Prof. Jared West

Profile

Career profile at University of Leeds, UK: Lecturer (1992), Senior Lecturer (2003), Associate Professor of Hydrogeology (2012), Professor of Hydrogeology (2020). Member of the Rock Mechanics, Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology Research Group (RMEGH) within the Institute of Applied Geosciences, School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability. I supervise PhD students and am willing to assist suitably qualified applicants with their scholarship applications. Please get in touch well before the relevant scholarship deadline if you wish to discuss this.

My research addresses physical and geophysical approaches to the characterization of fluid flow, contaminant movement and mechanical properties of aquifers, utilising hydraulic (pumping) and tracer tests, geophysical logging and geoelectrical techniques. I have over 25 years of experience teaching hydrogeology and engineering geology at UG and PG level, including class and field teaching and MSc dissertation project supervision. I contributed to the MSc in Hydrogeology (ran from 2004 -2012) and MSc in Engineering Geology (1967 - ) at University of Leeds and from 2013 to 2017 was Programme Leader for the MSc in Engineering Geology. I was Deputy Head of School of Earth and Environment from 2017 to 2022. I have published more than 60 peer reveiwed articles on topics including hydrogeology, hydrogeophysics, engineering geology and rock engineering, and have supervised more than 30 PhD students.

Research interests

My research has concerned the development and application of physical and geophysical approaches to the characterization of hydrological processes and mechanical properties within the Earth's Critical Zone. Groundwater is an important source of drinking water throughout the world but is also used for irrigation and industrial purposes; it requires protection from pollution by over-abstraction, agrochemicals and disposal of wastes, including radioactive waste.

Protecting groundwater requires a good understanding of the processes of flow and pollutant transport within aquifers; my research has focussed on the development and application of direct, borehole-based physical measurement techniques includling laboratory characteristion, hydraulic and tracer testing, and indirect geophysical techniques such as ground penetrating radar, and use of data from these techniques to inform predictive modelling. Work has involved field scale experiments and monitoring of aquifers, and modelling-based approaches for predicting fluid flow and pollutant transport. I have worked with water companies, government agencies such as the National Nuclear Laboratories, and the hydrocarbons industry to inform strategies for extraction of resources and manage risks from contaminated sites.

In summary, my research interests are concerned with the characterisation of the Earth's Critical Zone, including:

1. quantification of Critical Zone hydrological processes and associated pollutant impacts;
2. development of methods for measuring fluid flow and aquifer properties;
3. application of knowledge of aquifer structure and processes to predict the impacts of human activities, with reference to questions regarding land management, and deep uses of the subsurface.

• 4D Geophysical Monitoring of Landslide Processes
• iCASP - The Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme

Qualifications

• University of Cambridge, UK; B.A. in Geological Sciences.
• University of Leeds, UK: PhD in Engineering Geology

Professional memberships

• Fellow of the Geological Society of London
• Chartered Geologist (C.Geol)

Student education

Current role includes taught classes in physical hydrogeology and aquifer characterisation, at both UG and PG level, and dissertation project supervision (at PG level). I have previously held Programme Leader roles at both UG and PG level, and was Deputy Head of School of Earth and Environment from 2017 to 2022.

Research groups and institutes

• Institute of Applied Geoscience
• Petrophysics and Geomechanics
• Rock mechanics, Engineering geology and hydrogeology

Current postgraduate researchers

• Daniel Matthews
• Felipe Gallardo Ceron