From the Director
Reimagining IIHR for the Next Hundred Years
Last year, IIHR endured a storm that left one of our buildings in ruins and a major research project with serious setbacks.
Iowans know the feeling that comes after a severe storm. The winds have calmed, the clouds have left, and the sky often seems to be the most intense blue. There’s a sense of peace and relief, and of hope, even if there is plenty of clean-up work to do.
Although the institute has recovered from the tornado of March 31, 2023, with vital support from our campus and community partners, widespread flooding in June 2024 once again plagued much of the state, with some areas of northwest Iowa receiving more than half a year’s rain in just the last week of June. As we’ve provided technical assistance to flood-impacted communities during this difficult time, it’s not clear skies and rainbows for them just yet, however. It is clear we have more work to do to help our state be more resilient to floods and droughts.
Following our centennial celebration, we’re in the midst of reimagining IIHR’s next 100 years. We are fortunate to have an enthusiastic and committed partner in this process — the new dean of the College of Engineering, Ann F. McKenna. I am delighted by the support and interest she’s shown in helping to understand and grow our programs. Together, we are working to make the college and IIHR an even better place.
As we plan for the future, one of the most exciting initiatives is the design of a new Advanced Hydraulics Research Facility that will provide critical infrastructure to expand our research programs, encourage innovation, and strengthen collaborations with state, federal, industry, and international partners. The new building will be conveniently located with other IIHR facilities at the Iowa Research Park to serve the growing needs of high-achieving programs including the Iowa Flood Center, Iowa Geological Survey, and Iowa Nutrient Research Center. We have started on this project in earnest and continue to work hard on securing funding to complete the project.
Another important milestone for our program is the retirement of Witold Krajewski (known to us all as Witek) from his position as Iowa Flood Center director. We’ve been fortunate to have his wisdom and leadership guide the flood center’s success throughout its first 15 years, and we congratulate him on an impressive career that has made so many Iowans safer from the devastation of flooding. I’ve been proud to have worked with him and happy to call him my friend.
In closing, let me say how much joy it gives me to work for the future of IIHR. My goal as director is to put the institute in the best place that it can be for faculty, staff, and students as we move into our second century of research. I look forward to working with each of you as together, we reimagine IIHR for the next hundred years.
Larry Weber Director, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering
Edwin B. Green Chair in Hydraulics Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Overheard
“You are very lovable.”
KEITH SAUNDERS, DIRECTOR OF STATE RELATIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, SPEAKING ABOUT THE IOWA FLOOD CENTER’S STATEWIDE SUCCESS AND IMPACT
“We try not to be smelly, but sometimes that happens.”
CRAIG JUST, IIHR ASSOCIATE FACULTY RESEARCH ENGINEER, DURING A PRESENTATION ON THE IOWA WASTEWATER AND WASTE TO ENERGY RESEARCH PROGRAM
“Iowa City
is
like home.”
BO CHEN, IIHR ALUMNUS, DURING A WEEKLONG VISIT TO IOWA WITH COLLEAGUES FROM BEIJING NORMAL UNIVERSITY
“Always
keep the lab broke, and no
one will ask any
questions.”
LARRY WEBER, IIHR DIRECTOR, SHARING ADVICE FROM FORMER IIHR DIRECTOR JACK KENNEDY, PICTURED, RIGHT
Welcome, Dean McKenna!
Dean Ann McKenna joined the College of Engineering in August 2023. She previously served as the vice dean of strategic advancement at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University and was a professor of engineering in the Polytechnic School. In February 2024, McKenna joined the Iowa Flood Center and Iowa Geological Survey for their annual Legislative Breakfast Reception at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines to meet legislators and partners and highlight the services and value the organizations provide for the state of Iowa.
Alumni Connections
More than a school or workplace, IIHR is a family for life. Being a part of the institute means forever having a place to call home. IIHR’s robust alumni network provides opportunities to connect and inspires collaborations across the globe.
IIHR alum Bo Chen visited Iowa for a week-long visit with five colleagues from Beijing Normal University in China. The group came to exchange research ideas and best practices for managing water resources, including advancing flood prediction and mitigation, reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, and enhancing community outreach and engagement. The group toured IIHR research facilities and field sites to meet with policymakers, landowners, and county and city staff. The team also spent time with colleagues at Iowa State University, learning about conservation initiatives through the Iowa Nutrient Research Center.
TOP: IIHR alum Bo Chen (far left) with colleagues during a tour of watershed practices in Johnson County, Iowa.
abOVE: IIHR alumni gather in Milwaukee during the Environmental and Water Resources Institute Congress.
Lab Notes
Cultivating Partnerships
The Johnson County Historic Poor Farm (JCHPF) serves as a living laboratory for University of Iowa researchers and students to advance their research and succeed as the next engineers and biologists of the world. In the past 10 years, the farm’s landscape has witnessed significant conservation enhancements, ranging from innovative crop management practices that focus on soil health, pollinator habitat, and cover crops, to the installation of wetlands aimed at slowing sediment and improving water quality. It’s an environmentalist’s playground.
Since 2019, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, Iowa Geological Survey, and Iowa Flood Center researchers and students have worked on watershed management improvements, groundwater monitoring, real-time waterquality measurements, and soil microbiology research. The exploration and discovery cultivated on the farm between local community organizations and the University of Iowa is a unique partnership for advancing science and the understanding of how to effectively mitigate environmental risks. The JCHPF served as a significant location for a $1 million program funded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico Division led by Craig Just, IIHR
associate faculty research engineer. Just, who is also a professor of civil and environmental engineering, is studying innovative nutrient and sediment reduction practices that could be scaled up across Iowa.
As implied by its name, the history of the JCHPF is complicated. Founded in 1855, it was one of many countyrun poor farms operated throughout the country following the 19th-century social reform movement. The farms were run by local governments and set up to permanently house individuals with difficult life experiences. In exchange, the residents were required to work on the farm. Reckoning with its past, today the farm serves as a beacon for providing equitable opportunities to connect people to the land and come together as a community.
The collaborative success of the JCHPF project is attributed to the contributions and support from various agencies, including Johnson County, Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development, Impact7G, the University of Iowa, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, Iowa Geological Survey, the Iowa College of Engineering, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. This partnership exemplifies the synergy between academia, government, and private entities in advancing sustainable research and conservation goals.
In September 2023, nearly 40 people gathered at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm to celebrate the successful completion of conservation improvements and collaborative research projects on groundwater monitoring.
The standard and legacy of excellence set by Stutzman and his colleagues, both as people and as professionals, remain the cornerstone of IIHR research initiatives today, upheld by our current team of dedicated shop staff.
Stutzman touring the Wanapum Dam in Washington that he was a part of through IIHR’s fish passage work.
