Geosyntec Practitioners Contribute at WOCA 2026

Geosyntec practitioners will significantly contribute to the World of Coal Ash (WOCA) 2026 Conference on May 4 through 7, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Our contributors include Victor Damasceno, Katie Fox, Wesley MacDonald, Phil Benson, Tom Geeza, Ashwin Ranna, Bruce Cunningham, Nicholas Yafrate, Max Cange, Scott Lines, Suafa'i Manson, Benoit Wentzinger, Herwig Goldemund, Ali Akbari, Whitney Law, Marty Crook, Zachary Fallert, Jaime Mercado, and John Barrett.

Visit our practitioners at booth 428 to discuss engineering and remediation solutions to support clients managing coal combustion residuals. Geosyntec is a Gold Sponsor of the event.

WOCA is the leading international conference on the science, application, and sustainability of coal combustion products (CCPs). The conference is organized by the American Coal Ash Association (ACAA) and the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER).

The ACAA works to help develop, implement, and support environmentally responsible, technically sound, commercially competitive programs for the management and use of CCPs. 

Researchers at the University of Kentucky's CAER support technically sound fossil and renewable energy policies through work on CCPs, biofuels and clean fuels, materials technologies, organic electronics, and power generation.

More Information about WOCA and Geosyntec's Coal Ash Services

Learn more about the event.
Learn more about the ACAA.
Learn more about the University of Kentucky's CAER.
To learn more about our contributors, click on their names below.

Geosyntec WOCA 2026 Presentations

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Alternative Cover Permitting and the CCR Rule
Speaker: Victor Damasceno, PhD, PE
Time: 11:00 a.m. ET

Water Management Considerations for CCR Unit Closure During Plant Closure
Speakers: Katie Fox, PE, and Wesley MacDonald, PE
Time: 11:30 a.m. ET

Lessons Learned from Managing Ash Pond Closure Waters
Speakers: Phil Benson, PE, PMP; Tom Geeza, PhD; and Ashwin Ranna, PE
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

Use of Intelligent Compaction Equipment for CCR Stacking
Speakers: Bruce Cunningham and Nicholas Yafrate, PhD, PE
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Instrumentation Evaluations to Support Long-Term Performance of CCR Facility Liner Systems
Speaker: Max Cange, PG
Time: 8:30 a.m. ET

Liquefaction Susceptibility and Brittleness of Coal Ash: A State Parameter Approach
REE Speakers: Scott Lines, PhD; Suafa'i Manson; and Benoit Wentzinger, CPEng, RPEQ
Time: 9:30 a.m. ET

The Importance of Properly Positioning Background Wells: Case Studies from Three Sites
Speaker: Herwig Goldemund, PhD
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET

Thursday, May 7, 2026

Post-Closure Geochemical Evolution and Groundwater Chemistry at CCR Sites: Implications for Corrective Action
Speakers: Ali Akbari, PhD; Whitney Law, PE; and Marty Crook, PG
Time: 10:30 a.m. ET

Application of Mine Tailings Flow Failure Assessment on CCR
Speaker: Zachary Fallert, PE
Time: 10:30 a.m. ET

Seismic Mitigation by Ground Improvement of the TVA Kingston East Dike
Speaker: Jaime Mercado, PhD, PE, and John Barrett, PE
Time: 11:30 a.m. ET

Panel Participation

Innovative CCR Site Management
Moderator: Max Cange, PG
Date/Time: Tuesday, May 5, at 1:00 p.m. ET

Advanced CCR Site Characterization and Technologies
Moderator: Tom Geeza, PhD
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 6, at 1:00 p.m. ET

CCR Closure Projects: Design, Implementation and Performance
Moderator: Marty Crook, PG
Date/Time: Thursday, May 7, at 8:00 a.m. ET