Stanford University geophysics professor Rosemary Knight had always loved math and science, but it wasn’t until she attended Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, as an undergraduate that she discovered what would become a lifelong passion: geophysics. “When I discovered all you could do by applying physics-based methods to studying Earth, I realized what I wanted to be was a geophysicist.” Later, she realized how important geophysical methods are in ensuring the sustainability of the planet. “Many of the challenges we face in terms of sustainability involve our limited understanding of how Earth works.” Among those challenges is ensuring that groundwater supplies are sustainably managed.
For the past 20 years, Knight has been a strong advocate for the use of geophysical technologies to better understand the architecture of California’s groundwater. In 2008, she founded the Center for Groundwater Evaluation Management at Stanford, partnering with local and state water agencies to demonstrate that geophysical technologies such as airborne electromagnetic (AEM) imaging can provide more sophisticated and detailed data about groundwater basins and potential recharge sites than the usual practice of drilling wells. AEM technology can measure subsurface electromagnetic changes to depths of 2,000 ft by collecting data using a geophysical instrument towed beneath a helicopter.