical processes. CSIRO Land and Water Technical Report 42/03. 64 p. <Full Text>

*Roadman, M.J., J.R. Scudlark, J.J. Meisinger and W.J. Ullman. 2003. Validation of Ogawa passive samplers for the determination of gaseous ammonia concentrations in agricultural settings. Atmospheric Environment 37:2317-2325.

Ullman, W.J., B. Chang*, D.C. Miller and J.A. Madsen. 2003. Groundwater mixing, nutrient diagenesis, and discharges across a sandy beachface, Cape Henlopen, Delaware (USA). Estuarine, Coastal, and Shelf Science 57:539-552.

Lamontagne, S., J. Dighton and W.J. Ullman. 2002. Estimation of groundwater velocity in riparian zones using point dilution tests. CSIRO Land and Water Technical Report 14/20, pp. 16.

Ullman, W.J. and S.A. Welch*. 2002. Organic ligands and feldspar dissolution. In: R. Hellmann and S.A. Wood, Eds., Water-Rock Interactions, Ore Deposits, and Environmental Geochemistry: A Tribute to David A. Crearar. Geochemical Society Special Publication. No. 7. Pp. 3-35. Text of Abstract

Ullman, W.J. and S.A. Welch*. 2002. Weathering: mineral dissolution and microbial metabolism. In: G. Bitton, Ed. The Encyclopedia of Environmental Microbiology, John Wiley and Sons. Pp. 3375-3389. Text of Abstract

Lamontagne, S., A. Herczeg, F. Leaney, J. Dighton, J. Pritchard and W.J. Ullman. 2001. Nitrogen attenuation by stream riparian zones: Prospects for Australian landscapes. Proceedings of 8th Murray-Darling Basin Groundwater Workshop, (4-6 September 2001, Victor Harbor, South Australia), Murray-Darling Basin Commission, 6 pages. (Extended Abstract).

* Student or Postdoctoral Fellow in my research group.

• Dr. Stephen A. Skrabal, Ph.D. Oceanography, 1993 (B.S. Geology, William & Mary; M.S. Marine Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences). After a postdoctoral fellowship at Old Dominion University with John Donat and David Burdrige, Steve took a faculty position at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the Department of Chemistry and the Center for Marine Science Research. skrabal@uncwil.edu
• Ms. Judy M. Denver, M.S. Oceanography, 1996 (B.S. Geology, University of Delaware). After completing her Master's degree, Judy returned to her position as hydrologist at the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in Dover, Delaware.  jmdenver@usgs.gov
• Dr. Susan Welch, Ph.D. Oceanography, 1997 (M.S. Marine Studies, University of Delaware; B.A. Chemistry, University of New Hampshire; B.S. Geology, University of New Hampshire). Sue is currently a Research Scientist in the School of Earth Science at Ohio State University.   welch.318@osu.edu 
• Ms. Hui Ma, M.S. Oceanography, 1998. Hui completed her degree in the summer of 1998 and now resides in the Washington D.C. area.
• Maria Honeycutt, M.S., Oceanography, 1997 (B.A. Geology, Smith College). Co-advised with Dr. David Krantz. Maria is a Physical Scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Services Center.  She works in NOAA's Climate Program Office in Silver Spring, Maryland. Maria.Honeycutt@noaa.gov
• Kathy A. Traexler, M.S. Oceanography, 1999 (B.S. Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University). Kathy is currently teaching Chemistry at Winter Park High School in Winter Park, Florida. kathy@kathytraexler.com
• James A. Maio, Jr., M.S. Geology, 1999 (B.S. Geology, University of Delaware). Jim is currently working for a consulting firm in Maryland.
• Megan Roadman, M.S., Oceanography, 2000 (B.S. Chemistry, Truman State University). Co-advised with Dr. Thomas Church. Megan is currently working as a Staff Research Associate in the Integrative Oceanography Division at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California. mroadman@ucsd.edu
• Jennifer A. Volk (Jennings), M.S., Marine Studies, 2003 (B.S., Chemistry, 2000, University of Delaware). Jennifer is currently working in the Watershed Assessment Branch at the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Jennifer.Jennings@state.de.us
• Joshua W. Kasper, M.S. Geology,  2007. (B.S., Environmental Sciences, University of Delaware). Josh is currently employed in the Groundwater Protection Branch, Division of Water Resources, Delaware Departmentof Natural Resources and Environmental control, Dover. Joshua.Kasper@state.de.us.
• Rebecca L. Hays, PhD. Oceanography, 2009. (M.S. Oceanography, University of Delaware; B.S. Biology, Millersville University of Pennsylvania)  Becky is currently a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Eastern University, Pennsylvania. rebeccalhays@gmail.com

Click here for PDF of complete vita

Online Enviornmental Data from Bowers, Delaware: kentcounty.loboviz.com/

Video concerning the Nanticoke Water Quality Observatory: www.youtube.com/watch