The University Consortium is an informal association of University professors and industry sponsors specializing in applied groundwater research. Formed more than 30 years ago, the Consortium is now recognized worldwide for its longstanding record of producing leading edge research and fostering successful collaborations between academia and industry.
The original focus of Consortium research was centred on Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPLs) in groundwater and a book, Dense Chlorinated Solvents & Other DNAPLs in Groundwater History was written by Consortium members John Cherry and James Pankow and published in 1996. Since its inception, the Consortium has grown to conduct research on a much broader range of groundwater topics. In 2008, the administrative hub of the Consortium was moved to the University of Guelph where it is headed by Founding member John Cherry.
The current Consortium consists of 31 principal investigators from American, Canadian, and European universities as well as an extended network of researchers from international institutions. Consortium research is supported through grants, government matching programs and the annual support of 12 core corporate sponsors. The Consortium is also supported by in kind support such as equipment, personnel, laboratory and data analysis through other industry partners. Consortium research has an annual budget approaching $10M, which helps facilitate field activities which are the foundation of applied groundwater research. At present, research is focused on contaminated industrial sites both in Canada and internationally, most of which are owned by the Corporate Sponsors.
Download the University Consortium Overview 2020 document.
Learn more at theuniversityconsortium.org