2026 Special Retreat
“Build Your Own Reactive Transport Model”
February 24–26, 2026
Taking part in this instructor-led, hands-on workshop, you will learn to use the ChemPlugin self-linking software object, derived from the compute engine of The Geochemist's Workbench® software, to create a series of reaction modeling apps.
Beginning with tracing a simple titration, you will progress through increasingly sophisticated Python scripts, culminating with building your own reactive transport simulator to take home and use in your work.
The retreat will convene over three consecutive half-days, February 24–26 from 8:00 to 11:30 CST (14:00 to 17:30 UTC).
What you will learn. Following a fully hands-on format, you will explore the techniques needed to model multicomponent reaction and reactive transport in the Python scripting language, using the amazing ChemPlugin SDK. Specific topics covered include:
- ChemPlugin overview
- Introduction to Python and object-oriented programming
- Time marching and reaction modeling
- Retrieving and writing out results
- Linking ChemPlugin instances
- Modeling mass and heat transport
- Lastly, you will create your own reactive transport code!
Prerequisites: You should be willing to develop a basic familiarity with the Python programming language, as well as running the GWB modeling apps from the command line.
More information? Contact workshop support. Can't come? Consider an alternative from our 2026 event schedule.
Neither of us specializes in groundwater chemistry, but we found the course easy to follow and understand.
– Abby M., Horizons Regional Council, New Zealand
Thank you for the GWB workshop—it was perfect! The tasks made the learning process really easy.
– Yuchen Liu, University of Illinois
I loved the workshop! It was just the right combination of instruction plus hands‑on.
– Karen Kinsella, GZA GeoEnvironmental
Instructors
The retreat will be moderated by Brian Farrell and Jia Wang. Brian and Jia are Geochemists at Aqueous Solutions LLC, makers of The Geochemist's Workbench®.
Brian Farrell
Jia Wang is an aqueous and isotope geochemist and a reactive transport modeler with special expertise in weathering and the critical zone. She has many years of experience as an instructor at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and as a noted mentor to less experienced students at the secondary through graduate levels.
Jia Wang
Registration
Space is limited, so sign up early. The retreat fee is US$849 until February 6, or $949 after that date.
A registration may be transfered to another participant at no charge, and is fully refundable until 30 days before the event.
Liability in the event of cancellation or other eventuality is limited to refund of the registration fee.
How to participate
Plan to enjoy this virtual retreat from the comfort of your own home or office! We will use a secure video conferencing platform that allows participants to ask questions, share their screens, and generally interact with the instructors and other participants.
Please plan to join the online meeting room from 14:00 to 17:30 UTC, or:
| London | 14:00–17:30 |
| Paris | 15:00–18:30 |
| Beijing | 22:00–01:30 |
| San Francisco | 06:00–09:30 |
| Chicago | 08:00–11:30 |
| New York | 09:00–12:30 |
Please expect an email containing a meeting ID and password in the days leading up to the event.
Before the retreat
As the retreat date approaches, please take note of the following:
- About a week ahead of the event, we will send you a free 30-day license to The Geochemist's Workbench® Professional, along with the retreat schedule and two pdf files.
- Please make sure GWB Professional is installed and activated on a computer running MS Windows before joining.
- We will also provide instructions for setting up Python and Notepad++ to use for the course. It is extremely important that you use the recommended version of Python; other installations, such as Microsoft Store versions or embeddable or ARM versions, may have security limitations that prevent them from working properly with ChemPlugin.
- The first pdf file holds the complete set of PowerPoint slides to be shown by the instructors, in chronologic order, for your reference during and after the event.
- We recommend you print and spiral bind the second pdf file, containing the workbook you will use to complete hands-on exercises.
- We think you will be happiest if you have two computer screens available. That way, you will be able to take part in the event on one screen, while you use the other to run the software.
Sponsorship
The retreat is presented courtesy of Aqueous Solutions LLC, makers of The Geochemist's Workbench® software package.
