In My Experience: We Should Bridge Science and Practice by Using Universities to Accelerate Groundwater Solutions and Inform Site Management

Today, universities are often portrayed as idea factories that feed innovation pipelines. In risk assessment of contaminated sites and groundwater remediation, this metaphor is both true and incomplete. Ideas only matter when they travel—into field protocols, regulatory guidance, and the day-to-day choices of consultants and authorities. The dissemination of ideas should ideally be fast—we don't want to wait 30 years before a good idea is adopted into practice. Drawing on almost four decades of collaboration across academia, regional and national authorities, water utilities, and consulting firms, I have come to realize the importance of students and supervision, well-designed collaborations (not just publication), and carefully structured pathways from science to practice—utilizing active field sites, continuing education, and shared metrics of success.