About Us

We'll help you move your project forward so you can make
faster, more cost-effective decisions

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About Us

We'll help you move your project forward

so you can make faster, more cost-effective decisions

Our core purpose is to develop useful solutions to complex problems for the benefit of society and the environment.

We want to change the paradigm of subsurface characterization and conceptual site model (CSM) development from a drill first, low-data-density approach to a scan first then drill, ultra-high data density and focused approach. This is our Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal (BHAG), to serve those who are tired of “drilling blind.”

Our core values

Encompass everything we do

Sustainability icon

Promote Sustainability

for the environment, economy, and the health and safety of individuals

Improvement icon

Continual Improvement

through innovation

Interdependent icon

Maintain Interdependent Balance

between responsibility to clients, stakeholders, and society

integrity icon

Absolute Integrity

 and honesty

Quality icon

Quality Service

 and client focus are paramount

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Respect Our People

they are the source of our strength

We believe the best solutions benefit people and the environment.

For more than 20 years, we’ve provided 100+ environmental consulting firms, industry and military clients, regulatory agencies, and insurance companies with the site knowledge they need to target environmental remediation, production groundwater wells, and geohazard mitigation and avoid making costly drilling mistakes.

We are leading the way in ultra-high resolution site characterization and integrating all site data into robust conceptual site models.

We believe the best solutions benefit people and the environment.

For more than 20 years, we’ve provided 100+ environmental consulting firms, industry and military clients, regulatory agencies, and insurance companies with the site knowledge they need to target environmental remediation, production groundwater wells, and geohazard mitigation and avoid making costly drilling mistakes.

We are leading the way in ultra-high resolution site characterization and integrating all site data into robust conceptual site models.

Our passion is rooted in our name

Aestus (pronounced AY-stus) is a Latin word that means “passionate fire.”

We’ve adopted a slightly looser translation and associated company logo to symbolize our unwavering passion for our Core Purpose, Core Values, and BHAG.

Our company logo incorporates the flame image for passionate fire. The triangular shape of the flame represents the Greek letter Delta, which is the mathematical symbol for “change.” The blue wave rounds out our logo and ties together the concept that we will “ride the waves of change” and will passionately solve complex problems for our clients.

Meet Key Team Members

Our team represents a unique combination of engineering and environmental consulting and geology and hydrogeophysics expertise. We use these combined disciplines to help our clients solve complex problems at their project sites.

Stuart McDonald

Stuart McDonald, P.E.

Stuart W. McDonald, P.E.

CEO/Project Executive/Contracting
Stuart has dedicated over 20 years of his career overseeing the development of Aestus with the goal of empowering clients worldwide to gain more certainty in subsurface issues to make better technical decisions and save time and money on their projects. He has been involved in managing hundreds of projects for Aestus in the USA, Europe, Asia, and South America.

Stuart spent the first decade of his career as an environmental consultant primarily with Canonie Environmental and Harding Lawson Associates and gained experience performing cradle to grave site characterization and remediation work on high profile Superfund and other projects. This experience was the genesis of founding Aestus in 2001 as it became clear that the environmental industry needed more data density and more certainty for optimal decision-making on projects.

Stuart is based out of Loveland, Colorado.

Biography
Todd Halihan

Todd Halihan, Ph.D., P.Gp.

Todd Halihan, Ph.D., P.Gp.

CTO/Data Interpretation Lead
Todd’s focus at Aestus centers on subsurface characterization using electrical hydrogeology and sustainable water supply. He is also a professor, Interim Department Head and the Sun Company Clyde Wheeler Chair in Hydrogeology at Oklahoma State University. He was the National Ground Water Association’s 2018 McEllhiney Lecturer and he is a founding member of the NGWAU program for groundwater outreach and education.

Dr. Halihan is the recipient of the American Institute of Hydrology’s C.V. Theis Award winner. He is also a professional geophysicist (CA), professional driller (OK) and a PADI divemaster.

Todd is based out of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Biography
Michael McNair

Michael McNair

Michael McNair

Project Geologist / Field Team Leader
Michael has worked on a variety of project types using Aestus’ electrical hydrogeology techniques to help Aestus’ clients succeed relative to characterization of contaminated sites, evaluating geohazards, municipal water well exploration, and monitoring subsurface changes over time. Michael currently manages Aestus’ field operations to collect high quality subsurface electrical imagery (GeoTrax Survey™) at rural, urban, and industrial sites with complex logistics.  When not in the field, Michael is a key member of Aestus’ reporting team and leads or assists with 2D/3D data integration, QC, data interpretation, and reporting.

Michael previously worked at an environmental consulting firm in Dallas, Texas, where he performed soil/groundwater investigations in the field and subsequently developed reports. Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Baylor University.

Michael is based out of Orlando, Florida.

Biography
Samantha Frandsen

Samantha Frandsen, M.Sc.

Samantha Frandsen, M.Sc

Hydrogeophysicist / Project Manager
Since joining Aestus in 2018, Samantha has performed all aspects of the Aestus project lifecycle, including acquisition field work, processing of geophysical data, data integration, 3D visualization, and reporting. As project manager, she oversees a variety of projects completed at complex sites across the United States and strives to help our clients efficiently leverage Aestus’ high-resolution GeoTrax Survey™ data to improve understanding of subsurface conditions.

Prior to her time with Aestus, she earned her Bachelor’s degree (magna cum laude) in Physics from the University of Richmond and taught high school physics as a Teach for America corps member. She then completed her Master’s degree (Distinction) in Exploration Geophysics at the University of Leeds in the UK. For her thesis, she utilized several different geophysical techniques to characterize the subsurface remains of a former gasworks facility for which she was awarded the GETECH award for best overall performance in the Independent Project and the Association for Industrial Archaeology’s Dissertation Award.

When she’s not investigating what’s below the ground, Samantha enjoys exploring all the above-ground fun her Stateline (South Lake Tahoe), NV home has to offer via trail running, mountain biking, and snowboarding.

Samantha is based out of Stateline, Nevada.

Biography
Kyle Spears

Kyle Spears, M.Sc.

Kyle W. Spears, M.Sc.

Technical Sales Manager/Hydrogeologist
During his tenure at Aestus, Kyle previously led field teams to perform electrical hydrogeology characterization and identify preferential groundwater flowpaths, NAPL contaminant distribution, and geohazards in alluvial and bedrock sites across the USA. In his current role, Kyle works to build meaningful relationships with existing and new clients and help them solve problems relative to complex subsurface issues at their project sites.

Kyle previously worked for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board as a Groundwater Resources Geologist. He performed groundwater well hydraulic testing and co-authored technical publications on several of the state’s aquifers. As part of completing his Master’s degree at Oklahoma State University he conducted research using electrical hydrogeology to characterize alluvial aquifers and evaluated new methods used to collect deeper data and delineate paleochannel morphology.

Kyle is based out of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Biography
Grant Eastman

Grant Eastman

Grant Eastman

Equipment Manager / Field Technician

Grant is the newest member of the Aestus team. He maintains all our equipment and vehicles at a firehouse ready status in order for the field team to be ready to mobilize at moment’s notice. He also troubleshoots any technical issues that come up as well as being a member of the field team.

Grant graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Watershed Science. After graduating he completed 8 years of military service with the Colorado Army National Guard, including two deployments to the middle east. Before joining Aestus, he was a senior technician building custom automation equipment and wire harness mockups for aerospace companies.

Grant is based out of Milliken, Colorado.

Biography
Morgan Love

Morgan Love, M.Sc.

Morgan Love, M.Sc.

Senior Project Geologist
Morgan has been a part of the Aestus team since 2012.  She supports all aspects of data integration for Aestus in 2D and 3D space, including modeling of geophysical, geochemical, and geologic data.  She also performs geophysical data processing and develops quality control and automation protocols to ensure data integrity.

Prior to Aestus, Morgan used her environmental geology undergraduate degree working for a water resource company, a geosciences software company, and a seismic data acquisition company.  She holds a Master's Degree in Computer Information Systems.

Morgan is based out of Fort Collins, Colorado.

Biography
Autumn Town

Autumn Town, M.Sc.

Autumn M. Town, M.Sc.

Staff Geologist / Field Technician
Autumn performs various project tasks for Aestus, including field data acquisition, data integration and analysis, 2D and 3D visualization, and project report development. Since joining Aestus in 2023, she has helped meet project objectives such as mapping stratigraphy, identifying areas of contamination, and characterizing preferential flow pathways at complex sites across the United States.
As an undergraduate at Oklahoma State University, Autumn utilized electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) to evaluate the hydrogeologic effects of PFAS-containing firefighting foams. While completing her Master’s degree, also at Oklahoma State University, she focused primarily on sedimentology and stratigraphy as she studied the effects of depositional and diagenetic processes on porosity development in a tight gas sandstone reservoir.

Autumn is based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Biography
Michelle Lahti

Michelle Lahti, PACE

Michelle Lahti, PACE

Executive Assistant
Since joining Aestus in 2021, Michelle has supported the CEO and other managers in their day-to-day needs. She also manages human resources and all elements of the many conferences Aestus attends. Michelle works hard to ensure that the needs of stakeholders are addressed in all steps of the business process when working with our clients.
Michelle has a bachelor’s degree in Avionics Engineering Technology from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She also has experience as a small business owner, and over 15 years’ experience as an executive assistant in many different industries. She has her Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence (PACE) through the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP).
Michelle is based out of Wellington, Colorado.

Biography

Trusted By

Where Has Aestus Served Our Clients

Additional Locations

United States

  • St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands)

South America

  • Brazil
  • Chile

Europe

  • Azores, Portugal
  • Germany

Asia

  • Taiwan

Australia

Stop making costly decisions based on incomplete and inaccurate site model data.

Connect with us today. Learn how our ultra-high resolution site data can give you a more complete and accurate picture of what’s below the surface, so you can make faster, more cost-effective decisions and move your project forward.

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