In Memory: Stan Stutzman
Stan Stutzman was the 13th of 14 children. He learned the value of hard work at an early age by working on a neighbor’s farm making hay, milking, and gathering eggs, earning a dollar a day. He graduated eighth grade from a single-room country schoolhouse near Kalona, Iowa, and began driving a truck and working at a local feed mill. With help from his Amish neighbors, he learned to weld and got into maintenance work.
What started as a side job helping mow and take care of former IIHR director Hunter Rouse’s yard while Rouse was on sabbatical turned into a 25-year career working at IIHR. Stutzman primarily did pipe welding for river models, dropshaft models, and fish passage projects. He joined IIHR’s shop team in February 1960 working with shop manager Dale Harris. And it wasn’t all welding — he worked with the first computer used to gather data from a meandering bends river model, helped take river measurements alongside shop supervisor Jim Goss for Tatsuaki Nakato, and built and installed flumes for clients all around the country, including Penn State University; Lafayette, Louisiana; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; University of WisconsinMadison; and Howard University in Washington, D.C. He also supported Lou Landweber’s ship hydrodynamics research by helping to build the wooden ship models. He later worked with Larry Weber on Columbia River fish passage projects.
Always willing to help wherever needed, he is remembered at IIHR for his enthusiasm and catchphrase, “Oh, wow! That’s amazing!” His warm personality, kindness, and incredible skills helped to expand IIHR’s research portfolio. The standard and legacy of excellence set by Stutzman and his colleagues, both as people and as professionals, remain the cornerstone of IIHR research initiatives today, upheld by our current team of dedicated shop staff. Stutzman passed away on January 24, 2024, at the age of 87.
Leave No Trace
Iowa Geological Survey (IGS) hydrogeologist Joe Honings (far right) had the rare opportunity to join colleagues on an expedition in the pristine Coldwater Cave in northeast Iowa. After descending 100 feet down a ladder to reach the cave system below, the team was immersed in the pitch-black, underground world.
Honings, a recent addition to the IGS team who holds a PhD in geology from Louisiana State University, joined the undertaking to better understand the cave and the unique research opportunities it provides. The primitive cave system spans 17 miles underground. Unlike many caves in the region and beyond, it has been protected by the Iowa Grotto, which limits traffic and instills in researchers an ethical duty to “leave no trace.” Many cave systems are open to the public, and with the cumulative effects of regular visitors, the ecology and natural formations are changed permanently. Studying the pristine cave in comparison to others in the region
can help to inform details about soil age and movement, water flow, and bank erosion rates that can be used to better understand what is happening in similar environments.
Though Coldwater Cave is dark and quiet, it teems with life. A river runs through the system, averaging a balmy 30 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and ranging from ankle to chest deep. Visitors must traverse the cave carefully to avoid accidental injury. The sides of the cave showcase incredible rock formations formed by the steadily flowing water over thousands of years.
Having completed his undergraduate degree in environmental studies from the University of Iowa, Honings is glad to be back and working with the IGS at IIHR. “There’s a great variety of projects. I’m never working on the same thing. It’s a great deal of collaboration with my colleagues, the engineering side of things, and other universities — we are pushing and discovering for science.”
IIHR Flexes Physical Modeling
Flood Mitigation for Ellicott City, Maryland
In July 2016, torrential rains of nearly six inches in two hours dropped over Howard County, Maryland, causing catastrophic flooding in the historic downtown Ellicott City. Nearly everyone was impacted, including homeowners, business and property owners, and tourists. The epic storm caused an estimated $10.8 million in public infrastructure damage and $67.2 million in economic loss. Two people were killed.
Located at the confluence of four branches of the Patapsco River, the community is highly susceptible to flooding. Just two years later in 2018, the city experienced an even worse flood after receiving eight inches of rain in 24 hours, again causing the loss of life for two victims and damaging about 250 homes and businesses.
Howard County government officials worked with Brown and Caldwell consulting who sought out IIHR’s physical modeling expertise for a study to support the design of flood mitigation options for Ellicott City. IIHR fabricated and built two interconnected 1:12 scale physical hydraulic models to evaluate and improve the designs of two unique drop structures that would divert water through a deep underground tunnel and bypass the most vulnerable part of the city. IIHR modeling results identified design modifications that will reduce construction costs for the flood mitigation project by an estimated $4-5 million.
Kim Hairston, The Baltimore Sun
Expertise
Physical hydraulic modeling remains a core strength of our team, perfected through decades of experience developing innovative designs to address real-world challenges.
Water Sustainability for Colorado
The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (Northern Water) is responsible for serving 1 million water users, with a half million more expected by 2050. To ensure a safe and reliable water supply, Northern Water developed the Northern Integrated Supply Project, which proposes creating two new reservoirs. The primary Glade Dam and Reservoir will receive water from the nearby Poudre River via diversion and a canal to a receiving basin at the spillway base. From the basin, water will be pumped to fill the reservoir. IIHR was contracted by BV AECOM to perform a 1:12 scale physical model of the baffled chute spillway to evaluate, optimize, and refine the layout and to avoid overtopping or significant splashing that could cause erosion. The model informed the design of unique features, including a sharp bend partway down the spillway chute, and the evaluation of what will be the longest baffled chute spillway in the world once completed. The Glade Reservoir is expected to be operational by 2028.
Celebrating a Century of Excellence
On July 14, 2023, IIHR students, staff, faculty, and alumni gathered for a day-long reunion celebration in honor of the institute as it continues its second century of world-class research, creative educational programs, and engaging service activities.
“For decades, IIHR has scored off the top of the charts in the Working at Iowa survey, a biannual process to measure job satisfaction at the University of Iowa. On many occasions, UI administrators came to me, asking, ‘What is in the water at IIHR?’ or ‘What is the secret sauce?’ that makes IIHR such a special place to work?
“The approach has been simple and has always remained the same: it is a firm belief that the institution is ahead of the individual — it is working with a common purpose and understanding, and it is mutual respect, trust, and love for one another...
“I stand here today deeply thankful for each of you and all that you do for IIHR.
“People, not structures, make a great university.”
IIHR DIRECTOR LaRRY WEbER, SPEaKING aT THE REUNION CELEbRaTION DINNER RECEPTION aT HaNCHER aUDITORIUM
A Strong Purpose
WITOLD KRAJEWSKI REFLECTS ON A CAREER THAT WAS ‘SOMETHING SPECIAL’
When Witold Krajewski was a young man, he arrived in the United States from communist-controlled Poland with just two suitcases and $400 in his pocket and a PhD in water resources systems engineering.
He was about to begin a career that would earn him international recognition.
In that moment, though, it took a leap of faith.
