Kate's CV - Inside Mines - Colorado School of Mines

Kathleen M. Smits, Ph.D., P.E.
Colorado School of Mines
Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
1500 Illinois Street
Golden, CO 80401
email: ksmits@mines.edu
EDUCATION Colorado School of Mines (2007-2010)
Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Science and Engineering
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
The University of Texas at Austin (1999-2000)
Masters of Science, Civil Engineering – Water Resources focus
United States Air Force Academy (1995-1999)
Bachelors of Science, Environmental Engineering
Jan 2012-Present Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Colorado School of Mines
Assistant Professor
Aug 2007- Present U.S Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) Peterson AFB, CO
Analyst, Major US Air Force Reserves
Sept 2010- Nov 2011 Department of Environmental Science and Engineering Colorado School of Mines
Postdoctoral Researcher, Adjunct Professor
Aug 2007- Aug 2010 Department of Environmental Science and Engineering Colorado School of Mines
Doctoral Candidate, Research Assistant
Jul 2004-Aug 2007 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering US Air Force Academy, CO
Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Captain U.S Air Force
Apr 2002- Jul 2004 1st Civil Engineer Squadron Langley Air Force Base, VA
F/A-22 Fighter Aircraft Liaison and Project Engineer, Captain, U.S Air Force
-
Dec 2001 – Apr 2002 363 Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia
Commander, Environmental Management Flight, Lieutenant, U.S Air Force
Jun 2000-Dec 2001 1st Civil Engineer Squadron Langley Air Force Base, VA
Deputy Commander, Environmental Management Flight, Lieutenant, U.S Air Force
HONORS/AWARDS
2011 CH2MHill Graduate Student of the Year Award, Environmental Science and Engineering, Colorado
School of Mines
2011 Outstanding Student Paper Award, Environmental Science and Engineering, Colorado School of
Mines
2010 Outstanding Student Paper Award, Environmental Science and Engineering, Colorado School of
Mines
2008 Outstanding Student Paper Award in Hydrology, AGU Fall Meeting

2007 Outstanding Academy Educator Award for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
at the U.S Air Force Academy in recognition of superior teaching accomplishments and a
demonstrated ability to instill high standards of integrity, service and leadership in students
1999 Outstanding Cadet in Environmental Engineering Award by graduating first in major
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Licensed Professional Engineer (Civil Engineering), State of Colorado
Reviewer of papers for: Water Resources Research
Vadose Zone Journal
Soil Science Society of America Journal
Member of American Geophysical Union (AGU), American Society of Civil Engineer (ASCE), the International Society of
Porous Media (InterPore), Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), Association of Environmental Engineering and
Science Professors (AEESP), Society of Women in Engineering (SWE), Tau Beta Pi.
PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Davarzani, H., K.M. Smits, R. Tolene and T.H. Illangasekare. (2013). Study of the effect of wind speed on evaporation from
soil through integrated modeling of atmospheric boundary layer and shallow subsurface. Water Resour. Res., in review.
*Trautz, A., K.M. Smits, P. Schulte, and T.H. Illangasekare (2013). Laboratory validation and numerical testing of the
sensible heat balance and heat-pulse methods to determine in situ soil-water evaporation. Vadose Zone J., in review.
*Petri, B., T.H. Illangasekare, C. Sauck, T. Sakaki, K.M. Smits, R. Fučík, and J. Christ (2013). Effect of fluid phase
distribution on mass-transfer from non-aqueous phase liquids in the vadose zone contributing to vapor intrusion.
Groundwater, in review
Smits, K.M., A. Cihan, T. Sakaki, S.E. Howington, J.F. Peters, and T. H. Illangasekare (2013). Experimental and modeling
investigation of soil moisture and thermal behavior in the vicinity of buried objects. IEEE Trans. in Geosci. Remote
Sens., 10.1109/TGRS.2012.2214485
Smits, K.M., T. Sakaki, S.E. Howington, J. F. Peters and T.H. Illangasekare (2012). Temperature dependence of thermal
properties of sands over a wide range of temperatures [30-70 o C], Vadose Zone J., 10.2136/vzj2012.0033
Smits, K.M., A. Cihan, V. Ngo, T. Sakaki, and T.H. Illangasekare (2012). An evaluation of models of bare soil evaporation
formulated with different land surface boundary conditions and assumptions. Water Resour. Res.,
10.1029/2012WR012113
Smits, K.M., A. Cihan, V.Ngo, and T.H. Illangasekare (2012). Reply to comment by Michael D. Novak on ‘‘Evaporation
from soils under thermal boundary conditions: Experimental and modeling investigation to compare equilibrium and
nonequilibrium based approaches.” Water Resour. Res., doi:10.1029/2011WR011609, 2012
Smits, K. M., A. Cihan, T. Sakaki, and T. H. Illangasekare (2011). Evaporation from soils under thermal boundary
conditions: Experimental and modeling investigation to compare equilibrium- and nonequilibrium-based approaches,
Water Resour. Res., 47, W05540, doi:10.1029/2010WR009533.
Smits, K. M., T. Sakaki, A. Limsuwat, and T. H. Illangasekare (2010). Thermal conductivity of sands under varying
moisture and porosity in drainage-wetting cycles. Vadose Zone J., 9:doi:10.2136/vzj2009.0095
Sakaki, T., A. Limsuwat, K. M. Smits, and T. H. Illangasekare (2008). Empirical two-point alpha mixing model for
calibrating the ECH2O EC-5 soil moisture sensor in sands. Water Res. Res. 44: W00D08, doi:10.1029/2008WR006870.

