Faculty

Curtis Hinman, WSU Extension Faculty, Green Stormwater Infrastructure Specialist

WSU Puyallup Green Stormwater Infrastructure Program Lead
WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center
2606 W Pioneer, Puyallup, WA 98371
voice: 253-445-4590

chinman@wsu.edu

Curtis Hinman leads the WSU Low Impact Development (LID) Research Program and has been involved with the program since its inception as a co-designer and managing construction. Mr. Hinman is Professor with Washington State University Extension. He is the author of the “Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound” and the “Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington Homeowners”. Mr. Hinman also serves on regional advisory committees that develop regional stormwater management policy and identify funding and research needs. Mr. Hinman earned a B.S. degree in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning (specializing lake ecology and water resource management) from University of California Davis. He holds a Masters of Science degree with a concentration in stream ecology and watershed management from the Yale University. Other than developing and testing green stormwater management strategies, Curtis is an avid skier and whitewater river rafter and seeks out Spanish tapas no matter the climate or continent.

Markus Flury

Research Interest: soil physics, soil science, vadose zone hydrology

My principal research interest is in the area of flow and transport in porous media, particularly in the vadose zone. Specific areas include: (1) Characterization of water flow and solute transport in the vadose zone, (2) colloid and colloid-facilitated contaminant transport through the vadose zone, (3) soil physical instrumentation and their applications, (4) sustainable use of soil resources.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Soil Physics PhD, 1993

University of Zurich Geosciences MS, 1988

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1997-present Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor, Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman

2009-2011 Assistant Chair, Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman

2005/2006 Visiting Professor (Sabbatical): Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Nanjing; Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH)

1994-1997 Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Soil & Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside

sTAFF

Kimberlie Gridley, Low Impact Development Program Coordinator

Kimberlie Gridley is the Program Coordinator for the Low Impact Development (LID) Research Program at Washington State University Research and Extension Center. Kim earned a B.S. from The Evergreen State College in Environmental Science, with a focus in hydrology and soil microbial ecology. Over the past 10 years she has worked a field research biologist and restoration ecologist collaborating with a variety of federal, state, and local jurisdictions as well as non-profit and community organizations.

Richard Bembenek, Low Impact Development, Research Technician

Richard Bembenek is the senior research technician in the WSU Puyallup Low Impact Development (LID) Program. Richard has worked as a research technician with the WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center since 1998. Richard has a vast array of knowledge and skills regarding research design, lab and data analysis, and equipment maintenance. Before coming to the LID Program Richard spent many years working in the Soil Chemistry Department and later for the Turfgrass Science Program. He received a B.S. in Agronomy from Texas A&M University and is a native to the Dallas, Texas area. Richard enjoys many outdoor activities including hiking, biking and canoeing . Most days you can find Richard outside at the LID Facility calibrating instrumentation and working out the kinks of our complex LID Research Facility.

Jeff Tecca Low Impact Development, Technician

Jeff Tecca works as technician in the WSU Puyallup Low Impact Development Research Program. Jeff assists with everything from construction to equipment calibration to data management. Jeff has a B.M. with a composition concentration from Pacific Lutheran University. Apart from getting muddy in the trenches, Jeff spends most of his time playing saxophone, composing music and cooking delicious food with his friends.

Students

Eric Palmer, Graduate Student

Alessandro Colombelli, Visiting Graduate Student

alessandro_colombelli@live.it

Faculty Advisor: Markus Flury

Crop and Soil Sciences

Alessandro Colombelli holds a B.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Ecology from the University of Salento, Italy. He is currently pursuing graduate studies in Land and Water Conservation with the Department of Agro-Environmental Science and Technology at the University of Bologna. He is visiting WSU as part of a six month exchange program from the University of Bologna.