Remembering that young man, Krajewski admits that he was well prepared academically but lacking in one area — his ability to speak English.
He had studied English in school, but never had the opportunity to practice speaking it. “My comprehension was poor,” Krajewski says. “It was very frustrating.”
FINDING HIS VOICE
Krajewski, who will soon retire as professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Iowa, has built an impressive career. He has served as director and co-founder of the Iowa Flood Center (IFC), the Rose and Joseph Summers Chair in Water Resources Engineering, research engineer at IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering (IIHR), and more. He has mentored more than 50 master’s and PhD students. In 2021, Krajewski was elected to the National Academy of Engineering and named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
He credits his parents, both academics, for setting him on the path to success. His mother, Jadwiga, was a historian and director of the University of Warsaw Library. His father, Karol, was an engineer and a professor at the Warsaw University of Technology.
“They talked, and I listened,” Krajewski says. “To say that I couldn’t be here without them would be an understatement.”
THAT POLISH MAGIC
Krajewski’s first position in the United States was as a postdoc at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, a small college town close to hiking trails and skiing areas. “I loved everything about it,” Krajewski says.
After he spent a year in Utah, he accepted another postdoc position at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Silver Spring, Maryland, which eventually led to a federal appointment. He liked the job, which allowed him to explore his interests in hydrology and discover a fascination with radar remote sensing of rainfall. He participated in the early days of the NEXRAD system, a nationwide network of weather radars. The NWS, however, had another beautiful attraction.
It was at the annual NWS holiday party that Krajewski first encountered the woman he would eventually marry. “I saw Diana standing with some friends,” he remembers. A colleague noticed Krajewski looking and said, “Witek, show me how you meet women in Poland.”
“So, I said, ‘Go get me a glass of wine and I’ll show you,’” Krajewski remembers. “The rest is history.”
IT’S GREAT TO BE A HAWKEYE
Witold and Diana Thrift married in 1984, and professional change was on the horizon as well. “I was happy at NWS, but I always wanted the freedom of academia,” he says. A friend at IIHR, Konstantine Georgakakos, encouraged Krajewski to apply for an open position there.
And so, in 1987, Krajewski applied for and won a job at the University of Iowa College of Engineering and IIHR, where he has continued his research in hydrology and water resources engineering.
“Once I got here, I could do what my curiosity pushed me to do,” he says. “Even though I studied rainfall, the motivation was always flooding and the prediction of flooding. When they established the Iowa Flood Center, I can say I was ready — really ready.”
HE’S NO COWBOY
Iowa held attractions for Diana as well. She earned a graduate degree at the University of Iowa’s prestigious Nonfiction Writing Program. Even before that, though, she had always been her husband’s best editor and communication advisor.
“She definitely had a big role in improving my writing,” Krajewski says.
Iowa also offered the space to keep horses something Diana had always wanted to do. Krajewski was dubious. Despite his love for playing sports — especially judo, soccer, and basketball — Krajewski had little experience with horses. “I just hated it because it was dangerous, and I didn’t know anything about it,” he says.
In time, though, he became more comfortable with horses and riding (especially his own horse, Kasztan). Riding in the Snowy Mountains in Wyoming feels like being in a movie, Krajewski says.
“I learned everything from Diana.”
A NEW URGENCY
In 2008, a destructive flood engulfed much of eastern Iowa, including the University of Iowa campus. Krajewski remembers feeling helpless and frustrated.
“Even though I was doing relevant research on rainfall, we couldn’t help much,” he says.
But IIHR had impressive capabilities in fluids engineering and river-related research, and interest began to bubble up at the state capitol about doing something to make Iowa more flood resilient.
“They asked us, ‘What would you do if we asked you to share your expertise?’” Krajewski remembers. With IIHR Director Larry Weber, Krajewski drafted a two-page document that laid out a path forward. The Iowa Legislature went on to write a bill establishing the IFC that quoted the document almost word for word.
“They basically put us to work. They said, ‘Okay, enough of this ivory tower thinking. It’s time to do something,’” Krajewski says. “And we did. We are engineers, after all.” He adds, “I formulated the technical vision. Everybody got on board with that vision. And that’s why we could do what we did.”
NO JARGON
When Krajewski and Weber founded the IFC, Krajewski established one firm rule no jargon. “Because English is not my first language, this ability to communicate — that’s something I think about,” he says. “If you are saying something and you see a blank expression, well, then just say it again, in a different way.
“Jargon-free communication — that is fundamental.”
SERVING IOWANS
In the years since, the Iowa Flood Center has become a trusted source of sciencebased information for individuals, emergency managers, homeowners, business owners, farmers, and more. Through the online Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS), which is free to all, Iowans can learn about their flood risks and find information to help them stay safe from floods.
Iowa has become a model for the nation, attracting visitors from places such as Texas and North Carolina, eager to learn about what the IFC has achieved and how it can be applied in other places.
But in the beginning, the IFC had no example to follow. Weber and Krajewski created it as they went along, based on their own knowledge and experience and calling
Witold Krajewski: Mentor, Colleague, Coach, and Friend
“On my graduation day, Witek called me his ‘engineer daughter.’ I share the feeling. Witek is my engineer father, and he taught me a way of living, with respect, love, kindness, balance, ethics, and great sarcastic humor. I will forever be honored and grateful for having Witek in my life.”
LUCIANA KINDL DA CUNHA, PHD AND FORMER ADVISEE
“His mentorship was a key factor in my professional development, fostering in me the skills and confidence to become an independent researcher. Witek’s career, undoubtedly legendary and far-reaching, will leave a lasting impact for generations to come, and I am grateful that our paths intersected.”
MOHAMED ELSAADANI, PHD AND FORMER ADVISEE
“I could write paragraphs about the impact Witek and his vision for the Iowa Flood Center has had on Bremer County. From immediate flood inundation mapping during an event to mitigation efforts following (or before the next), Witek and the IFC have preserved/protected untold thousands of dollars in damages, and more importantly — lives have been negatively impacted minimally or not at all, rather than completely upended. Thank you for your inspiration, Witek! You and your team have made countless differences.”
KIP LADAGE, BREMER COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER
“I would be remiss not to mention the true honor it is to be in partnership with the Iowa Flood Center and what it’s meant to the whole state of Iowa. To have the expertise and resources available to us as emergency managers, helping us plan for the best possible practices in all our preparedness efforts, is priceless. The partnership and friendship with Witek and his team is forever appreciated and has made our work better. Witek and the IFC truly support the populations we represent.”
RICK WULFEKUHLE, BUCHANAN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER
“What makes Witek so unusual is that he can translate the theory into a practical, working system that benefits society. IFC is a great example of this … I think of the Iowa Flood Center and IFIS as a moonshot of sorts. Some of the pieces were lying around but it takes a very unique individual with vision, drive, focus, and multi-faceted skill to make everything work together.”
ANTON KRUGER, DONALD E. BENTLY FACULTY FELLOW OF ENGINEERING AND IFC RESEARCHER
“Witek’s demeanor and interactions with students and colleagues remind me of those great legendary coaches of a sports dynasty. He can bring a team together with his vision and energy. But he also recognizes that every individual has a role in the team’s success. He sets high standards for himself and others. And he encourages everyone to achieve at their highest level, which is often so much more than they originally thought was even possible.”
ALLEN BRADLEY, UI PROFESSOR OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND IFC RESEARCHER
PREVIOUS PaGE
PHOTOS, TOP TO bOTTOM: Witold Krajewski presenting during the Iowa Flood Center’s 10year anniversary celebration.
A group of IFC members gathered for a team soccer match to commemorate Krajewski’s retirement and acknowledge his passion for competition and sports.
Congressman Dave Loebsack during a visit to IFC to show his support for building a national flood center based on IFC’s leadership, success, and impact.
Current and former students, staff, faculty colleagues, and close partners gathered to honor and recognize Krajewski’s contributions to the water resources community during his retirement celebration.
bELOW: Historic June 2024 rainfall in Northwest Iowa displayed on IFIS.
on IIHR colleagues for their expertise. This wasn’t just science for other scientists — this was for all Iowans. And “no jargon” was a central tenet.
“Nobody told us this, but by definition, the customer is everybody,” Krajewski says. Part of the IFC mission was to present information in a way that was accessible and understandable to all.
RELIABLE FLOOD INFORMATION
The IFC’s achievements include the following:
• The design, manufacture, and deployment of almost 300 stream-stage sensors statewide, sending data to IFIS every 15 minutes and allowing Iowans to track water levels on rivers and streams near their homes and businesses to know when floods are imminent.
• Flood inundation maps for more than 30 flood-prone communities statewide, providing information about where predicted floodwaters will go and how deep the water will be. With this information, officials and individuals can respond to rising water quickly and appropriately.
• Statewide floodplain maps for all 99 counties showing the boundaries of common as well as rare floods for all Iowa streams.
• Model-based real-time streamflow forecasts for the entire state.
• A hydrologic monitoring network providing flood and drought information in more than 50 Iowa counties, working toward a goal of one station in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.
• IFIS, a highly innovative online information platform, offering easy access to the IFC’s flood-related information, visualizations, and applications. IFIS has had more than 4.5 million visits since its launch in 2011.
To let Iowans know about the IFC’s services, the center has also deployed an impressive communication and outreach program that includes an annual legislative breakfast for lawmakers in Des Moines to communicate the ways the IFC is making a difference for Iowans.
A STRONG PURPOSE
As co-founder and director of the IFC, Krajewski has provided the all-important vision, leadership, and motivation behind the center’s success. But he is quick to say it is not a one-man show.
“All this work wouldn’t be possible without a major effort by many people, now and over many years,” Krajewski says. Students, faculty, staff, and agency personnel have all played important roles in the center’s success.
When Krajewski finished his term as IFC director in June, he and Diana (with the horses) moved to Reno, Nevada, to be near their daughters Joanna and Sophie and their grandchildren.
But even after he has stepped down as director of the Iowa Flood Center, Krajewski will continue his involvement on a part-time basis, focusing on research and returning to Iowa a few times a year.
“There was life before the Iowa Flood Center,” Krajewski says. “But then the flood came and that changed my life. It just gave me such a strong purpose.”
He adds, “We did something special. And also, I know that I was the driving force for that. It was my vision, but also the ability to bring people together to contribute their skills and energy.
“I’m happy about that because I know it was special,” he says. “It still is special.”
IIHR Welcomes New Researchers
Neither rain nor storm nor global pandemic could stop these three new faculty researchers from joining IIHR and the University of Iowa College of Engineering. It is our pleasure to introduce them to you here!
Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and IIHR
Assistant Faculty Research Engineer
RESE a RCH INTERESTS
Hydrology, numerical and hydrologic modeling, flood forecasting
AS A CHILD GROWING UP IN COLOMBIA, Humberto Vergara dreamed of becoming a scientist and an inventor. Now, remembering his boyhood ambition, he says, “I do feel like that dream came true.” He followed in the footsteps of his father, an engineer, and earned a BS degree in environmental engineering at El Bosque University in Colombia. He came to the United States and the University of Oklahoma for MSc and PhD degrees in civil engineering, with a focus in water resources.
He stayed on at the University of Oklahoma as a research scientist. He was also affiliated with NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory. In this role, he was one of the main developers of a flash flood forecasting system that the National Weather Service now uses in daily operations. “A lot of my work has been around early warning applications and, in particular, flash flood forecasting,” Vergara says. Predicting flash floods is challenging because these events happen so fast, Vergara says. Also, there are essentially no observations to guide the development of hydrologic modeling and improved tools.
“You have to be creative and clever,” he explains.
Vergara is thrilled that his forecasting system is making a difference. “We all dream of seeing our research being used to solve real-life problems,” he says. “Now I’m looking forward to the next opportunity.”
For Vergara, that opportunity is in West Africa. He’s part of a team working with NASA to develop a similar flood forecasting system there.
“I am very passionate about this work,” Vergara says. “It’s going to be used to prevent loss of life and losses in property. What I’m doing it’s very important for society.”
When asked how he ended up at Iowa, Vergara says that when he saw a position open at the College of Engineering and the Iowa Flood Center, he jumped at the chance. “It was a no-brainer,” he says. “I had to apply.”
He and his family wife Diana, also an environmental engineer, and three children ages 9, 11, and 13 are enjoying Iowa City and settling in well. The kids relished the chance to play in real snow, although Vergara was less enthusiastic about shoveling it.
He’s happier about the opportunity to play basketball at noon with his colleagues (including IFC founding director Witold Krajewski).
“It’s a great way for me to disconnect in the middle of the week,” Vergara says. As a musician who plays guitar and piano, he’s also finding opportunities to jam.
“That also fills my heart,” he says.
TITLE
HUMBERTO VERGARA
TITLE
Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and IIHR Assistant Faculty Research Engineer
RESE a RCH INTERESTS
Fluid dynamics, turbulent flow, and drag
“Mother Nature has already developed very dedicated flow control devices. The fish, the birds — they know how to deal with very complex flow motion.”
IF YOU ASK CONG WANG where home is, you’ll get a complicated answer. Born in northern China, he went to Singapore as an undergraduate, where he earned a BEng degree in engineering science. He came to the United States and the California Institute of Technology for graduate school and earned MS and PhD degrees in aeronautics. He stayed on at Caltech for a postdoc and then as a research scientist 10 years in all.
