01/30/19
HAYS, Kan. – Dr. Hendratta Ali, associate professor of geosciences at Fort Hays State University, has been awarded a $97,000 Geoscientists Without Borders Grant by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists Foundation.

With this grant, from 2019 to 2021, Ali and her team will travel to Cameroon, in the summer, to conduct geophysical exploration to map aquifers and drill water wells in a rural community that has low access to potable water.

The SEG Foundation through the Geoscientists Without Borders program has a mission of supporting the humanitarian applications of geoscience around the world, with a goal of making a significant difference in the lives of those in need.

The project, titled “Geophysical Investigation of Fault Zone Aquifers and Water Quality Assessment in Nkoteng,” will give participants the chance to use and apply similar geophysical techniques used for oil exploration, and biogeochemical methods to find groundwater and test for water quality to determine if it is safe for human use.

This grant will provide an opportunity for involvement and training of students in the practical and humanitarian applications of exploration geophysics and geoscience techniques. Students from FHSU will work closely with peers from the Colorado School of Mines as well as universities in Cameroon to gain professional experience and add a vital resource to a community in need. 

Last fall, Ali was also co-awarded a linked $300,000 National Science Foundation Grant to study waters in a tropical estuary in the same region.