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Bill Ranson

Jack Garihan

Brannon Andersen

Suresh Muthukrishnan

Weston Dripps

Alan Coulson

Lee Mitchell

Nina Anthony

Lori Nelson

Melissa Strom

C. Brannon Andersen
Professor
Plyler Hall 118D
Phone: 864-294-3366
e-mail: Brannon.Andersen@furman.edu

Education
Ph.D., Geology, Syracuse University,1994
M.S., Geology, Miami University, 1988
B.S., Geology, Texas A & M University, 1984

AFS Faculty Member of the Year, 2004

Professional Positions and Awards

2007-present. Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Furman University
2006-present. Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, School of the Environment, Clemson University
2008. South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Excellence in Teaching Award
2004. Association of Furman Students Faculty Member of the Year
1998-2000. Henry and Ellen Townes Assistant Professor of Science, Furman University
2008-2010. Associate Editor, Environmental Geosciences
2006, 2008. Furman University Engaged Living Faculty
1999- present. Co-Director, River Basins Research Initative
1999-2008. Councilor, Geosciences Division, Council on Undergraduate Research

Teaching Interests

I am interested in how the Earth’s environmental systems change in response to human and natural processes. The concept of a dynamic Earth runs through all my courses which include First Year Seminars, Environmental Science, Environmental Systems, Geochemistry, and Sedimentary Systems.

Course schedule, 2008-2009

Fall:  EES 112 “Environmental Science” with Engaged Living ECOS students
            EES 402  “Geochemistry”
            EES 475 “Research seminar”

Spring:  EES 112 “Environmental Science”
            FYW 1109 “Global Climate Change:  Fact, Fiction, or Fantasy?”

Research interests

I am part of the River Basin Research Initiative, an interdisciplinary team that studies the impact of urbanization on the watershed processes in the upstate of South Carolina.  My main interest is in the biogeochemical processes that control the chemical composition of rivers.  We are currently studying the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and silicon, but I am also interested in sediment transport and trace metal geochemistry

Students are an integral part of our research team.  Undergraduate students are engaged in all aspects of research, from design through presentation at professional meetings.  We have state of the art facilities for biogeochemical analysis of  natural waters.  We collaborate with faculty at the University of Georgia for the analysis of carbon isotopes in water and faculty at the University of Waterloo for the analysis of nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in stream water nitrate. 

Current projects

1.  Impact of wastewater treatment effluent on the biogeochemistry of rivers.
2.  Determination of the sources and fate of nitrogen in urban streams.
3.  Trends of PCO2 dynamics in rivers and streams.

Professional Activities

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Geophysical Union
Council for Undergraduate Research
Geochemical Society
Geological Society of America
Sigma Xi (Scientific Honor Society)
Union of Concerned Scientists

Current Grants

NSF-REU Grant #EAR-0453205, $323,244 (Andersen, Haney, Lewis, Miao, Muthukrishnan, Wheeler, Wheeler) “River Basins Research Initiative NSF-REU Site” 4/05-4/08

Recent Publications (*student author, PDFs available at RBRI website)

*Williams, A. J., Andersen, C.B., and Lewis, G.P., in review, Evaluating the Effects of Sample Processing Treatments on Alkalinity Measurements:  Journal of Hydrology.

Lewis, G.P., *Mitchell, J., Andersen, C.B., Haney, D., and Liao, M.K., and Sargent, K.A., 2007, Urban influences on stream chemistry and biology in the Big Brushy Creek watershed, South Carolina: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, v. 182, p. 303-323.  DOI 10.1007/s11270-007-9340-1.

Muthukrishnan, S., Lewis, G.P., and Andersen, C.B., 2007, Chapter 24.  Relationships between land cover, vegetation density, and nitrate concentrations in streams of the Enoree River basin, piedmont region of South Carolina, USA, in, D. Sarkar, R. Datta, and R. Hannigan (eds.), Concepts and Applications  in Environmental Geochemistry, Elsevier Press, New York, p. 517-542.
           
*Shelley, D.C., and Andersen, C.B., 2005, Sand texture and composition in a small, southern Appalachian stream:  Indications of sediment origin and transport processes:  Southeastern Geology, v. 43, no. 4, p. 229-247.

*Keaton, M., Haney, D. and Andersen, C.B., 2005, The impact of drought on fish assemblage structure in two South Carolina piedmont streams:  Hydrobiologia, v. 545, p. 209-223.

Recent Student Presentations (*student author, PDFs available at RBRI website)

*McGuiness, E., *Anderson, C., Andersen, C.B., and Lewis, G.P., 2008, Origins of elevated nitrate concentrations in urbanized headwater streams, Enoree River Basin, South Carolina:  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Southeastern Section Meeting, v. 40.

*Trieweiler, A., *Moore, C., Lewis, G.P., Andersen, C.B., and Dripps, W.R., 2008, Biogeochemistry of an artificial impoundment in the upper piedmont of South Carolina:  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Southeastern Section Meeting, v. 40.

*Roberts, A., Dripps, W.R., Andersen, C.B., and Lewis, G.P., 2008, Sources of nitrate in four urban headwater streams, Greenville, South Carolina:  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Southeastern Section Meeting, v. 40.

Haney, D. C., Lewis, G.P., and Andersen, C.B., 2008, How interdisciplinary collaboration enhances research productivity at an undergraduate institution: Southeastern Biology 55(3).