“The question of where my home is it’s very difficult, because every place, including Iowa I love them,” Wang says. “I love my life here. I love Los Angeles and I love Singapore, and of course, my parents are still in China.”
He and his wife Shanshan have two children (ages 4 and 2), who are also loving life in Iowa City. Wang enjoys taking his kids outside to experience nature as he did as a boy.
Growing up in China, Wang was fascinated by insects, birds, and fish. “Even now as an engineering scientist … I still think that’s a great resource for my research work,” he says. “Birds know how to control their feathers, their wings, and they can manipulate the flow.” Even compared to state-of-the-art technology, Wang says, nature often does it better.
He’s excited by the emerging field of bio-inspired engineering — essentially, learning from the natural world. “Mother Nature has already developed very dedicated flow control devices,” Wang says. “The fish, the birds they know how to deal with very complex flow motion.”
He adds, “We can learn from the natural world … and based on that knowledge, we can design some new devices and systems, all to achieve better performance.”
How did he happen to end up at IIHR? Hunter Rouse and Fred Stern both played a role in bringing Wang to Iowa.
As a graduate student, Wang says, he watched former IIHR director Hunter Rouse’s film series on fluid mechanics. “It was very inspiring and concise,” he remembers. Each film included a credit to IIHR. That stuck with Wang. Later, as a researcher focusing on naval hydrodynamics, he met many excellent scholars from the University of Iowa, including Professor Fred Stern and others.
“The University of Iowa is very strong in my field of naval hydrodynamics,” Wang says. “I’m very grateful that I can come here and work together with these excellent scholars.”
Wang’s work focuses on fluid dynamics, with a particular focus on turbulent flow utilizing experimental measurement techniques and theoretical analysis. Turbulent flows can cause huge energy losses— exceeding 50%—in vehicles such as ships and airplanes. Wang aims to develop devices to manipulate turbulence to enhance the energy efficiency of transportation systems.
Wang recognizes the complexity of addressing these fundamental issues. “I think doing research is maybe 95% failure. Most of the time it doesn’t work,” he says. “But when a concept succeeds or a breakthrough moment of understanding occurs, it is incredibly rewarding.”
CONG WANG
TITLE
Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and IIHR Assistant Faculty Research Engineer
RESE a RCH INTERESTS
River hydraulics, sediment transport, and physical modeling
The transition from postdoc to faculty member is a steep one.
“I still feel like I’m just getting started. The past five months have gone by really quickly.”
MANY ENGINEERS say they started taking things apart and putting them back together (or trying to) at a very young age.
For Priscilla Williams, it was a little different. “I was told that I should be an engineer,” she says. As a high school student, Williams thought she would follow in her older sister’s footsteps by studying biology and education. “I thought, ‘I’ll just do what she’s doing,’” Williams remembers.
Big sister had another opinion. “She told me, ‘Just do engineering.’” Williams wasn’t sure she could do it, but with encouragement from her sister and her physics teacher (Williams was a whiz at math and science), she decided to give engineering a try.
Williams went to the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, where she earned an undergraduate degree in civil engineering with a focus on structures. Along the way, she took a hydraulics course and absolutely loved it. A professor suggested that she pursue graduate school in hydraulics, and Williams decided to go for it. Eventually, she earned a master’s degree and a PhD.
Anyone studying hydraulics is aware of IIHR, Williams says.
“Obviously, Iowa’s on your radar.” She was about to move to Vancouver when she saw a job posting at IIHR. “It was right up my alley in physical modeling with sediment transport,” Williams says. She applied, interviewed, and moved to Iowa City a month later.
Williams’ postdoc was spent working with IIHR associate director Troy Lyons and director Larry Weber on a large physical modeling project designed to help trout pass the Freeman Diversion on California’s Santa Clara River.
The 1:24 model of the river was a huge lift for the entire physical modeling group. On March 31, 2023, the shop team put the final touches on the model just before noon.
“At that point, I had been working on it for a year and a half of my life,” Williams remembers. Just before 5 p.m. that afternoon, a tornado hit the building and destroyed the model. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but it was a devastating loss.
“I’m really glad I got the opportunity to work on that model,” Williams says. “It was a really great experience.”
After her postdoc, Williams was hired for a faculty position in civil and environmental engineering, and she continues her research at IIHR. The transition from postdoc to faculty member is a steep one, Williams says. “I still feel like I’m just getting started. The past five months have gone by really quickly.”
She likes teaching and sharing some of the lessons she learned with her students. She’s currently teaching Principles of Hydraulics and Hydrology. “I love that course because it’s their first taste of hydraulics and hydrology,” Williams says.
For her, the transformative lesson was about the Froude number. “My professor used the illustration of throwing a pebble in a river. This was in 2011, and I still remember that. I use that now, and it’s my favorite lesson to teach.”
Outside of work, Williams enjoys playing pick-up soccer with colleagues. She also loves to read — physical books, not on a screen. Looking back, Williams says she got good advice at every crucial juncture in her career, starting with the big sister who steered her toward engineering.
PRISCILLA WILLIAMS
Bridging Waters
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF NITROGEN POLLUTION
A new collaboration between engineering and the arts and humanities at the University of Iowa leverages artists, writers, and scholars to put a face on the impacts of nitrogen pollution in waterways and watersheds.
“This project gives voice and narrative to those impacted,” says David Cwiertny, William D. Ashton Professor of Civil Engineering and IIHR faculty research engineer. “How do we make this real? We bring people to the issues through art, dance, creative writing, papermaking.” Cwiertny is the Iowa lead on the National Science Foundation project called the Blue-Green Action Platform, or BlueGAP, which aims to connect communities across watersheds to address economic and health challenges caused by nitrogen pollution in their water and local environment.
The BlueGAP project came to life as six graduate students from the arts and humanities were featured in Fluid Impressions: A Water Quality Exhibition, held in Iowa City.
The projects used ceramics and choreography, journalism and creative writing, critical cartography, papermaking, and book arts to explore community issues, reflect on the importance of preserving natural resources in places we call home, and gain insight from personal stories and experiences.
“The hope in telling the stories in diverse ways is to provide people with actionable information to become more engaged,” Cwiertny says.
Eric Gidal, an English professor at Iowa, is leading the arts and humanities contributions to the project. Too often, understanding and solving environmental problems are left to the sciences. The arts and humanities should also have a critical role in the solutions, says Gidal.
“This is an ideal model of what humanities, sciences, and the arts can do together,” says Gidal. “What we are doing alone is not enough.”
