Personal home page
E-mail : Jim.Uber@uc.edu
Office  : 780 Engineering Research Center
Phone : (513)-556-3643
Fax     : (513)-556-2599

Areas of Interest

Dr. Uber conducts research in the area of environmental and water resources systems analysis. His work involves the development and application of numerical methods, and mathematical optimization approaches, for the simulation, design, control, and operation of complex environmental and water resource systems. His recent research activities are summarized below.

Interdisciplinary Research to Broaden Understanding About Drinking Water Quality: Collaborative work with epidemiologists and water quality scientists (C. Moe and P. Tolbert - Emory U.; J. Eisenberg - U. Michigan; D. Moll - CDC) is estimating the microbial and chemical health risks associated with drinking water, especially the contribution of water distribution systems. Collaborative work with electrical and controls engineers (M. Polycarpou - U.Cyprus; M. Bryds - U. Birmingham) initiated work on automatic feedback control of water quality in spatially distributed distribution systems.

Computational Tools for Analysis and Improvement of Water Quality in Distribution Systems: Development and application of general simulation tools to integrate multi-species water quality dynamics with water distribution system hydraulic models. Computational methods for real-time monitoring and surveillance of drinking water quality, to mitigate the risks associated with intentional contamination of drinking water. Monte-Carlo simulation framework to quantify microbial health risk associated with pathogen intrusion in drinking water distribution systems, by linking disinfectant residual and pathogen inactivation kinetics with network hydraulic models.

Field-Methods for Measurement of Water Quality in Distribution Systems: Improved  field-scale tracer tests using continuous monitoring to assess and improve the accuracy of water distribution system water quality models.

 Publications

• K. Lansey, F. Pasha1, S. Pool, W. Elshorbagy, and J. Uber. Locating satellite booster disinfectant stations. A.S.C.E. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 2006. (To Appear).

• F. Shang and J. Uber. Calibrating pipe wall demand coefficient for chlorine decay in water distribution system. A.S.C.E. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 2006. (To Appear).

• R. Murray, J. Uber, and R. Janke. A model for estimating acute health impacts from consumption of contaminated drinking water. A.S.C.E. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 132(4):293-299, July/August 2006.

• J. Berry, W. E. Hart, C. A. Phillips, J. G. Uber, and J-P. Watson. Sensor placement in municipal water networks with temporal integer programming models. A.S.C.E. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 132(4):218-224, July/August 2006.

• R. Janke, R. Murray, J. Uber, and S. Allgeier. An evaluation of system architectures for contamination warning systems. A.S.C.E. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 132(4):310-313, July/August 2006.

• Z. Wang, M. Polycarpou, J. Uber, and F. Shang. Adaptive control of water quality in water distribution networks. I.E.E.E. Transactions on Control Systems Technology, 14(1), January 2006

 Research Projects and Grants

• An Adaptive CyberInfrastructure for Threat Management in Urban Water Distribution Systems (Co-PI, with K. Mahinthakumar, R. Ranjithan, E.D. Brill, Jr., North Carolina St. Univ.; K. Harrison, Univ. South Carolina; G.von Laszewski, U. Chicago), funded by National Science Foundation, 1/2006-1/2009

• Examining Epidemiological and Environmental Factors Associated with Microbial Risks from Drinking Water(Co-PI, with J. Eisenberg,Univ. California-Berkeley; and C. Moe, Emory Univ.), funded by US Environmental Protection Agency, 1/2005-1/2009

• Drinking Water Quality and Emergency Visits for Gastroenteritis in Atlanta(Co-PI, with P. Tolbert, Emory Univ.), funded by US Environmental Protection Agency, 1/2005-1/2008

• Water Security Research To Extend Epanet, Quantify Uncertainty In Demand, And Develop A Framework For Evaluating Algorithms For Contamination Warning Systems, funded by US Environmental Protection Agency, 10/2006-9/2007

• Evaluation of Disinfection Practices for DBP and Precursor Occurrence in Consecutive Systems (Co-PI, with Z.Chowdhury, Malcolm-Pirnie, Inc; and R. Summers, Univ. of Colorado-Boulder), funded by Amer. Water Works Assoc, 1/2005-9/2007