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David Spelman

Associate Professor
dspelman@bradley.edu

Ph.D. Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida
B.S. Civil Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University
B.S. Environmental Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • August 2023 - Present, Associate Professor, Bradley University 
  • August 2017 – August 2023, Assistant Professor, Bradley University 
  • August 2012 - May 2017, Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, University of Florida
  • June 2012 - August 2012, NASA DEVELOP Intern, NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center

TEACHING

Courses

  • Introduction to Environmental Engineering
  • Water Supply & Hydraulics
  • Surface Water Hydrology
  • Sustainability & Public Policy
  • Sustainability & Environmental Regulation
  • Ethics & Sustainability
  • Computing in Civil Engineering
  • Numerical Methods
  • Advanced Numerical Methods
  • Mechanics
  • Introduction to Civil Engineering

Software Implemented in Teaching & Research

  • Excel
  • Matlab
  • AutoCAD
  • PCSWMM
  • EPANET
  • ANSYS Fluent

SCHOLARSHIP

Research Interests

  • Sustainable Stormwater Management
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Water Infrastructure
  • Hydrologic Modeling
  • Nutrient and Sediment Transport
  • Wastewater Biosolids Resource Recovery as Biochar
  • Undergraduate Engineering Education

Students Supported

19 Undergraduate Student Researchers
Student Co-authored presentations:

  • 2019 & 2022 Illinois Wastewater Professionals Conference
  • 2022 & 2023 Bradley University Student Scholarship Expo
  • 2020 AEESP Distinguished Lecturer Conference at Perdue

Recent Publications (Last Five Years)

  1. Cataño-Lopera, Y., Spelman, D., Yee, T., Pathapati, S., Beck, K., Lee, J., Knatz, C., Wang, R., Zhang, J., Camacho-Rincon, R., Kamojjala, S. (2023) Best Practices for Computational Fluid Dynamics Applications in Water Infrastructure. ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering.
  2. Li, H., Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2023). Extensibility of a Machine Learning Model for Stormwater Basin Design and Retrofit Optimization Through a User-Friendly Web Application. Transportation Research Record. 1(15) doi.org/10.1177/036119812311551
  3. Spelman, D., Lee, Y-S. (2022). Sustainability of Concrete as A Civil Engineering Material. Engineering Journal. 26(7) doi.org/10.4186/ej.2022.26.7.69
  4. Li, H., Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2022). Coupling computational fluid dynamics and artificial intelligence for sustainable urban water management and treatment. Environmental Sciences Proceedings. Keynote presentation at the 5th International Conference EWaS, University of Naples, Federico II, 12-15 July 2022. (author only). doi.org/10.3390/environsciproc2022021087
  5. Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2021). Models of Wet Basin Design Response with Residence Time Metrics for Presumptive Guidance. Journal of Environmental Engineering. 147(12) doi.org/10.1061/(asce)ee.1943-7870.0001931
  6. Spelman, D., Cothren, G., (2021). Rational Method to PCSWMM: Matching Models to Situations.HydroLearn. https://edx.hydrolearn.org/courses/coursev1:HydroLearn+HydroLearn406+2019_S2/about
  7. Li, H., Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2021). Baffled clarification basin hydrodynamics and elution in a continuous time domain. Journal of Hydrology. 595, 125958. doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.125958
  8. Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2018). Toward Fundamental Pollutant Routing and Treatment Modeling Within Stormwater Control Measures Using Computational Fluid Dynamics. Journal of Water Management Modeling. 26, C459. 10.14796/JWMM.C459
  9. Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2018). Is the Treatment Response of Manufactured BMPs to Urban Drainage PM Loads Portable? Journal of Environmental Engineering. 144(4), 1-10. 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001326

Recent Conference and Invited Presentations (Last Five Years)

