BCI is thrilled to announce that John Kiefer, PE, PWS has been awarded his PhD by the University of Florida!

Lakeland, FL – April 30, 2010
BCI Engineers & Scientists, Inc. is thrilled to announce that John Kiefer, PE, PWS has been awarded his PhD by the University of Florida!  Dr. Kiefer has been at BCI for eight years offering his expertise which includes more than 15 years designing streams and an impressive history of evaluating more than 300 streams throughout his career.

His dissertation research, more than four years in the making, focused on important hydrologic and biological thresholds associated with the formation of peninsular Florida streams and their floodplains. The research was needed because Florida provides a unique stream setting, its streams have been under-studied, and many have been destroyed or heavily altered since the 1930's. The study was designed to have practical value and is already drawing interest from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for potential application to riparian system conservation and restoration. Furthermore, his work led to the discovery of a stream type not previously described in the scientific literature.

Dr. Kiefer has pioneered new technological approaches to stream restoration construction, has co-developed a new stream classification system for Florida’s wide variety of fluvial forms, and is qualified as an expert in fluvial geomorphology, hydraulics, ecosystem restoration, wetland mitigation, water quality, environmental engineering, and engineering cost estimation. He has worked on riparian systems spanning from Michigan to Venezuela, with the majority of his experience in Florida.

Additionally, Dr. Kiefer has authored or co-authored numerous well-received technical reports including some peer-review journal articles and a book chapter.  He has guest-lectured at local schools, taught a two-credit college course on Restoration of Southeastern Coastal Plain Uplands and Wetlands, and is often an invited speaker at regional conferences.