Dr. Traver's Vita

Dr. Traver received the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute (1978). Upon graduation he was employed for three years by Yerkes Associates, a consulting engineering firm, as a project engineer. He then obtained his Master of Civil Engineering at Villanova (1982). After three years teaching at VMI, he earned his PhD in Civil Engineering at Penn State (1988). His work in unsteady flow was incorporated within the NWS Dambreak Model. Dr. Robert G. Traver has been a member of the Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Program at Villanova since 1988. Dr. Traver is a registered professional engineer, and a Diplomat of the American Academy of Water Resource Engineers. He was honored as the Water Resources Engineer of the Year (2004) by the Philadelphia Section of ASCE. He teaches graduate courses in hydrology, hydraulics, urban storm water management, and undergraduate courses in all facets of water resources, and was awarded the Schuylkill Action Network Education Award and the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin Ruth Patrick Education Award (2006). Dr Traver is a retired LTC in the Army Reserves, and a veteran of Operation Desert Storm.

Dr. Traver's introduction to engineering practice was during the initial period of implementation of stormwater management in Pennsylvania. He incorporates this experience in his continuing research and consulting. While at Villanova Dr. Traver has conducted research on topics that include modeling of stream hydraulics, urban hydrology, water quality, and measures to mitigate stormwater effects of urbanization. Most recently he has been the main force in creating a Stormwater Best Management Practice Demonstration and Research Park on the Villanova Campus. Research is underway on a Stormwater Wetland, and four infiltration BMP’s. To enable continuing study into advancing research in these areas, Dr. Traver founded the Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership, and serves as its director.

Recognizing the link between policy and engineering, Dr. Traver continues to be involved with the implementation of stormwater policy. He has participated with a team study (sponsored by PaDER) to review the effects of Pennsylvania’s water regulation from a watershed sustainability viewpoint, acted as a reviewer for Pennsylvania’s BMP Handbook, and has served as Chair for the 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2005 Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Symposium’s held at Villanova. He frequently speaks to gatherings that include both engineers and municipal officials. As of August 2003 he has been appointed by the Commonwealth to the oversight committee for Pennsylvania’s “new” BMP manual. More recently he was selected to serve on ASCE’s External Review Panel of the Corps investigation of Hurricane Katrina.

Education
B.S.C.E.       Virginia Military Institute, Civil Engineering, 1978
M.C.E.          Villanova University, Civil Engineering, 1982
Ph.D.            Pennsylvania State University, Civil Engineering, 1988

Recent Publications Journals:

1. Heasom, W., Traver, R. Welker, A., “Hydrologic Modeling of a Bioinfiltration Best Management Practice”, Journal of the American Water Resources Association. In Press

2. Emerson, C., Traver, R., “The Villanova Bio-Infiltration Traffic Island: Project Overview” , BMP Technology, Current and Future Direction - American Society of Civil Engineers - Special Publication (Accepted). In Press.

3. Emerson C. ,Welty, C., Traver, R. “A Watershed-scale Evaluation of a System of Stormwater Detention Basins”, Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, ASCE, May 2005

4. Syed A. Hashsham, S.A., Alm, E. W., Stedtfeld, R. D., Traver, R. G., and Duran, M., “Detection and Occurrence of Indicator Organisms and Pathogens”,Water Environment Research, Vol: 75, No: 6. 2004.

5. Traver, R.G., Chadderton, R.A. “Effectiveness of a Wetland Best Management Practice: First Phase,” (with R. Chadderton), Treatment Wetlands for Water Quality Improvement – Selected papers from Intecol Quebec 2000 Wetlands Conference, CH2M HILL Canada Limited – Editor John Pries, 2002

Recent Published Conference Proceedings (Refereed Abstract)

1. Rea, M., Traver, R. Performance Monitoring of a Stormwater Wetland Best Management Practice, National Conference, World Water & Environmental Resources Congress 2005 (EWRI/ASCE)

2. Emerson, C., Traver, R., The Villanova Bio-Infiltration Traffic Island: Project Overview, National Conference, World Water & Environmental Resources Congress 2004 (EWRI/ASCE)

3. Traver, R., Infiltration Strategies for Low Impact Development, National Conference, World Water & Environmental Resources Congress 2004 (EWRI/ASCE)

4. Designing for Infiltration – (Primary Author) A Perspective EWRI (ASCE 2003) World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Philadelphia, PA

5. “Development of a BMP Research and Demonstration Park,” 9th International Conference on Urban Storm Drainage, Environmental and Water Research Institute, ASCE, 2002