IAHR honoured excellence and outstanding members at the opening ceremony of the 40th IAHR World Congress in Vienna, Austria, on Monday 21 August.

IAHR Honorary Membership Award

Words from new IAHR Honorary Members

The IAHR Honorary Membership Award, the most prestigious honour conferred by the IAHR Council, was conferred to four distinguished IAHR members for their life-time contributions to hydro-environment engineering and research and for their outstanding service to the association.

Professor James Ball, Associate Professor at the University of Technology, Sydney, in Australia, received the 2023 IAHR Honorary Membership Award for his outstanding contributions to the modelling of physical processes, notably in the analysis and interpretation of statistical data on hydrology, hydraulics and water quality, and for his exemplary service to IAHR. Interview

Professor Marcelo García, Director of the Ven Te Chow Hydrosystems Laboratory, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA, received the 2023 IAHR Honorary Membership Award for his outstanding contributions to the fundamental understanding and engineering applications of sediment transport, sedimentation engineering, hydraulic engineering education, and for his exemplary service to IAHR. Interview

Dr Peter Goodwin, President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, USA, received the 2023 IAHR Membership Award for his outstanding contributions to hydro-environment engineering and research, notably in the fields of river restoration and ecohydraulics and for his exemplary service to IAHR, including his service as President. Interview

Dr. Áurea Perucho Martínez, Director of the Spanish Centre for Studies and Experimentation of Public Works (CEDEX) received the 2023 IAHR Honorary Membership Award for her career contributions and support to the field of water research and her exemplary service to IAHR as the director of CEDEX. Interview

Arthur Thomas Ippen Award

The Arthur Thomas Ippen Award was established in 1977 to honour the memory of Professor Ippen, IAHR President (1959-1963), IAHR honorary member (1963-1974), and for many decades an inspirational leader in fluids research, hydraulic engineering, and international cooperation and understanding. The Award recognises an IAHR member who has demonstrated conspicuously outstanding ability, originality, and accomplishment in basic hydraulic research and/or applied hydraulic engineering, and who holds great promise for continuation of a high level of productivity in this profession.

The 23rd Arthur Thomas Award was conferred to Prof. Chunhui Lu, Professor at Hohai University, China, for his outstanding achievement in groundwater research and application, and extensive works on coastal groundwater dynamics and sustainability.

Honourable mention to the finalists Peter A. Nelson from the USA and Isabella Schalko from Switzerland.

Ippen Lecture: Exploring natural and anthropogenic impacts on freshwater lens on small islands

"Exploring natural and anthropogenic impacts on freshwater lens on small islands" is the title of the Ippen lecture to be given by Professor Chunhui Lu at the beginning of the IAHR General Members Assembly from 18:00 in Hall E (Austria Center Vienna) during the 40th IAHR World Congress on Thursday 24 August 2023.

M. Selim Yalin Lifetime Achievement Award

Established in 2006 to honour the memory of Professor M. Selim Yalin (1925-2007), Honorary Member and Fluvial Hydraulics Committee Chairperson (1986-1991), remembered for his prolific and pioneering research contributions in fluvial hydraulics and sediment transport, and for his inspirational mentoring of students and young researchers, the M. Selim Yalin Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred upon an IAHR member whose experimental, theoretical, or numerical research has resulted in significant and enduring contributions to the understanding of the physics of phenomena and/or processes in hydraulic science or engineering and who has demonstrated outstanding skills in graduate teaching and supervision.

The 9th M. Selim Yalin Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred to Prof. Heidi Nepf, Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, for her outstanding career in environmental fluid mechanics and contributions to the field of hydrodynamics of vegetated flows and her dedication to the delivery of her knowledge through teaching and education.

Honourable mention to the finalists Pierre Yulien from the USA and José Luis López from Venezuela.