David S. Shafer, Ph.D.Tel: 702-862-5564

Associate Research ProfessorFax: 702-862-5427

Senior Directoremail:

Center for Environmental Remediation and Monitoring

Division of Hydrologic Sciences

Desert Research Institute, Nevada System of Higher Education

755 E. Flamingo Road

Las Vegas, Nevada USA 89119-7363

Education

B.S. / 1980 / OregonStateUniversity / Geology and Geography
M.S. / 1984 / University of Tennessee / Geological Sciences
Ph.D. / 1989 / University of Arizona / Quaternary Sciences/Geosciences

Major Appointments and Positions

2003-Present
1998-2008
2002-2003
1997-1998
1990-1997
1989-1990 / Senior Director, Center for Environmental Remediation and Monitoring (CERM), Desert Research Institute, Las Vegas, NV.
Associate Research Professor and Department of Energy (DOE) Program Manager, Division of Hydrologic Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Las Vegas, NV.
Deputy Division Director, Division of Hydrologic Sciences, Desert Research Institute (DRI), Las Vegas, NV.
Vadose Zone Program Manager, HanfordSite, US Department of Energy (DOE), Richland, WA.
Environmental Scientist and Program Manager, Office of Environmental Restoration, US DOE, Germantown, MDWashington, DC.
Physical Scientist, Office of Environmental Audit, Office of Environment, Safety, and Health, DOE, Washington, DC.
1985-1989
1982-1988 / Teaching/Research Associate, Department of Geosciences, University Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
Park Ranger, U.S. National Park Service.
1984-1985 / Geology Instructor,ColgateUniversity, Hamilton, NY.
1982-1984
1981 / Teaching/Research Assistant, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
Natural History Instructor, Hancock Field Station, OregonMuseum of Science and Industry, Fossil, OR

PROFESSIONALAPPOINTMENTSAND ACADEMIC AFFILIATIONS

  • Nevada System of Higher Education DOE EPSCoR Project Director
  • Faculty, Graduate Program in Hydrologic Sciences, University of Nevada-Reno (UNR)

Professional Memberships: American Geophysical Union, Geological Society of America, American Geological Institute, Society for Conservation Biology, Society for Risk Analysis, Legacy Member of the Nature Conservancy.

Professional Registrations:

  • Registered Environmental Manager, State of Nevada
  • Q and Top Secret Clearances

Special Training: ESRI GIS, Radiological Worker II, Hazardous Material Worker Training, First Aid and CPR, Public Speaking, Negotiations, Systematic Development of Informed Consent, Project Management and Controls, Environmental Laws and Regulations, Training for Supervisors,and Management Development Program, U.S. Dept. of Energy (1989-91).

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Letter of Appreciation, American Public Health Association, 2010 Annual Meeting,

Panel on Environmental Systems Analysis and Public Health Needs Assessment (2010).

  • Certificate of Appreciation for Management of DOE Contract, DRI (2008).
  • Best Poster Presentation, Annual Meeting of the Society for Risk Analysis (2006).
  • DRI Division of Hydrologic Sciences Special Accomplishment Award (2006).
  • Outstanding Achievement Award, U.S. Department of Energy, for negotiations of the Nevada Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (1996).
  • Outstanding Achievement Award, U.S. National Park Service (1985).
  • Outstanding Teaching Associate, University of Arizona (1989).
  • National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (1987).
  • Mackin Grant for Research in Quaternary Sciences and Geomorphology, Geological Society of America (1983).
  • Richard Chambers Award for Outstanding Environmental Writing, OSU (1982).
  • Westinghouse National Science Honors Group for the United States (1977).

Professional Skills and Interests: Technical and creative writing, professional speaking, foreign travel for business and holiday, supervisory experience, passable skills in French and Spanish; bird watching, hiking and backpacking, camping, canoeing and kayaking, snowshoeing, native plant gardening.

FUNDED GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AGREEMENTS, AND PROGRAMMATIC PROPOSALS (1998 TO PRESENT)

2011. Assessing the Use of Remote Imagery for Restoration of the Zoige Wetlands, Sichuan Province, China. State Key Laboratory for Hydraulics and Mountain Engineering, Sichuan University. Kumud Archarya and D.S. Shafer. $10K U.S with in-country match and in-kind services.

2010. Phase I, CoEvolution Analysis of the Southwest USA and Northern Mexico. U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. D. Shafer, M. Young, and M. Gallis and Associates. $330K.

2009. Remote Community Alert System Demonstration Using the Community Environmental Monitoring Program. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. T. Hartwell, D. Shafer, G. McCurdy, and M. Breckner. Two years, $250K.

2009. Fire-Induced Changes of Soil Structure: Implications for Coupled Soil Erosion by Water and Wind. D. Shafer, M. Berli, K. Chief, J. Miller, M. Young, D. DuBois and G. Nikolich.DRI Research Affairs Council. $22.3K.

2009. Fire-Induced Changes of Soil Structure: Implications for Soil Hydraulic Properties and Coupled Erosion by Water and Wind. National Science Foundation. D. Shafer, M. Young, D. DuBois, M. Berli., S. Tyler. $30K.

2008. Depleted Uranium Transport by Water in the Mojave Desert. U.S. Air Force Environmental Management. D. Shafer, D. Decker, J. Miller, and M. Young, $275K.

2007.Independent Review of Landfill Design and Management in the Department of Energy (DOE) Complex. Two-year award. DOE Environmental Management Office of Engineering and Technology (EM-20). D. Shafer and B. Albright. $150K.

2007.Independent Evaluation of the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility at the Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site. DOE Environmental Management Office of Engineering and Technology (EM-20). D. Shafer and W. Albright. $28.5K.

2007. Stoller-Grand Junction, DOE Office of Legacy Management. J. Chapman and D. Shafer. $566K for Groundwater Modeling and Regulatory Closure for the Offsite Nuclear Test Sites.

2006.Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Testing Support.Idaho National Laboratory and Battelle Energy Alliance. Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Testing Support. D. Decker, C. Cooper, and D. Shafer. $25K with $25K State of Nevada Applied Research Initiative Match.

2006.Technical Research, Engineering and Development Services Contact for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Site Office. Five years, $42M. Contract No. DE-RP52-06NA99346.

2005.Technical Research, Engineering and Development Services Contract for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Site Office. Six-month contract extension, $4.4M.

2005.Mobile Radiological and Meteorological Monitoring for Noble Gases. U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nonproliferation Research and Development. DRI award as a subcontract to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. $92.9K.

2005.Mechanisms and Mechanics of Landfill Subsidence. AirForceCenter for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE). With University of Nevada, Las Vegas. DRI award as a subcontract to FPM Group. $187.5K.

2005. Task Order Contract for Water Well Integrity Investigation. State of Nevada Division of Water Resources. D. Shafer and D. Donithan. $20K in FY2005.

2005.Testing and Evaluation of an Environmental Radiation Monitoring System Under Desert Conditions. State of Nevada Applied Research Initiative. With SAIC-Exploranium, Canada. Tappen, J., Karr, L., Hartwell, W.T. and D. S. Shafer. $250K.

2004.NevadaAlliance for Defense, Energy, and Business. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nonproliferation and National Security. $1M Grant over Five Years. D. Shafer and A. Russell.

2004.YuccaMountain Environmental Monitoring Initiative. Three-year federal appropriation for the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. $5.25M, FY2004 through FY2006. D. Shafer and C. Russell.

2004.U.S.NavyFacilitiesEngineeringServiceCenter. Uranium Oxide Soil Stabilization Study, Yuma Proving Ground, AZ.DRI award as subcontract through Encapco, Inc. D. Shafer, M. Young, J. Miller, S. Zitzer. $469K.

2004.State of Nevada Applied Research Initiative: Test and Evaluation of a Low Pressure Ion Chamber for Environmental Gamma Radiation Measurements. With General Atomics Corporation. D. Shafer, J. Tappen, G. McCurdy, and L. Karr. $106.4K.

2003.U.S.NavyFacilitiesEngineeringServiceCenter. Plutonium Soil Stabilization Study at the Nevada Test Site. D. Shafer, M. Young, V. Etyemezian. DRI award as subcontract to Encapco, Inc. $192K.

2003.Proposal for creation of the DRICenter for Environmental Remediation and Monitoring (CERM). Proposal part of $5M private gift for the Frank H. Rogers Science and TechnologyBuilding at the Las Vegas Campus, Desert Research Institute. E. McDonald and D. Shafer.

2002.Coupled Environmental Processes and Evapotranspiration Landfill Cover Design. DOE Office of Science and Technology, Subsurface Contaminants Focus Area. With Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico and Bechtel Nevada. Award to DRI: $238K.

2002.U.S. Department of Energy National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Nationwide NEPA Contract. Pre-Qualified Team. DRI part of Battelle Memorial Institute team.

2002.University and Community College System of Nevada Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. Task order research agreement with the University Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Nevada, Reno, and DRI. Total awards to DRI: $2.7M in 2002, $6M total.

2002.Deep Groundwater Well Sampling Technology Development. With AEA Technologies, Plc. DOE Environmental Management UK-EU-US Technology Transfer Program. Total Funding to DRI, FY2002 to FY2006, $208K

2002. Proposal for establishment of the Center for Arid Lands Environmental Management (CALEM) at the Desert Research Institute. Co-authored with Eric V. McDonald.

2001. Site-Wide Analysis of Options for Alternative Landfill Cover Design.Edwards Air Force Base, California. D. Shafer, M. Young, K. Pohlmann, W. Zachritz, B. Albright. $245K.

2001. Automated Vadose Zone and Groundwater Monitoring Systems. DOE Accelerated Site Technology and Deployment (ASTD) Program. Joint research project with Sandia National Laboratories and Bechtel Nevada. DRI Award, $180K.

2000.Technical Research, Engineering and Development Services Contract for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office. Five Year Contract, 3-year base with two one-year extensions, $35M.

1999.A Community Environmental Monitoring Program for the Nevada Test Site. Proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office. Five Years, $5.9M.

1998. DOE Innovative Treatment Remedial Demonstration grant to evaluate methods of reducing infiltration to decrease contaminant mobility from contaminant leaks from the high level radioactive waste tanks at the Hanford Site, WA. D. Shafer and M. Hightower. $2.2M.

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS, BOOK CHAPTERS, AND BOOKS

Hartwell, W.T. and D.S. Shafer. 2011. The Community Environmental Monitoring Program: Communicating Information on Radiation and Nuclear Technologies through Public Participation. International Journal of Nuclear Governance, Economy and Ecology (in review).

Chief, Karletta, Young, M.H., and D.S. Shafer. 2011. Low intensity, fire-induced changes of soil structure and hydraulic properties in a woodland-rangeland ecosystem. Soil Science Society of America Journal (in review).

Li, Y., Acharya, K., Stone, M., Young, M., Yu, Z., Shafer, D., Zhu, J., Gray, K., Stone, A., Warwick, J., Pang, Y., and G. Cui. 2011. Spatial distributions and seasonal variations of algae and nutrients and their correlations in Lake Taihu, China. Journal of Lake and Reservoir Management (in revision).

Shafer, D.S. and W.T. Hartwell. 2011. Community Environmental Monitoring Program: a case study of public education and involvement in radiological monitoring. Health Physics (in press).

Zhu, Jianting, Pholmann, Karl F., Chapman, Jenny B., RussellCharles E., Carroll, Rosemary W.H., and David S. Shafer. 2010. Sensitivity to formation porosity of contaminant transport from Nevada Test Site to Yucca Mountain. Practice Periodical of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste Management, American Society of Civil Engineers, Ms. No. HZENG-100R1.

Zhu, Jianting, Pholmann, Karl F., Chapman, Jenny B., RussellCharles E., Carroll, Rosemary W.H., and David S. Shafer. 2010. Sensitivity of solute advective travel time to porosities of hydrogeologic units. Ground Waterdoi: 10.1111/j.1745-6584.2009.00664.x.

Kavouras, Ilias G., Etyemezian, Vicken, Nikolich, George, Gillies, John A., Sweeney, Mark, Young, M.H. and D. S. Shafer. 2009. A new technique for characterizing the efficacy of fugitive dust suppressants.Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association59: 603-612.

Marlon, J.R., P. J. Bartlein, S. P. Harrison,P. E. Higuera, M. Walsh, R. S. Anderson, C. Briles, K. Brown, L. Brubaker, A. Brunelle, C. Carcaillet, M. Daniels, M. E. Edwards, F. S. Hu, T. Minckley, M. J. Power, P. Richard, D. S. Shafer, W. Tinner, C. E. Jr. Umbanhower, and C. Whitlock. 2009. Wildfire responses to abrupt climate change in North America..Proceedings of the NationalAcademy of Science.DOI:10.1073_pnas.0808212106.

Miller, J.J., Shafer, D.S., Gray, K.J., Church, B.W., Tappen, J., Campbell, Scott, and Barbara Holz. 2007. Characterizing potential exposure to the public from low-level radioactive waste transportation by truck. Health Physics 93(6), 645-655.