Richard Frailing, a second-year graduate student in the Nonfiction Writing Program, originally from Norfolk, Virginia, created a series called “Flyover Country.” It features three “drone essays,” which form a triptych — a piece composed or presented in three parts or sections.
Overhead video footage is overlaid with Frailing’s narration and music. In it, Frailing contemplates what constitutes beauty and how choices are made in managing land. His commentary is informed by interviews with farmers as well as previous work at Iowa State University Extension, where he educated the public about natural resource concerns and wrote about the perspectives of conservation farmers.
“It became apparent that there was a lack of communication between the upstream Midwest and downstream Gulf communities’ nutrient pollution and related water-quality concerns,” says Frailing. “BlueGAP, as far as I know, is the clearest example of an academic partnership between opposite ends of the Mississippi watershed.”
“How
do we make this real? We bring people to the issues through art, dance, creative writing, papermaking.”
DaVID CWIERTNY, WILLIaM D. aSHTON PROFESSOR OF CIVIL ENGINEERING aND IIHR FaCULTY RESEaRCH ENGINEER
The Mississippi River and its tributaries carry nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from lawns, sewage treatment plants, farmland, and other sources into the Gulf of Mexico, creating the so-called “dead zone” that threatens seafood production, recreation, and marine life.
“This isn’t meant to demonize farmers, but to make their choices relatable,” says Frailing. “Aesthetics — among many other values — affect all our choices. Thus, art’s power is both to explicitly connect disparate threads — such as the value of uniform landscapes to water quality — and to synthesize them in a way that is both evocative and provocative.”
A second cohort of art and humanities students joined the project in the summer of 2024 to further bridge connections between engineering and the arts to inspire conversations and action around nitrogen pollution.
Kate Giannini, IIHR program manager, alongside BlueGap students Munachim Amah and Javier Espinosa Momox.
a Scientist from the beginning
JUST A FARM KID
As an adult sifting through a box of his school-age memorabilia, Marty St. Clair discovered that by the first grade, he already knew he wanted to be a scientist.
“My best printing said I want to be a geologist,” he says. “I had no, no idea why. I’m in the middle of nowhere northern Indiana. I’d never even known a scientist.”
His childhood was spent on his family’s farm of about 300 acres, mostly corn and soybeans. In his current role as a research scientist at IIHR managing the statewide water-quality network that collects realtime nitrate data, mostly from agricultural runoff, St. Clair relies on his farm upbringing. “I feel like it does help me understand where farmers come from.”
He also shares his time with the University of Iowa’s Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination (CHEEC), supporting and advancing research that studies the human impacts of exposure to environmental toxins.
MARTY ST. CLAIR
JOURNEY TO ACADEMIA
St. Clair’s early interest in science stuck with him. Throughout high school, he was also involved in musicals. Each year’s music program left a paper trail of what St. Clair said he wanted to be when he grew up, from biology to biochemistry to chemistry — which is where his feet hit the ground. “When I got to college and started taking chemistry courses, I really liked it.”
St. Clair earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and environmental studies from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He went to graduate school at the California Institute of Technology, where he met his wife, Cindy Strong, who was also studying chemistry.
“She knew what she wanted to do,” he says. “She wanted to teach at a small liberal arts college.” They eventually landed in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where his wife has been a faculty member at Cornell College for 34 years.
IOWA CONNECTIONS
St. Clair began his career at the University of Iowa, teaching in the chemistry department for a semester before being offered a lab manager position in environmental engineering, where he stayed for three years.
“I had a great group of people to work with, and I would have been perfectly happy staying in that position,” says St. Clair. “But I really did like teaching.” He was also raising a young family at the time. It all combined to encourage St. Clair to search for other opportunities, which led him to a 30-year career at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as a professor of analytical chemistry.
He later came back for a sabbatical at the University of Iowa, working with IIHR faculty research engineer and professor Michelle Scherer on environmental chemical pollutants research. “It was the most scientifically productive experience,” says St. Clair. “We got to be really good friends. So then I spent several other sabbaticals
IIHR Staff Profiles
working in her lab and once with the Iowa Geological Survey.”
When St. Clair took early retirement from Coe, an opportunity to come back to the University of Iowa presented itself. He works with CHEEC and helps manage IIHR’s public-facing network of more than 70 realtime continuous nitrate sensors deployed across Iowa. “It’s been really gratifying to have my skills and background and previous relationships benefit and help strengthen these efforts.”
St. Clair joined IIHR in September 2023. “It’s exciting to be around people who are just really good at what they do.”
FOLLOW YOUR PASSION
Reflecting on his career, St. Clair says that following his passion to educate students has been the most rewarding. “Just to see and watch their careers is definitely a source of satisfaction,” he says. And the feeling must be mutual, as he’s been asked to officiate at three of his students’ weddings. During his time at Coe, he also helped to mentor a few students to pursue their master’s or PhD degrees with colleagues at Iowa.
In his free time, St. Clair enjoys reading and playing frisbee with his dog, Ivy. “If you can give joy to another creature, you should probably do it,” says St. Clair.
Reflecting on his first-grade aspirations, St. Clair says, “The next time I go to college, I’ll probably do geology.”
“It’s been really gratifying to have my skills and background and previous relationships benefit and help strengthen these efforts. It’s exciting to be around people who are just really good at what they do.”
MaRTY ST. CLaIR, IIHR RESEaRCH SCIENTIST
SANDY GERARD
Going the Extra Mile
AND THE THIRST TO SEE WHAT’S OUT THERE
Sandy Gerard’s mom opened the car door and sat down behind the wheel. When she glanced toward the passenger seat, there was 3-year-old Sandy.
“I just want to go,” the little girl said. It didn’t matter where — she was ready to hit the road.
“I think as a kid, I just wanted to see what’s out there,” Gerard says.
STILL TRAVELING
That feeling has never left her. When she was younger, her ambition was to be a stewardess or a travel agent. Today, she travels whenever she gets the chance.
Gerard, who works as a program coordinator at IIHR, says her best trip so far was a two-week adventure in Peru with her daughters, Amanda and Amber. They went to places most tourists don’t go, like the salt mines. She loves getting off the beaten path and learning something new.
“It was like a live classroom,” Gerard says. “We went to Machu Picchu, we made chocolate, we went into the rainforest for three days. It was incredible.”
That trip was something special, Gerard says. “It was spiritual. Honestly, I felt different inside after being there.” She is looking forward to a trip to Greece in 2024.
IOWA BEGINNINGS
As the seventh of nine kids growing up on a farm near West Branch, Gerard says there was always something happening. They packed into a threebedroom, one-bathroom house until her parents built a larger one on what used to be the family baseball field. “We were never bored! And it was back in the day, so we were free to roam until it was dinner time,” Gerard says.
When she was a senior in high school, Gerard went to Arizona with a friend her first trip out of state.