  1. Li, H. (Presenter & Author), Spelman, D. (Author only), Sansalone, J. (Author only). (2023). Deploying Machine Learning Model for Stormwater Basin Design and Retrofits Optimization Through User-Friendly Web Application. Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. January 10th, 2023. (oral presentation)
  2. Spelman, D. (2022). CFD Applications in Stormwater Treatment. Invited lecture to the integrated Stormwater Management (iSWM) Subcommittee of the North Central Texas Council of Governments. Virtual. July 13th, 2022. (oral presentation)
  3. Spelman, D. (Presenter & Author), Maillacheruvu, K. (Author Only). (2022). Biochar from Biosolids: A Residuals Management Revolution? Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors 2022 Conference. St. Louis, MO. June 29th, 2022. (oral presentation)
  4. Spelman, D. (2022). CFD Applications in Stormwater Treatment. Technical Workshop: Best Modeling Practices for CFD Applications. 2022 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress. Virtual. June 5th, 2022. (oral presentation)
  5. Spelman, D., Winkelman, E., Beaty, J., Lee, D., Maillacheruvu, K. (Author Only). (2022). Biochar From Biosolids. Illinois Wastewater Professionals Conference. April 25th, 2022. (oral presentation)
  6. Beaty, J. (Presenter & Author), Winkelman, E. (Author Only), Lee, D. (Author Only), Spelman, D. (Author Only), Maillacheruvu, K. (Author Only). (2022). Biosolids to Biochar. Bradley University’s 2022 Student Scholarship Expo. April 5th, 2022. (poster presentation)
  7. Spelman, D. (2022). Is the Treatment Response of Manufactured BMPs to Urban Drainage PM Loads Portable? Illinois Association of Floodplain and Stormwater Managers 2022 Conference. Normal, IL. March 9th, 2022. (oral presentation)
  8. Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2022). Models of wet basin design response with residence time metrics for presumptive guidance. 2022 Urban Drainage Modeling Conference. Virtual. January 10th, 2022. (oral presentation)
  9. Li, H., Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2021). CFD Applications in Stormwater Treatment. ASCE Webinar. Virtual. December 17th, 2021. (oral presentation)
  10. Spelman, D. (2021). Is the Treatment Response of Manufactured BMPs to Urban Drainage PM Loads Portable? Invited lecture to the National Municipal Stormwater Alliance. Virtual. November 10th, 2021. (oral presentation)
  11. Maillacheruvu, K. (Author Only), Spelman, D. (Author Only), Abu-Abaileh, A. (Presenter & Author), Farooqi, F. (Author Only), Barry, B. (Author Only), Kron, M. (Author Only), Stuart, L. (Author Only). (2020). Biosolids to Biochar. AEESP Distinguished Lecturer Conference. AEESP, Hosted by Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. February 2020. (poster presentation)
  12. Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2019). Methods to model PM clarification of unit operations subject to unsteady loadings. World Environmental & Water Resources Congress. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. May 20th, 2019. (oral presentation)
  13. Spelman, D. (Presenter & Author), Sansalone, J. (Author Only). (2019). Modeling the Fate of Metals in Stormwater Unit Operations. 2019 AEESP Distinguished Lecture & 25th Annual EES Symposium. Champaign, IL. April 2019. (oral presentation)
  14. Abu-Abaileh, A. (Presenter & Author), Farooqi, F. (Presenter & Author), Spelman, D. (Author Only). (2019). Lab-Scale Study of Residence Time Distribution in Stormwater Treatment Systems. Illinois Wastewater Professionals Conference. Springfield, IL. February, 2019. (poster presentation)
  15. Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2018). Is the Treatment Response of Manufactured BMPs to Urban Drainage PM Loads Portable? World Environmental & Water Resources Congress. Minneapolis, Minnesota. June 6th, 2018. (oral presentation)
  16. Spelman, D., Sansalone, J. (2018). Toward Fundamental Pollutant Routing Within Stormwater Control Measures Using Computational Fluid Dynamics. International Conference On Water Management Modeling. Toronto, CA. March 1st, 2018. (oral presentation)
  17. Spelman, D. (2018). Adopting innovative stormwater treatment practices through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. AEESP Distinguished Lecturer Conference. Perdue University. February 2nd, 2018. (oral presentation)

SERVICE

Leadership Positions

  • Faculty Advisor, American Society of Civil Engineers, Bradley University Student Chapter, 2018-Present
  • Head of Undergraduate Recruiting. 2018-Present
  • Environmental Engineering Laboratory Director. August 2017–Present

Committee Member

  • ASCE-EWRI CFD Task Committee 2018-Present
  • CEC Online Learning and Opportunity Committee 2021-Present
  • Interdisciplinary Studies Advisory Committee 2023-Present
  • Intercollegiate Athletics Committee 2023-Present
  • Bridge-Pals event announcer and organizer 2018-2020

Affiliations

  • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
  • Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI)
  • Water Environment Federation (WEF)
  • Association of Environmental Engineering & Science Professors (AEESP)
  • Illinois Water Environment Association (IWEA)

LICENSURES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Certifications
Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the state of Illinois. License number: 062.074919

Recognition and Awards

  • Caterpillar College of Engineering Faculty Teaching Award; May 2023
  • ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering 2022 Outstanding Reviewer; March 2023
  • Rudolph Hering Medal; May 2019
  • ASCE ExCEEd Fellow; August 2018
  • ICWMM Best Presentation (out of 38); March 2018

Bradley University has engaged Everspring, a leading provider of education and technology services, to support select aspects of program delivery.