Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER)

What Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER) does

CAESER is a nonprofit interdisciplinary research center within the University of Memphis that conducts applied earth science and engineering research for public-sector clients across the Mid-South. Its work is organized around six divisions — Water Resources, Geographic Analysis/GIS, Aerial Sensing/Imaging, Transportation and Logistics, Adaptation and Resilience, and Education and Outreach — and is anchored by a 25-year-plus record of aquifer characterization in the Memphis area. The center's principal customers are federal, state, and municipal agencies, with Memphis Light Gas and Water (MLGW) as its anchor relationship, alongside the U.S. Navy, HUD, the City of Memphis, Shelby County, TDEC, USDA-NRCS, and USGS.

Core technical capabilities include aquifer characterization and monitoring (with multi-decadal longitudinal datasets), GIS-based geospatial analysis, drone-based aerial sensing using visual, thermal, and multispectral payloads, computational modeling of groundwater-surface water interactions, automated telemetry networks (including the MONET system), and applied machine-learning methods such as YOLO-based computer vision for object detection on imagery. Cumulative program scope has reached approximately 229 projects and $43.65 million in awarded funding under director Brian Waldron.

Revenue is generated primarily through fee-for-service contracts and competitive grants from government agencies, supplemented by corporate donations and university support. The center's growth model is driven by a combination of repeat municipal engagements (MLGW being the most significant), new federal contract wins (U.S. Navy, HUD), and scope expansion through new divisions and past mergers (Center for Advanced Sensors in 2021, IFTI in 2020) plus a satellite presence at the Lambuth campus.

Name

Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER)

Legal name

Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research

Website

https://caeser.memphis.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nonprofit University of Memphis research center applying earth science, GIS, drone-based imaging, and computational modeling to water resources, transportation, and resilience projects for federal, state, and municipal clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental and Infrastructure Research Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Afforestation, Reforestation & Revegetation (ARR) (EUABABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Permitting & Impact Assessment (EIA/NEPA) (BPAIAMAK), Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB), Environmental Control & Climate Systems (HVAC, CO₂, Ventilation, Dehumidification) (AFAAAHAB)

Keywords

• Groundwater research services
• GIS and remote sensing
• Transportation logistics research
• Climate adaptation planning
• Environmental education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Research Contracts: CAESER generates revenue primarily through contracts with government entities including municipalities (City of Memphis, Shelby County), utilities (MLGW), and state agencies (TDEC). Notable contracts include the $9.75 million five-year MLGW aquifer study contract awarded in July 2023 and the $5 million five-year contract from 2018 for identifying and addressing water quality issues.
2. Federal and State Grants: Research funding from federal agencies including USDA-NRCS grants and other federal programs. The Mid-South Regional Greenprint was funded by a $2 million HUD grant.
3. Corporate and Private Donations: Funding from corporate sponsors such as Rand McNally and Danaher, as well as individual donors like Joe and Carol Royer and Alice Allen. These donations support research operations and educational programming.
4. Fee-for-Service Research: Project-based work for various clients including municipal governments, county agencies, and other organizations seeking research services. CAESER offers cost-effective solutions as a nonprofit academic institution.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CAESER is a multidisciplinary university research center that delivers applied scientific research and technical services in water resources (groundwater assessment, contaminant modeling, aquifer studies), GIS and UAV-based aerial sensing, transportation and freight logistics, climate adaptation and resilience, and environmental education/outreach. Work is delivered through contracted research engagements with government agencies, utilities, and community partners rather than through commercial products.