“When I can answer a question, I will. And helping people — I just really like to.”
SaNDY GERaRD, IIHR PROGRaM COORDINaTOR
While there, she saw an ad on TV for a local college and decided that’s where she wanted to go.
“I moved there three months later,” Gerard says. She drove her old brown Ford Granada all the way from Iowa to Arizona. “I did it on my own with the support of my family back in Iowa,” Gerard says. “I think that was the most life-changing thing I’ve ever done.” And it gave her the confidence to know that she could do more than she had ever imagined.
“It was fun. Even when I go back now, it just makes me smile. I get this sense of freedom,” Gerard says.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
After college, she came back to Iowa and took a job at the state Department of Human Services. In 1991, she started working for a plastic surgeon at the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She’s been at the university ever since.
Gerard joined IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering and the College of Engineering in 2010 as an accountant. Her job duties at IIHR have changed completely more than once, which Gerard says she loves. Learning something new keeps her engaged and entertained. She loves a new challenge. When IIHR was looking for someone to take on human resources duties, Gerard stepped up, although it was all new to her.
“I was able to kind of grow into that, which I really enjoyed,” she says. Gerard took the necessary training to earn her Professional in Human Resources certification. “I studied and studied,” Gerard says. “I’m pretty proud of that.”
Gerard is known for going the extra mile to make sure people are taken care of, no matter what the circumstances. “When I can answer a question, I will. And helping people — I just really like to.”
A SPECIAL PLACE
Gerard is proud to be a part of IIHR and the College of Engineering. She says, “I am amazed at the research, and I respect the faculty, staff, and students all around me.”
She adds, “I’m most proud to say that I contribute to something so meaningful and that I feel like I’m making a difference in people’s lives.”
In keeping with tradition, IIHR graduate students are of paramount importance in advancing fluids-related research to address evolving societal needs and challenges. The transformative educational experience they receive at IIHR prepares them to become future leaders capable of finding innovative solutions to support the demands of the 21st century.
Lily Kraft
Lily Kraft’s research is turning the tide toward a more equitable future for those most impacted by floods, who often lack the financial and social resources to recover. As a civil and environmental engineering PhD candidate, her research shows flood-affected areas of the country where federal aid following a disaster is being under-accessed, traditionally by underserved populations.
“For some populations, simply accessing financial resources or knowing where to find them can be a challenge,” says Kraft. Looking at flood risks for tribal communities, Kraft models past flood events in comparison to filed flood insurance claims to see if areas impacted have unreported damage. “Given climate change and increased flooding, this research will help to protect those most at risk.”
“The mentorship that I’ve been able to find has been really special.”
LILY KRaFT
Maxwell Hammond
Maxwell Hammond’s research focuses on octopus-inspired robotics. The fourth-year mechanical engineering PhD student from Indianapolis, Indiana, explores soft robotics, a cutting-edge technology with the potential to revolutionize areas such as underwater exploration or the precision of surgical procedures. Soft robotics replaces rigid components with soft components; instead of having metal links, you may have a system with silicon continuums. “Traditionally, you have electromagnetic motors moving distinct sections of robotic systems,” says Hammond. “In the silicone system, there’s not one single revolute joint that you’re moving — it’s more one continuous movement along the system.” Hammond’s work focuses on modeling those systems digitally to come up with paths for them to follow to execute a task safely. Though his lab team is small, there’s a great deal of collaboration that has advanced his research. “It’s great having a cooperative community here — everyone is interested in learning from each other.”
IIHR Student Profiles
Emily Schmitz
For Emily Schmitz, what Iowa lacked in warmth, it made up for in community. The Austin, Texas, native received a PhD in civil and environmental engineering, studying how to use unique bacteria naturally found in Iowa’s rich agricultural soils to treat waste and pollutants in the environment. The microbes Schmitz worked with consume nitrates, nitrites, and various other greenhouse gases. “Environments and ecosystems can act like self-cleaning ovens,” says Schmitz. “We know nitrate is present in Iowa soil and contributing to water pollution. An innovative solution to addressing this environmental challenge is to use what is already present in the soil — bacteria.” As a recent graduate, Schmitz reflects on receiving a wellrounded engineering training experience that emphasized science communication. Looking back, it’s the people she’ll miss the most. “The friendships that were fostered are the ones that will continue.”
In a state where corn is king, David Ramotowski is exploring new uses for the cash crop as a method to clean up toxic polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, from the environment. Ramotowski, a PhD student in the University of Iowa’s civil and environmental engineering program, is working to grow specific bacteria that can break down PCBs in the soil and reduce their emissions into the atmosphere by more than 50%. The bacteria are grown on the surface of biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from organic material — in this case, corn. Ramotowski is part of the Iowa Superfund Research Program that studies the impacts of PCBs on human health as well as costeffective and efficient ways to remediate them. “It’s neat thinking that this research could have the possibility to reduce cancers and other ill effects caused by these chemicals,” Ramotowski says. He is the winner of the University of Iowa’s 2023 Three Minute Thesis competition that challenges students to communicate their research in an easily understandable way — a four-year running title held by IIHR students.
Carlos Erazo Ramirez, a PhD student in civil and environmental engineering (CEE), is far from his native Honduras, yet unmistakably in his element. His journey to Iowa City was motivated by the mentorship of CEE professor Ibrahim Demir and his cutting-edge research. “If Ibrahim was in Alaska, I’d be in Alaska too,” says Ramirez. His focus is on hydroinformatics and water information systems through the development of web libraries and applications leveraging state-of-the-art technologies. Ramirez hopes his work will improve the use and accessibility of hydrologic data for academics and researchers to advance flood disaster planning and preparedness. As a graduate research assistant at IIHR, Ramirez values the sense of community and collaboration. “Everyone’s working toward the same goals together.”
Carlos Erazo Ramirez
David Ramotowski
We Are IIHR
POINTS OF PRIDE
2023
Tending Iowa’s Land: Pathways to a Sustainable Future, edited by retired IIHR senior science writer
Cornelia Mutel and featuring chapters written by many IIHR faculty researchers, was chosen as the best nature book in 2023 by the Midwest Independent Publishers Association.
2023 Longevity Awards
Collin Davis, business development and proposal specialist – Five-Year Award.
Felipe Quintero, assistant research scientist –Five-Year Award.
Keith Schilling, Iowa Geological Survey director –10-Year Award.
Robby Nace, engineering assistant – 10-Year Award.
Yugo Sanada, associate research scientist –10-Year Award.
Cornelia Mutel
Recognized as an Iowa Nature Champion at the Iowa Nature Summit for her work to protect and inspire passion for the natural world.
