Benjamin Ledesma, Ph.D.

Post Doctoral Fellow
bledesma@memphis.edu

Bio

Dr. Benjamin Ledesma is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER), University of Memphis. His research focuses on groundwater-surface water interactions (GSI), combining field investigations with computational modeling and machine learning to advance understanding of hydrological systems. 
 
Benjamin holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Memphis (2024), where he studied under Dr. Claudio Meier as part of CAESER’s Aquitard I Project. His dissertation research analyzed how theoretical GSI model simplifications perform under real-world conditions, integrating field data across scales from hyporheic exchange to catchment-level interactions. 
 
Originally from Chile, Benjamin earned his B.S. and Professional Diploma in Civil Engineering from Universidad de Concepción. Before pursuing his doctorate, he worked as a Civil Design Engineer at LEICO Ltda. 
 
At CAESER, Benjamin mentors graduate students in scientific writing, develops machine learning tools for hydrological data processing, advances the MONET environmental monitoring system, and prepares research proposals for federal funding agencies. 

Education

Civil Engineering, PhD, 2024, University of Memphis 

Civil Engineering, Professional Diploma, 2017, Universidad de Concepción 

Awards/Honors

  • University of Memphis Carnegie R1 Doctoral Fellowship, 2019-2020 
  • CAESER Graduate Assistantship, 2020-2023 
  • Conference Travel Award, EWRI World Congress Atlanta, 2022 
  • Conference Travel Award, AGU Fall Meeting Chicago, 2022 

Selected Publications

  • Ledesma, B., Waldron, B., Schoefernacker, S., Villalpando-Vizcaíno, R., & Meier, C.I. 2022. “Groundwater-surface water characterization through in-situ techniques: A case study of two perennial streams.” AGU Fall Meeting, Chicago. 
  • Ledesma, B., & Meier, C.I. 2022. “Does 1-D vertical flow really control groundwater-surface water interactions in sand-bed rivers?” World Environmental & Water Resources Congress (EWRI), Atlanta. 
  • Ledesma, B. 2021. “A multi-scale investigation of surface water-groundwater interactions along the Loosahatchie River and Nonconnah Creek.” Tennessee Water Resources Symposium. 
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