*Wu, M.Y., K.M. Smits, M.N. Goltz, and J.A. Christ (2008). A screening model for injection-extraction treatment well
recirculation system design. Ground Water Monitoring and Remediation, 28:63-71.
*Schnitger, A.L., K.M. Smits, and J.A. Christ (2007). A review of health concerns associated with engineered carbon
nanotubes and fullerenes. Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
Pocock, J.B., K.M. Smits (2005). Developing alliance through regional defense environmental cooperation: Building on
successes in the Baltic Sea Region. Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
Schantz, B.J, K.M. Burke (1998). Sustainable construction barriers and possibilities, The Military Engineer. 90:29-30.
*publications written with undergraduate and graduate students
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND PRE-PRINTS (presenter underlined)
Davarzani, H., K.M. Smits and T.H. Illangasekare. (2013). Study of the effect of wind speed on evaporation from soil
through integrated modeling of atmospheric boundary layer and shallow subsurface. European Geophysical Union,
Vienna, Austria, April 2013
*Trautz, A., K.M. Smits, A. Cihan, and T.H. Illangasekare. (2013). Evaporation from soils under diurnal boundary
conditions:Experimental and modeling investigation to evaluate nonequilibrium-based approaches. European
Geophysical Union, Vienna, Austria, April 2013
Davarzani, H., K.M. Smits and T.H. Illangasekare. (2012). Study of the effect of wind speed on evaporation from soil
through integrated modeling of atmospheric boundary layer and shallow subsurface. American Geophysical Union Fall
Meeting. San Francisco, CA, Dec 2012.
*Trautz, A., K.M. Smits, P. Schulte, A. Cihan, and T.H. Illangasekare. (2012). Integration of heat-pulse and sensible heat
balance methods to estimate. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. San Francisco, CA, Dec 2012.
*Rice, A.K., K.M. Smits, K.J. Hoske, P. E. Schulte, and T.H. Illangasekare. (2012). The Transport of Chemical Signatures
from Buried Targets – Experimental and Modeling Investigation on the Effect of Soil Moisture Conditions on TCE
Vapor Flux. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. San Francisco, CA, Dec 2012.
*Kirby, E.A., W.J. Massman, and K.M. Smits. 2012. The effect of forest burn on the thermal properties of soils. Proceedings
from Hydrology Days. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, March, 2012
*Shannon, L., B. Putman, Y. Li, T.H. Illangasekare and K.M. Smits. 2012. Evaulating a novel approach for locating
preferential vapor transport pathways in the vadose zone – Coulpling soft data from electrical resistivity tomography to
hard analytic data. Proceedings from Hydrology Days. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, March, 2012
Smits, K. M., V.J. Ngo, A. Cihan, and T.H. Illangasekare. (2012). Evaporation from soils subjected to natural boundary
conditions at the land-atmospheric interface, European Geophysical Union, Vienna, Austria, April 2012.
Illangasekare, T.H., T. Sakaki, J. Christ, *B. Petri, *C. Sauck, P. Schulte, A. Cihan, K.M. Smits, Y. Lee, *L. Shannon, *B.
Putman. Vapor intrusion into subsurface structures – an improved understanding for guideline development through
physical and numerical modeling. SERDP/ESTCP Symposium Washington, D.C., Nov/Dec 2011.