Caterina Lamuta associate professor of mechanical engineering – Secured $502,000 from the Office of Naval Research’s highly competitive Young Investigators Program to support further development of her breakthrough research on soft underwater robots (the “Softopus”) to perform underwater monitoring, rescue, and assembly operations.
Libby Chelsvig (above) PhD candidate in civil and environmental engineering – Winner of the College of Engineering Research
Ibrahim Demir associate professor of civil and environmental engineering –Awarded the Robert and Virginia Wheeler Faculty Fellowship and recognized with a prestigious fellowship through the International Environmental Modelling and Software Society.
Kate Giannini program manager –Recognized as an Iowa Conservation Champion through the Iowa Soybean Association’s Iowa Front 40 program.
Photo Competition for her image, “Redox Chemistry of Iron,” related to her work advancing remediation technologies to clean up contaminants in the environment.
Maclaine Putney wastewater specialist –Winner of the College of Engineering Research Photo Competition for his image, “Passing the Torch,” of a waste gas flare that disposes of unused bio-methane.
Alexis Slade
PhD candidate in civil and environmental engineering – Awarded the President’s Student Leadership Award for her community-engaged research to understand the prevalence of toxic polychlorinated biphenyls in Portland, Oregon.
Gage MacLin
PhD candidate in mechanical engineering – Awarded the NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium Fellowship to further his research on integrating unmanned aerial vehicles into traditional air traffic systems.
Valeria Garcia
MS candidate in civil and environmental engineering – First-place winner in the American Water Resources Association student poster competition at its Spring Conference.
Maxwell Hammond
PhD candidate in mechanical engineering – Featured on the university’s downtown banner campaign for his research on developing octopus-inspired robotics.
Riley Post (above) PhD candidate in civil and environmental engineering – Featured on the university’s downtown banner campaign for his research on mitigating flood risks using a controlled system of distributed storage ponds. He also received the prestigious HancherFinkbine Medallion, awarded for leadership, learning, and loyalty.
Chris Knutson
IIHR Environmental Engineering and Sciences Laboratories manager –Received the Excellence in Safety Award from the UI’s Laboratory Safety Committee for his efforts to support graduate student research.
72
graduate students from 13 countries and 35 states.
22
master’s students, including 10 women and 12 men.
50 PhD students, including 17 women and 33 men.
24
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion professional development courses completed by IIHR affiliates.
Fiscal Year in Review
IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering is part of a new $6 million initiative funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and based at Auburn University to create the National Informational Collaboration on Ecohydraulics (NICE) to improve the understanding of ecological impacts from navigation locks and dams on fish and rivers.
Mississippi River lock and dam projects were constructed to improve inland navigation before the impacts on native fish species and their ability to migrate and move freely upstream and downstream were fully understood. As commercial navigation channels across the United States are in critical need of updates and maintenance, NICE will support informed decision-making to balance navigation needs with protecting threatened and endangered aquatic species and limiting the spread of invasive species. IIHR will contribute more than 80 years of expertise in fish passage to create computer models that can predict how changes to lock and dam projects along the Mississippi River system will affect the movement of fish.
IIHR will collect field data to build reliable models that accurately reflect river conditions, including measuring river flow, bathymetry (riverbed elevations), sediment, and water quality. This work will be centered at IIHR’s Lucile A. Carver Mississippi River Environmental Research Station (LACMRERS), located near Muscatine, Iowa. Made possible by a generous gift from the Roy J. Carver Foundation, LACMRERS offers an ideal location to support the important field-based monitoring and data collection needed within the NICE research program.
IIHR continues to grow and maintain its research portfolio, attracting diverse grants and contracts that provide the institute with financial stability. IIHR’s high scholarly productivity and associated funding demonstrate the institute’s ability to nurture and support various fluids-related research activities funded by a wide range of sponsors.
Expenses by Sponsoring Agency
l Army, Navy, Air Force $4,122,521
l DOT, USDA, Other Fed $3,617,966
l State of Iowa, Other Govt $1,755,422
l NSF $1,716,762
FY 2022
$16,715,440
l Non-Profit $1,477,609
l NIH $1,343,232
l Iowa Flood Center $1,154,593
l Iowa Geological Survey $692,668
l Corporations $671,016
l DOE/NASA $163,651
FY 2023
$19,368,625
l Army, Navy, Air Force $4,317,357
l DOT, USDA, Other Fed $4,062,528
l State of Iowa, Other Govt $3,342,840
l NSF $2,075,479
l Non-Profit $1,025,113
l NIH $1,343,232
l Iowa Flood Center $1,154,593
l Iowa Geological Survey $605,565
l Corporations $597,631
l DOE/NASA $408,816
FY 2012–2023 Funding
$20,000,000
$18,000,000
$16,000,000
$14,000,000
$12,000,000
$10,000,000
$8,000,000
$6,000,000
$4,000,000
$2,000,000
Mission
IIIHR’s mission is to advance science and technology, providing innovative solutions for fluids-related problems while building upon its long tradition of excellence in laboratory, field, and simulation-based research and education.
IIHR fosters an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful environment that supports a thriving, diverse, and supportive community.
Our strength and success have always depended upon our people, who come from around the world and from a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints. Together, we are stronger.
Vision
IIHR’s vision is to be the recognized leader in fluids-related science, engineering, research, and discovery.
Value
IIHR comprises a diverse community that values excellence through integrity, transparency, mutual support, and respect. Our culture is rooted in scientific curiosity, mentorship, service, and stewardship.
Advisory Board Members
Rafael L. bras (2022–26) School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
David a. Drazen (2022–26) Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division
Martin Irvine (2022–26) Commander Submarine Forces
Yong Lai (2024–28) Bureau of Reclamation
Hugh J. Roberts (2020–24) The Water Institute of the Gulf
Martin Teal (2023–27) WEST Consultants Inc.
Gabriel Vecchi (2020–24) Department of Geosciences, Princeton University
Kathleen White (2020–24) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
EX OFFICIO MEMbERS
ann McKenna Dean, College of Engineering, University of Iowa
Larry Weber Director, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, University of Iowa
Troy Lyons Associate Director, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, University of Iowa
Teresa Gaffey Director of Finance and Business Operations, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, University of Iowa
Iowa Flood Center and Iowa Geological Survey annual legislative breakfast.
IIHR Currents is published annually by IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering
The University of Iowa 100 C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1585
319-335-5237
www.iihr.uiowa.edu
The University of Iowa prohibits discrimination in employment, educational programs, and activities on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity, or associational preferences. The university also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to university facilities. For additional information on nondiscrimination policies, contact the Senior Director, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, the University of Iowa, 202 Jessup Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242-1316, 319-335-0705, daod-ocrc@uiowa.edu.