Product overview

CAESER is a multidisciplinary research center at the University of Memphis offering a portfolio of interconnected research services and educational programs rather than a single product. The core offerings span Water Resources Research (groundwater assessment, modeling, contaminant analysis), Geographic Analysis including GIS Services and Aerial Sensing with UAVs (from the 2021 merger with Center for Advanced Sensors), Transportation and Logistics Research (from 2020 IFTI merger), and Adaptation and Resilience services (added 2024). Supporting these divisions are Education and Outreach programs including the Water on Wheels mobile unit, the annual Memphis Logistics Summit conference, and the TN Water Portal for water use reporting. Research projects like the MLGW Aquifer Study (5-year, $9.75M contract), Visual Stream Assessment, and Water Level Survey serve as specific engagements demonstrating CAESER's applied science approach to environmental and infrastructure challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Resources Research Services Comprehensive water resource research encompassing groundwater assessment and numerical modeling, contaminant fate and transport analysis, surface water-groundwater interaction studies, aquifer characterization through pump and slug tests, and subsurface geophysical mapping for municipalities and utilities.
• Aerial Sensing and Imaging UAV-based remote sensing services using task-oriented sensors including visual, near infrared, long wave infrared, hyperspectral, and acoustical sensors for large-scale environmental assessments, vegetation analysis, and feature detection and mapping.
• GIS and Geographic Analysis Services Geographic information system services including legacy data migration from paper/microfilm/databases into GIS, utility and municipal infrastructure mapping, asset management, neighborhood planning, decision support analytics, spatial data repository development, geodatabase design, and custom mobile data collection with high-accuracy GPS.
• Transportation and Logistics Research Intermodal freight transportation research covering transportation policy and planning, supply chain management, transportation operations with remote sensing and drone technology applications, traffic systems management, and logistics studies for agriculture and disaster resilience.
• Adaptation and Resilience Services Climate adaptation and resilience services providing interdisciplinary research across water and transportation systems for multiple hazards, policy engagement, and education and training on disaster preparedness and response using GIS and spatial data analytics.
• Education and Outreach Programs K-12 water and data literacy programs featuring free lesson plans, watershed and groundwater models, classroom presentations, public festival participation, and the Water on Wheels mobile learning experience.
• Water on Wheels (WOW) Mobile Mobile educational unit that travels to schools and community events to educate visitors about Memphis aquifer drinking water sources, water cycle science, and watershed connections. Programming is aligned with Tennessee State Curriculum Standards and primarily targets 4th graders but is available for all ages.
• TN Water Portal Web-based water use data reporting platform for Tennessee water management, providing authenticated access for pumpage reporting and water use data collection with scheduled maintenance and upgrade notices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Expanded suspected aquifer breach locations from 6 to 35 through systematic research investigation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023MLGW, along with the City of Memphis through TDEC, awarded CAESER a five-year, $9.75 million contract in July 2023 to continue Memphis aquifer research. This partnership focuses on developing innovative technology for remote sensing breaches in urban areas, advanced computer models for water and contaminant movement in aquifers, and providing information for planning and development decisions.
• City of MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2018The City of Memphis partnered with CAESER on a five-year, $5 million contract in November 2018 aimed at identifying and addressing water quality issues with the Memphis aquifer. The partnership included Shelby County Health Department for proposed planning and development decisions.
• Shelby County Public WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShelby County Public Works partnered with CAESER for visual stream assessments covering 160-300 miles of streams, water level surveys, stormwater system digitization, and infrastructure mapping projects.
• Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAESER assisted TDEC for nearly 10 years with GIS data migration for water supply, water pollution control, superfund, geology, natural areas, and state parks divisions. TDEC Commissioner David Salyers noted collaboration on aquifer recharge in restored gully fields.
• USDA-NRCSmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough a USDA grant, CAESER leads a four-part survey project to identify barriers in implementing voluntary conservation practices on farms and determine which USDA-NRCS educational materials best convey conservation practices.
• United States Geological Survey (USGS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSGS collaborated with CAESER on water level surveys, with USGS conducting water level survey of the Memphis and Fort Pillow aquifers while CAESER conducted the third water level survey of the shallow aquifer in Shelby County.
• Tioga Environmental ConsultantsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTioga Environmental Consultants partnered with CAESER for the 2021 visual stream assessment project collecting data on 300 miles of streams throughout Shelby County.
• Memphis World Trade ClubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAESER's Division of Transportation and Logistics partners with Memphis World Trade Club to host the annual State of Freight Conference and the combined Memphis Logistics Summit event.
• Southeast Transportation Workforce Center (SETWC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSETWC, part of the National Network for Transportation Workforce, is partnered with CAESER. The combined event of Choosing Transportation Summit and State of Freight created the Memphis Logistics Summit.
• Wolf River ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAESER partnered with Wolf River Conservancy to perform an Urban Tree Canopy assessment for Shelby County and municipalities in Tipton County, Tennessee.
• Innovate MemphisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAESER partnered with Innovate Memphis (previously Mayor's Innovation Delivery Team) to assist with mapping and analysis for the Neighborhood Economic Vitality group.
• Federal Reserve Bank of St. LouisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Stephanie Ivey serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Transportation Industry Council, representing academic research perspectives.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Anchor QEA: Environmental and water resources consulting firm specializing in groundwater, surface water, sediment, and ecosystem restoration. Comparable to CAESER on groundwater assessment and environmental restoration project work for government clients.
• LimnoTech: Water-focused environmental science and engineering consulting firm working on water quality, groundwater, and watershed analysis. Comparable to CAESER's surface-water/groundwater interaction studies and aquifer research for municipal clients.
• INTERA Incorporated: Applied earth science and water resources consulting firm specializing in groundwater modeling, aquifer characterization, and contaminant transport. Comparable to CAESER's groundwater assessment, numerical modeling, and contaminant fate-and-transport services.
• Desert Research Institute (DRI): University-affiliated nonprofit research institute with hydrology, climate, and environmental sensing programs. Comparable to CAESER as a multidisciplinary water and environmental research center embedded in a public university.
• Stratus Consulting (now part of Apex): Environmental and water resources consulting firm focused on hydrology, groundwater modeling, and water utility support. Comparable to CAESER in delivering technical water research for municipal utilities and government agencies.

Others

• National Ground Water Association (NGWA): Professional association for groundwater professionals, awards body for CAESER-affiliated researchers (Farvolden Award). Comparable as a stakeholder in the groundwater research community, though not a direct service competitor.
• USGS (U.S. Geological Survey): Federal science agency conducting national-scale water and geological research and a direct collaborator on CAESER's water level surveys. Comparable in groundwater research mission, though it serves as a partner rather than competitor.

Broad incumbents

• RTI International: Large nonprofit research institute delivering environmental, water, energy, and policy research. Comparable to CAESER in mission-driven federal/state contract work, but with national scope across multiple research domains.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Large nonprofit research organization conducting environmental, water, and defense-related applied research. Comparable to CAESER in its blend of federal contracts, water/environmental science, and advanced sensing work, but at much greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI): Nonprofit applied R&D organization with significant environmental, water, and remote sensing capabilities. Comparable to CAESER's UAV/advanced sensor division (inherited from Center for Advanced Sensors) and applied environmental research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CAESER_UofM
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCU6VVBIQ1uhX1nKS2pxMrKw
• Facebookfacebook.com/CAESER.UofM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caeser-uofm
• Instagraminstagram.com/caeseruofm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER)