Fall 2025 Virtual Retreat
“Reactive Transport Modeling”
October 27–30, 2025

Immerse yourself with like-minded colleagues from around the world to learn the ins and outs of Reactive Transport Modeling at our Fall 2025 Virtual Retreat. Taking part in this instructor-led, hands-on retreat, you will learn to use The Geochemist's Workbench® software to create quantitative models of multicomponent transport in reacting geochemical systems.

The retreat will convene over four consecutive half-days, October 27–30 from 8:00 to 11:30 CDT (13:00 to 16:30 UTC).

What you will learn. Following a fully hands-on format, you will learn all the ins and outs of the GWB reactive transport toolset. Specific topics covered include:

Introduction to the GWB
Mass transport modeling
Dual porosity models (stagnant zones)
Numerical dispersion
Animation and creating video clips
Sorbing solutes
Surface complexation and transport

Mobile colloids
Fluid mixing and scaling
Reaction kinetics and redox disequilibrium
Kinetics of gas transfer
Mineral dissolution and precipitation kinetics
Biodegradation in flowing groundwater
Microbial population dynamics in aquifers

Prerequisites: There are no advance requirements for this course, but we suggest you acquaint yourself with basic techniques for configuring the GWB apps.

More information? Contact workshop support. Can't come? Consider an alternative from our 2025 event schedule.

Neither of us specializes in groundwater chemistry, but we found the course easy to follow and understand.

– Abby M., Horizons Regional Council, New Zealand

As someone inexperienced in both transport and modeling, I found that the course content was made very easy and transparent.

– Eline Feenstra, University of Fribourg

I loved the [geochemical modeling] workshop! In the future I would really like to take the reactive transport course.

– Ryan Davis, Colorado State University

Instructors

The retreat will be moderated by Brian Farrell and Jia Wang. Brian and Jia are Geochemists at Aqueous Solutions LLC, makers of The Geochemist's Workbench®.

Brian Farrell

Brian Farrell has many years of experience in developing and applying geochemical and reactive transport models. He is expert in aquifer microbiology, geochemical modeling, and reactive transport in geochemical systems. Brian has taught short courses in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia.

Jia Wang is an aqueous and isotope geochemist and a reactive transport modeler with special expertise in weathering and the critical zone. She has many years of experience as an instructor at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and as a noted mentor to less experienced students at the secondary through graduate levels.

Jia Wang

Registration

Space is limited, so sign up early. The retreat fee is US$749 until October 10, or $849 after that date.

A registration may be transfered to another participant at no charge, and is fully refundable until 30 days before the event.

Liability in the event of cancellation or other eventuality is limited to refund of the registration fee.

How to participate

Plan to enjoy this virtual retreat from the comfort of your own home or office! We will use a secure video conferencing platform that allows participants to ask questions, share their screens, and generally interact with the instructors and other participants.

Please plan to join the online meeting room from 13:00 to 16:30 UTC, or:

London	13:00–16:30
Paris	14:00–17:30
Beijing	21:00–00:30

San Francisco	06:00–09:30
Chicago	08:00–11:30
New York	09:00–12:30

Please expect an email containing a meeting ID and password in the days leading up to the event.

Before the retreat

As the retreat date approaches, please take note of the following:

About a week ahead of the event, we will send you a free 30-day license to The Geochemist's Workbench® Professional, along with the retreat schedule and two pdf files.
Please make sure GWB Professional is installed and activated on a computer running MS Windows before joining.
The first pdf file holds the complete set of PowerPoint slides to be shown by the instructors, in chronologic order, for your reference during and after the event.
We recommend you print and spiral bind the second pdf file, containing the workbook you will use to complete hands-on exercises.
We think you will be happiest if you have two computer screens available. That way, you will be able to take part in the event on one screen, while you use the other to run the software.

Sponsorship

The retreat is presented courtesy of Aqueous Solutions LLC, makers of The Geochemist's Workbench^® software package.