Shafer, David S., Young, Michael H., Zitzer, Stephen F., Caldwell, Todd, and E. V. McDonald. 2007. Impacts of interrelated biotic and abiotic processes during the past 125,000 years of landscape evolution in the northern Mojave Desert, U.S.A. Journal of Arid Environments 69 (4), 633-657.

Young, Michael H., Albright, W.A., Pohlmann, Karl F., Pohll, Greg M.; Zachritz, Walter H., Zitzer, Stephen, Shafer, David S., Nester, Irene, Oyelowo, Layi. 2006. Incorporating Parametric Uncertainty in Design ofAlternative Landfill Covers in Arid Regions.Vadose Zone Journal 5, 742-750.

Shafer, D.S., Young, M.H., Zitzer, S.F., McDonald, E.V., T. G. Caldwell. 2006. Coupled environmental processes in the Mojave Desert and implications for ET covers as stable landforms. Pages 718-729 in "Unsaturated Soils 2006", Geotechnical Special Publication 147 (eds., Miller, G.A., Zapata, C.E., Houston, S.L., and D.G. Fredlund), American Society of Civil Engineers.

Young, M.H., Albright, W.H., Pohlmann, K.F., Shafer, D.S., Zitzer, S.F., and E.V. McDonald. 2006. Designing alternative covers in the Mojave Desert using Monte Carlo techniques and design sensitivity analyses. Pages 682-693 in "Unsaturated Soils 2006", Geotechnical Special Publication 147 (eds., Miller, G.A., Zapata, C.E., Houston, S.L., and D.G. Fredlund), American Society of Civil Engineers.

Shafer, D.S., Hartwell, W.T., McCurdy, G.D., and J. Tappen. 2006. The citizen scientist in the desert: the Community Environmental Monitoring Program. Desert Knowledge Australia CRC Publications 2006. Alice Springs, Australia.

Davis, O.K. and D.S. Shafer. 2004. Fungal spores from coprolites, a means of detecting herbivore density. In O.K. Davis Editor. Special Issue on the Advances in the Interpretation of Pollen and Spores in Coprolites. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. ISSN: 0031-0182 1.497.

Shafer, D.S., Bertsch, J.F., Fredenburg, E.A., and C.J. Koizumi. 2000. Gamma borehole logging for vadose zone characterization around the Hanford high level waste tanks, pp. 445-457 in “Vadose Zone: Science and Technology Solutions”, Battelle Press.

Cole, K.L., Henderson, N., and D.S. Shafer. 1997. Holocene vegetation and historic grazing impacts at CapitolReefNational Park reconstructed using fossil packrat middens. Great Basin Naturalist 57 (4), 315326.

Davis, O.K., and D.S. Shafer. 1992. A Holocene climatic record for the SonoranDesert from pollen analysis of Montezuma Well, Arizona, USA. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 92: 107119.

Anderson, R.S. and D.S. Shafer. 1991. Holocene Biogeography of sprucesubalpine fir forests in southeastern Arizona--Implications for the endangered Mt.Graham red squirrel. Madrono 38: 287295.

Jodry, P., Shafer, D.S., Stanford, D., and O.K. Davis. 1989. Late Quaternary environments and human adaptation in the SanLuisValley, southcentral Colorado. Colorado Groundwater Association Field Trip Guidebook.

Shafer, D.S. 1988. Late Quaternary landscape evolution at Flat Laurel Gap, Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina. Quaternary Research 30: 711.

Shafer, D.S. 1987. Determination of early settlement prairie-forest boundary in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota from public land survey records. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 29.

Shafer, D.S. 1986. Flat Laurel Gap Bog, Pisgah Ridge, North Carolina: Late Holocene development of a high-elevation heath bald. Castanea 51 (11): 1-10.

Shafer, D.S. 1986. Geology of WindCaveNational Park (pamphlet). Wind Cave/Jewel Cave Natural History Association.

Shafer, D.S. 1984. The origin and persistence of health and grass balds of the southern Appalachian Mountains: a review of hypotheses and studies, in Wood, James D., Jr. 1984. Tenth Annual Scientific Research Meeting, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

Freed, Michael and D.S. Shafer. 1982. The interpreter’s knapsack: more gimmicks and gadgets for the field interpreter. The Interpreter 13: 1822.

Freed, Michael and D.S. Shafer. 1981. The interpreter's knapsack: the minimuseum goes afield. The Interpreter 12: 22-25.

Shafer, David S. 1979. Scenic geology of BocaCave. The Speleograph 16, 2125.