Illangasekare, T.H., K. Smits, T.Sakaki and A. Cihan, (2011). Soil Moisture Processes in the Shallow Subsurface Near
Land/Atmospheric Interface- Challenges and New Research Approaches, Invited speaker at “Perspectives for the Future
of Hydrology in a Changing Environment. Memorial Session in Honour of Professor Jim Dooge”, European Geological
Union, Annual Meeting, Vienna , April 2011.
Illangasekare, T.H., K. Smits, V. Ngo, A. Limsuat, T.Sakaki and A. Cihan, (2011). Soil Moisture Processes in the Shallow
Subsurface Near Land/Atmospheric Interface- Opportunities, Challenges and New Research Approaches, - Borland
Lecturer, AGU Hydrology Days, Colorado State University, 2011.
Smits, K. M., V.J. Ngo, A. Cihan, T. Sakaki, and T.H. Illangasekare. (2011). An experimental and modeling study of
evaporation from bare soils subjected to natural boundary conditions at the land-atmospheric interface American
Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 2011.
Smits, K. M., V.J. Ngo, A. Cihan, T. Sakaki, and T.H. Illangasekare. (2011). Numerical simulation on the effect of
heterogeneity on evaporation/condensation in soils under diurnal temperature fluctuations, Proceedings from
MODFLOW and More, Golden, CO, June, 2011.
Illangasekare, T.H., K. Smits, A. Limsuwat and T. Sakaki. (2011). Soil moisture processes in the near surface unsaturated
zone: experimental investigations in multiscale test systems. Annual Meeting of the International Society for Porous
Media (Interpore 2011) Proceedings from Interpore, Bordeaux, France, March, 2011.
Smits, K.M., T. Sakaki, and T.H. Illangasekare (2011). Thermal conductivity of soils as affected by temperature,
Proceedings from Hydrology Days. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, March, 2011.
Smis, K.M., A. Cihan, T. Sakaki, and T. H. Illangasekare (2010). Evaporation from soils under thermal boundary conditions:
Experimental and modeling investigation to compare equilibrium and non-equilibrium based approaches. Proceedings
from 27 th Annual Army Science Conference, Orlando, FL, Dec 2010.
Smits, K.M., A. Cihan, T. Sakaki, and T. H. Illangasekare (2010). Shallow subsurface soil moisture behavior as affected by
heat source boundary conditions: Experimental and modeling investigation. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting,
San Francisco, CA, Dec 2010.
Sakaki, T., A. Limsuwat, K. M. Smits, and T. H. Illangasekare (2010), Empirical two- -mixing model for calibrating
the ECH2O EC-5 soil moisture sensor in sands, Hydrologic Measurement Methods, 157-164, Consortium of Universities
for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) and American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting,
San Francisco, CA, Dec 2010.
Smits, K.M., A. Cihan, T. Sakaki, and T. H. Illangasekare (2009). Heat-induced evaporation in the shallow subsurface:
Experimental and modeling investigation. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 2009.
Smits, K. M., T. Sakaki, A. Limsuwat, and T. H. Illangasekare (2009). Determination of the thermal properties of sands as
affected by water content, drainage/wetting, and porosity conditions for sands with different grain sizes, Joint Assembly
Spring Meeting, Toronto, Canada. May 2009.
Smits, K. M., T. Sakaki, A. Limsuwat, and T. H. Illangasekare (2009). Determination of the thermal conductivity of sands
under varying moisture, drainage/wetting, and porosity conditions- applications in near-surface soil moisture distribution
analysis. Proceedings from Hydrology Days. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, March 2009.
Smits, K. M., T. Sakaki, A. Limsuwat, C. C. Frippiat, and T. H. Illangasekare (2008). Spatial and temporal variability of
water retention in shallow depths of vadose zone: Experimental investigation, Proceedings of the
MODFLOWandMore2008,188-192.

Smits, K.M., C.C. Frippiat, T. Sakaki, G.A. Zyvoloski and T. H. Illangasekare (2008). Modeling spatial and temporal
variability of soil moisture in shallow depths of the vadose zone: A comparison of two and three dimensional simulations
to capture relevant physical processes. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 2008.
Smits, K.M., T. Sakaki, A. Limsuwat, C. Frippiat, and T.H. Illangasekare (2008). Water retention in heterogeneous shallow
unsaturated aquifer zone: Experimental and model validation investigation. MODFLOW Conference Proceedings,
Golden, CO, May, 2008.
*Gibson, J.L., K.M. Smits, L.M. Abriola, J.A. Christ (2006). Modeling and interpreting the interplay between non-aqueous
phase liquid dissolution and degradation rates. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec,
2006.
*publications written with undergraduate and graduate students
REPORTS
Illangasekare, T.H., T. Sakaki, and K.M. Smits. 2011. Development of systematic approaches for calibration of subsurface
transport models using hard and soft data on system characteristics and behavior, Amy Research Office Final Report for
Proposal Number 45814-EV.
Smits, K.M., T.H. Illangasekare. 2010. Non-isothermal soil moisture processes in the shallow subsurface influenced by
atmospheric boundary conditions: numerical and experimental study, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO. PhD
Thesis.