Christopher Ruybal
1500 Illinois St.
Golden, CO 80401
cruybal@mines.edu
Education:
Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO United States
Ph.D. Environmental Science and Engineering: Planned 2016
Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO United States
M.S. Environmental Science and Engineering: December 2010
Regis University Denver, CO United States
B.S. Environmental Science Minor: Chemistry and Mathematics: May 2009
Honors: Summa Cum Laude
Research:
My research interests focus on stray gas migration and shale gas development as it pertains
to ground water. I am affiliated with the ConocoPhillips WE2ST Center at Colorado School of
Mines for joint sustainability of water resources and unconventional petroleum energy.
Participated in research with Regis University Faculty at the Homestake Deep Underground
Science and Engineering Laboratory in South Dakota characterizing the cosmic-ray muon flux
with subsurface depth as well as alpha, beta, and gamma background radiation levels.
Honors &
Awards
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Recent Work
History
2
Affiliated Fellow with ConocoPhillips WE ST Center - Colorado School of Mines
2014-2015 Trefny Teaching Fellow – Colorado School of Mines
Edna Bailey Sussman Internship recipient Summer 2010 – Internship with U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
Christian Leadership Award - Regis University
James and Marie Doyle Award for excellence in science – Regis University
US Environmental Protection Agency, Ada, OK – EPA Student Services Contractor
July 2010 – July 2014
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Assisted with groundwater and soil-gas collection for multiple sites. Also responsible for
packing and shipping field samples along with completed chain of custody paperwork.
Developed novel, multi-functional gas sampling and analysis apparatus for field
screening, primarily for methane. Journal manuscript in progress.
Conduct monthly trips to measure groundwater levels, collect data from pressure
transducers, and collect data from gas monitoring meters and recalibrate gas monitoring
meters (CH4, CO2, O2, H2S, CO) for carbon dioxide gas intrusion study.
Assisted with petroleum vapor intrusion studies, primarily soil-gas collection and data
analysis. I will be a co-author for an EPA Issue Paper on this subject that is currently going
through the approval process.
Assisted with pre-trip preparations and groundwater collection for all five EPA
retrospective case studies on potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water
resources. Also responsible for packing and shipping of field samples and supplies.
Competed chain of custody paperwork for shipment of collected samples to respective
laboratories for analysis. I will be a co-author on the report for various sites.
Led groundwater sampling trip to North Dakota, due to principal investigator unable to
go, for a category 1, high profile research project on potential impacts of hydraulic
Christopher Ruybal
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Training
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1500 Illinois St.
Golden, CO 80401
cruybal@mines.edu
fracturing on drinking water resources.
Calibrated and operated YSI multi-parameter probe for geochemical monitoring during
field groundwater collection. Monitored pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, oxidationreduction potential, and specific conductance. Also measured field Alkalinity (Method
8203), Turbidity (EPA Method 180.1), Sulfide (Method 8131), and Ferrous Iron (Method
8146).
Routinely calibrated and operated field monitoring equipment for gases. Instrumentation
included: GEM2000+(IRGA), TVA-1000B(FID and PID), Gas Rover (Catalytic), LHHLD
Helium leak detector (TCD), and Bacharach H25-IR for R-123.
Implemented color coded labeling system that prints labels for field samples. This system
increased efficiency and organization.
Maintained laboratory record book for activities carried out in lab.
HAZWOPER - Current, 40 hr (July 2010) + 8 hr annual refresher (Last refresher Dec. 2013)
ConocoPhillips Media Training 2014