Dr. Alan Fryar received his BS in Geology and History from Duke University in 1984, his MS in Geology from Texas A&M University in 1986, and his PhD in Geology from the University of Alberta (Canada) in 1992. From 1992 to 1995, he was a Research Associate in the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin. Since 1995, he has been a faculty member in the Department of Geological Sciences (now Earth and Environmental Sciences) at the University of Kentucky, where he is currently a Professor. He teaches courses in hydrology, hydrogeology, and environmental geology. He has graduated eight PhD and 17 MS advisees.
His current and recent research projects include groundwater flow and chemistry in karst regions of Morocco and China; occurrence of arsenic in floodplains of the Ganges and Mekong rivers; transport of bacteria in karst aquifers in Kentucky; and groundwater-stream interactions in major river valleys in Kentucky. Dr. Fryar was the principal investigator for two projects, funded by the US Department of State, to build capacity for graduate education in hydrology in Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, and Indonesia. He has also received grants from the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Energy, the US Geological Survey, and the state of Kentucky. He has authored or co-authored 64 papers in international scientific journals, 13 conference papers, four book chapters, six book reviews, and essays in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Earth Magazine, and International Educator.
Dr. Fryar is a fellow of the Geological Society of America (GSA) and past chair of its hydrogeology division. He is a member of the American Geophysical Union, the International Association of GeoChemistry, the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), and the National Ground Water Association. He is book review editor of the journal Groundwater and former co-editor of the journal Environmental & Engineering Geoscience. He was a Fulbright Specialist to Pakistan (December 2009–January 2010) and India (February-March 2017) and a Fulbright Scholar to Morocco (January-May 2014). He received the International Service Award from the IAH US National Chapter and the GSA Hydrogeology Division Distinguished Service Award.
Studies of how climate change affects water resources in India have emphasized changes in monsoon rainfall and stream flow. The sensitivity of springs, which are important water sources in rural mountainous areas of northern India, to climate and land use/cover changes has received less attention. Dr. Fryar’s Fulbright-Kalam project proposes to study how karst (limestone) springs on the Shillong Plateau respond to rainfall. He intends to review existing data and reports; select springs for sampling; deploy sensors that record water level, temperature, and chemistry for at least one year; and identify timing and sources of recharge. These activities will be coordinated with local stakeholders.