Some of the world’s most recognized scholars in water science and engineering met in Orlando earlier this month to absorb the latest research related to the world’s water supplies and how they are responding to a changing climate.
The Tenth International Conference on Hydroscience & Engineering, sponsored by the University of Central Florida Coastal Hydroscience Analysis, Modeling & Predictive Simulations Laboratory (CHAMPS Lab) with support from Oak Ridge Associated Universities and numerous consulting firms, and state, national and international agencies, and held at the Rosen Plaza Hotel. The conference focused on the question of how to plan for a sustainable future in light of issues such as sea level rise and changing land use practices.
Conference Chair Scott C. Hagen, a UCF engineering professor and director of the CHAMPS Lab, wanted to hold the event in Central Florida because of the region’s rich terrain for anyone with an interest in hydroscience.
“It was an honor to serve as host to such a distinguished group of engineers and scientists, and from the feedback I have received I know that our UCF students and faculty made a positive impression,” Hagen said.
The conference, which drew 225 attendees from 25 countries, was highlighted by five distinguished keynote speakers, each presenting a unique perspective on topics ranging from Climate Change and Hydroscience, Coastal Processes and Engineering, Lake and River Restoration, Surface and Groundwater Flows, and Water Quality and Contaminant Transport.
In addition to three full days of presentations and exhibits, attendees were invited to join technical tours of the Kissimmee River Restoration Project and the Middle St. Johns River/Blue Springs.
Keynote talks were delivered by Robert A. Dalrymple, Willard & Lillian Hackerman Professor of Civil Engineering at Johns Hopkins University; Roger Falconer, Halcrow Professor of Water Management and director of the Hydro-environmental Research Centre in the School of Engineering at Cardiff University, U.K. ; Forrest Holly, emeritus professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Iowa, and adjunct professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at the University of Arizona; Nikolaos Katopodes, a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan; and Larry Weber, director of IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, co-founder of the Iowa Flood Center, and a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Iowa.
The UCF organizing committee included Manoj Chopra, Kavah Madani, and Dingbao Wang, all professors in the department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering.