Advancing Applied Groundwater Flow and Solute Transport Numerical Modelling - A²GW-FST

Course description 

The Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa has launched the first edition of the Course “Advancing Applied Groundwater Flow and Solute Transport Numerical Modelling (A²GW-FST)”—a week-long, intensive program dedicated to the science of applied groundwater management.

The A²GW-FST Course is particularly relevant for participants passionate about innovation and software applications in groundwater resource monitoring and management, dealing with:

• aquifer overexploitation

• aquifer contamination and remediation

• seawater intrusion in aquifers

• numerical modelling of groundwater flow and solute transport in aquifers

• GIS and spatial data analysis

• hydroinformatics

Course target 

The Course is tailored for early-career scientists—such as PhD students, post-doctoral researchers, and postgraduate students—with academic backgrounds in Earth Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or Computer Science.

Ideal candidates are interested in developing digital twins of aquifers and eager to begin or deepen their experience with numerical modelling through an intensive, week-long immersion.

The Course is held under the patronage of the Italian Chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists.

Training objectives 

The Course focuses on the management of groundwater resources, presenting and exploring the most innovative approaches and cutting-edge advancements in groundwater hydrodynamics, solute transport, numerical modelling, and information technologies.

A central pillar of the Course is the use of digital tools and software applications, equipping participants with the practical skills and software (the FREEWAT-Q3) needed to manage and analyze spatial data related to groundwater systems.

Teaching methods 

The A²GW-FST Course spans a full week (five days) and is structured into three core components:

1. Classroom lectures and hands-on software laboratories (28 hours), focusing on applied numerical modelling and data analysis
2. A full-day field trip (8 hours) to the Val di Cornia UNESCO-IHP Ecohydrological Observatory, where participants will collect groundwater head and hydrochemical data and conduct surface water discharge measurements
3. An international webinar featuring experts from both the research and geoengineering sectors, addressing real-world applications of groundwater numerical modelling for water resource management, contaminant transport, and aquifer remediation

By the end of the Course, participants will have developed at least two numerical models of varying complexity.

Teaching is conducted through an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on the diverse expertise of the program’s key staff members to provide a rich, integrated learning experience.

Structure and Contents 

The classroom lectures and practical exercises of the Course are organized into two integrated modules:

• Module I: Spatial Data Acquisition, Management, and Analysis in Groundwater Hydrology (16 hours)
• Module II: Numerical Modelling of Groundwater Flow and Solute Transport in Aquifers (24 hours)

Where possible, both theoretical and applied sessions will utilize real-world datasets from previous European projects—EU MARSOLUT, EU LIFE REWAT, and EU PRIMA NEXUS-NESS—as well as field data collected directly by participants during the field trip to the Val di Cornia coastal aquifer. Special emphasis will be placed on data from the UNESCO Ecohydrology Observatory of Val di Cornia, a region facing significant water resource imbalances, particularly in agricultural irrigation.
Numerical modelling activities will employ the FREEWAT-Q3 software, supported by QGIS, providing hands-on experience in the development of groundwater simulation tools, including calibration density-dependant flow (simulating seawater intrusion) exercises.
An international modelling webinar, will complement the course by offering broader insights into real-world modelling applications.
The course concludes with a final assessment test, ensuring participants consolidate both theoretical understanding and practical skills. All activities combine lectures with interactive, computer-based exercises for a fully immersive learning experience.

Course fee 

€ 500,00 

Application deadline 

July 16th 

Attendance certificate 

At the end of the Course the School will issue a certificate of attendance with value to the extent permitted by law, and with the details of the ECTS obtained to the students who attended at least 75% of the lessons, passed the assessment tests foreseen and are up to date with the payment of the enrolment fee.