The 2025 AAEES Autumn Summit
Think Forward

October 9, 2025
Noon - 3 PM Eastern | 9 am - Noon Pacific 

The American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists supports the profession across the life course. Resilient professionals benefit from and contribute to the success of each other and our shared mission to hold paramount the health, safety, and welfare of the public as well solve the problems of planetary health. The theme, “Think Forward” was selected to highlight that environmental engineers and scientists are leaders of excellence in education, practice, research, policy, and regulation. The changing dynamics around us provide an opportunity for a renewed emphasis on our core, shared mission. And this summit brings together thought leadership to stimulate a discussion of how best to thrive as a profession.

Supporting biographical information (subject to change)

Daniel Oerther, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, BCES
Executive Director
American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES)

Daniel B. Oerther (pronounced O’ thur) is a professor of environmental health engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology and the executive director of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. Dan is a serial humanipreneur, developing triple-bottom-line platforms to eradicate the effects of extreme poverty. One recent example is COAST - the Caribbean Ocean and Aquaculture Sustainability faciliTy. COAST is the world’s first-ever parametric insurance product protecting the food security and livelihoods of artisanal and small-scale fisherfolk and their families. Dan pioneered the concept of the Nurse+Engineer as a prototype V-shaped professional. V-shaped professionals use convergence research in a community context to solve the wicked problems of sustainable development. Examples of Dan’s collaborations include supporting mothers and their children during the first 1,000 days of life, preventing childhood stunting among those under five years of age, and ensuring access to clean water and sanitation in homes, schools, and healthcare clinics. Professor Oerther holds an earned PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois. He is a licensed Professional Engineer, and he is Board Certified in Environmental Engineering and in Environmental Science. 

Kate Harris, BCEEM, NAC
President, CEO & Chair
Stanley Consultants, Inc.

Kate Harris is the President, CEO, and Chair of Stanley Consultants, Inc., and has spent over 30 years in the construction, engineering, and consulting industry. With a First-Class Honors degree and advanced training at Harvard Business and Law Schools, she is a leader that takes traditional practices to the next level. She is a Board-Certified Environmental Engineering Member (BCEEM), a Board Leadership Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and a member of the National Academy of Constructors (NAC). Under her leadership, she has driven Stanley Consultants' mission to remain an enduring energy and infrastructure leader. She is a strong advocate for client service, business innovation and talent development. Harris has received numerous accolades, including being named the 2022 CEO of the Year by the Environmental Financial Consulting Group (EFCG) and one of the Top 50 Women Chief Executive Officers by Women We Admire in 2024. Harris continues to serve on various industry boards and committees, promoting the engineering profession and mentoring future leaders. Her work at Stanley Consultants, a company founded in 1913, reflects her commitment to Improving Lives, and creating a sustainable, connected and enriched world for all.

Nirupam Aich, Ph.D.
McNeel Associate Professor
University of Nebraska

TBA

Chad Kershaw, P.E., PMP
Principal
CDM Smith

Chad Kershaw is a civil and environmental project manager at CDM Smith with over 16 years of experience working on a variety of wastewater and water projects. His experience includes sewer main and force main designs, wastewater treatment facility design, wastewater system improvements, wastewater system modeling, sewer inflow and infiltration (I/I) studies, water main designs, and capital improvement project planning. Mr. Kershaw is a licensed professional engineer in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, and is a member of the Collection Systems Committee for the New England Water Environmental Association (NEWEA).

Eileen Sundberg
Environmental Engineer III
CDM Smith

Eileen Sundberg is an environmental project engineer at CDM Smith, working on wastewater treatment, conveyance, and lead in drinking water projects. She has been at CDM Smith for about four years after graduating Roger Williams University in 2021. She is a licensed professional engineer in Rhode Island and is on the board for the Providence Engineering Society.

David Dyjack, Dr.PH, CIH
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
National Environmental Health Association

David T. Dyjack, Dr.PH, CIH is Chief Executive Officer of the 7000-member National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), a position he has held since May 2015. Under his leadership NEHA has published over 30 peer-refereed articles on workforce development, attracted over $100 million in federal funding, and in the process increased membership by 55%. Throughout his 35-year public health career Dyjack has been dean of an accredited school of public health, health director for an international non-governmental organization, and a consultant to private sector organizations such as Exxon, Saudi Aramco, and Ford Motor Company. David earned a doctorate in public health from the University of Michigan, an MSPH from the University of Utah, and is a board-certified industrial hygienist (CIH).

Isabel Escobar, Ph.D.
Chellgren Endowed Chair
University of Kentucky

TBA

Judith Herschell Cole, GIP
President & CEO
Herschell Environmental, LLC.

TBA

Karl Rockne, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE
University Scholar, Director of Research Development
University of Illinois Chicago

Dr. Rockne recently returned to academic research administration after serving two stints as Director of the Environmental Engineering program at the National Science Foundation (NSF). In his current position, Dr. Rockne develops research opportunities for a $500M/year research portfolio at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Rockne has received 15 teaching, research, and service awards, including the NSF Director's Award for Excellence, the NSF Special Act award of merit, and the NSF CAREER award for research on “active capping” technology for environmental cleanup. Dr. Rockne has published over 125 scientific articles that place him in the top 3-6% worldwide in citations in the fields of bioremediation, environmental biotechnology, and environmental engineering.

Virtual Poster Session

Click to enlarge each poster.

Ayodeji Akerele
University of Miskolc, Hungary

Grace Balogun
Morgan State University

Maryam Batool
University of Sahiwal, Sahiwal, Pakistan

Caroline Damron
West Virginia University

Isa Elabor
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Shannay Rawal
West Virginia University

Lara Ribeiro de Souza

Deepak Singh Baghel
Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, India

Eva Valentine
West Virginia University

Sarah Yingling
West Virginia University

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