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, REPORTS, & OTHER SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS

Miller, Julianne J., Shafer, D.S., Forsee, W.J., Meyer, W.J., and S. Jenkins. 2011. Modeling fluvial transport of high density metal contaminants in ephemeral flow systems. Proceedings, 2011 World Environmental and Water Resources Conference, American Society of Civil Engineers. Palm Springs, California (accepted).

Gray, K. J., and D. S. Shafer. 2011. Radionuclide Inventory and Distribution Program (RIDP): A User Relational Database for Preservation and Analysis of Historic Measurements of Radionuclides in Soil. Proceedings of Waste Management 2011, 010 (11235). Phoenix.

Shafer, D.S., Hartwell, W.T., McCurdy, G.D., and M. Breckner. 2011. A demonstration program for providing early warning information to remotecommunities in the Great Basin, U.S.A. Proceedings of the 4th International Perspective on Water Resources & the Environment (EWRI). Singapore. 10pp.

Young, M.H., Caldwell, T.G., Chen, Li; Shafer, D.S., Miller, J.J., and W.J. Meyer. 2011. Multi-scale characterization of arid soil properties for predicting hydrologic processes.Proceedings of the 4th International Perspective on Water Resources & the Environment (EWRI). Singapore. 10pp.

Shafer, D.S., Etyemezian, V., Chief, K., DuBois, D., Kavouras, I., King, J., Miller, J.J., Nikolich, G., and S.F. Zitzer.2010. Ecological and physical response and feedbacks to fires in western North American deserts. Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Dry Lands Development. Cairo, Egypt.

Zitzer, S.F. and D.S. Shafer. 2010. Native biodiversity regeneration following a wildfire in the northern Mojave Desert, USA. Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Dry Lands Development, Cairo Egypt.

Shafer, D. S., McGraw, David, Karr, Lynn H., McCurdy, Greg, Kluesner, Tammy L, Gray, Karen J., and Jeffrey J. Tappen. 2010. Comparison of ambient radon concentrations in air in the northern Mojave Desert from continuous and integrating instruments. DRI Publication 45232 for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Site Office. 35pp.

Tappen, Jeffrey, Nikolich, G., Giles, K., Shafer, D. and T. Kluesner. 2010. Air monitoring network at Tonopah Test Range: network description and capabilities. DRI Publication 45232 for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Site Office. 6pp.

Shafer, David S., Miller, J.J., Chief, Karletta, Meyer, W.J., Jenkins, Sara, Tappen, J.J., Young, M.H., Caldwell, T.G., Papelis, Charalambos, and W. Forsee. 2010. Potential surface water transport of depleted Uranium (DU) and DU oxides on the Nevada Test and Training Range. U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Research Institute Program Report No. G09AP0003.

Shafer, D.S, Tappen J.J., McCurdy, G.D, Karr, L.H.,Hinckley, A.,and S. Campbell. 2010. Remote radon monitoring: a systems integration approach. Proceedings of Waste Management 2010. Phoenix.

Zhu, Jianting, Pholmann, Karl F., Chapman, Jenny B., RussellCharles E., Carroll, Rosemary W.H., and David S. Shafer. 2009. Uncertainty and sensitivity of contaminant travel times for the upgradient Nevada Test Site to the Yucca Mountain area. DRI Publication 45230 for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Site Office (DOE/NV/2683-11). 60pp with appendices.

Shafer, David S. and Jenna Gomes. 2009. Plant mounds as concentration and stabilization agents for actinides in soil.Proceedings of Waste Management 2009, 49 (4) Phoenix.

Karr, L.H., Tappen, J.J., Kluesner, T., Shafer, D.S., and K.J. Gray. 2008. Ambient Radon-222 monitoring in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. Proceedings of the 2008 International High Level Radioactive Waste Conference. Las Vegas.

Hartwell, W.T., Shafer, D.S., Tappen, J.J., McCurdy, G.D., and Dennis Farmer. 2008. Pitfalls of transparency: lessons learned from the Milford Flats fire. Proceedings of Waste Management 2008, 69, No. 8185. Phoenix.

Miller, Julianne J.; Shafer, David S.; Zitzer, Stephen F.; Berli, Markus; Rigby, Douglas; and Moses Karakouzian. 2008. Mechanics of Monolayer Cover Subsidence, Site 3-Main Base Inactive Landfill, Operable Unit 7, Edwards Air Force Base, California. AirForceCenter for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE), San Antonio.