David Wunsch

About David Wunsch

David R. Wunsch is the State Geologist and Director of the Delaware Geological Survey. Prior to his appointment in Delaware he served as the Director of Science and Technology for the National Ground Water Association (NGWA). Wunsch was also the State Geologist of New Hampshire from to 2010, where he had statutory appointments to the New Hampshire Joint Board of Geology, and state Water Well Board. Prior to his appointment as New Hampshire’s State Geologist, Dr. Wunsch was the 1998-99 American Geological Institute Congressional Science Fellow, where he served on Capitol Hill as an advisor to the U.S. House of Representative’s Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Dr. Wunsch began his professional career at Central Michigan University, where he served as an instructor of geology, followed by a 15-year career as a research scientist at the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). His scientific interests and areas of expertise are ground-water monitoring, aqueous geochemistry, mine hydrology, engineering geology, and science policy. Wunsch was elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Ground Water Scientists and Engineers (AGWSE), a division of NGWA. He also served as the Secretary of the American Geological Institute (AGI), and as President of the Association of American State Geologists (AASG), which represents the chief executives of the geologic bureaus of the 50 states and U.S. Territories. Dr. Wunsch was elected to fellowship in the Geological Society of America in 2011, and was the recipient of the 2014 Award for Public Understanding of the Geosciences presented by the American Geosciences Institute (AGI). Dr. Wunsch is currently the President of AGI, which connects Earth, science, and people by serving as a unifying force for the geoscience community. With a network of more than 50 member organizations, AGI represents over a quarter-million geoscientists across the country and around the world.

Experience

1. State Geologist and Director

   Delaware Geological Survey

   Oct 2011 — Present · University of Delaware, DE

   State Geologist and Director, Delaware Geological Survey (DGS): Supervise geologists and staff conducting research programs and data collection related to the state’s geology, water, and natural resources. Serve as chief administrator for the DGS. Prepare grant proposals and contracts for research and data collection; monitor legislation, prepare budgets, and provide geologic information and support to state agencies in Delaware, and other Legislative and Executive departments of state government. Represent DGS on state and federal advisory committees. Serve as the Governor’s representative and Principal to the Advisory Committee to the Delaware River Master. Affiliated faculty position with the University of Delaware Department of Geological Sciences.

Education

• University of Kentucky

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Hydrology and Water Resources Science, Geochemistry

  1987 — 1992

• Salamanca High School

  NYS Regents Diploma, Physical Sciences