July 8, 2013
Phanikumar Mantha, associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been elected a 
Fellow of the Geological Society of America (GSA). He will be recognized during the awards ceremony Oct. 28 at GSA’s 125th Anniversary Annual Meeting and Exposition in Denver, Colo. His name also will be published in the July issue of GSA Today.
GSA members elected Mantha in recognition of his distinguished contributions to the geosciences. GSA fellowships are bestowed on the best of the profession once per year at the GSA spring council meeting, with recognitions presented at the GSA annual meeting.
Mantha’s research interests are in hydrology, water resources and contaminant fate and transport modeling. The focus of his current research is on coupled biological - physical modeling in the Great Lakes and their watersheds with a focus on understanding and predicting the transport of pathogens, nutrients and algae in different environments. Mantha is also developing improved methods for large-scale hydrologic modeling including surface water - groundwater interactions at the river reach and river basin scales.
Mantha earned a Ph.D. in Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science. His awards and honors include being a Lilly Teaching Fellow at Michigan State University in 2004; a project member on the Outstanding Remediation Project Award from the National Ground Water Association in 2002, and the Professor C.V. Raman Young Scientist Award in India in 1996.
The Geological Society of America was established in 1888 and supports the professional growth of earth scientists working at all levels of expertise in academic, government, business and industry positions. It unites thousands of earth scientists from every corner of the globe in a common purpose to study the mysteries of our planet and share scientific findings.
