Geology professor inducted into National Academy of Engineering


Fri, 10/01/2021

author

Heather Anderson

LAWRENCE — A faculty member of the Department of Geology who has a doctorate in civil engineering-water resources from Princeton University is the most recent University of Kansas faculty member to be elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional distinctions in engineering.

Mary HillMary Hill, professor of geology, is among this year’s 104-person class of new members honored for outstanding contributions to “engineering research, practice or education.”

“I am incredibly honored to be recognized by my colleagues and the general scientific and engineering community in this way. The NAE plays a central role as we move toward a future of quantified environmental risk and earth stewardship,” Hill said. “I am humbled to be elected a part in this mission. As an earth scientist, I hope to use my membership to contribute to the evolution of the engineering community toward the building of a sustainable and vibrant economy.”

Hill joined the geology department and Institute of Policy & Social Research (IPSR) following a 33-year career with the U.S. Geological Survey in New Jersey and Colorado, where she was a major developer of the MODFLOW, the most widely used groundwater model in the world. She is a fellow of the Geological Society of America and the American Geophysical Union.

In 2019, Hill and her collaborators received a $2.5 million National Science Foundation grant for FEWtures, a multidisciplinary project to research the use of low-carbon renewable energy to create profitable agricultural opportunities in the production of ammonia for fertilizer and energy storage and treatment of poor-quality water.

“Dr. Hill’s focus on the economic opportunities of sustainable natural resource use, particularly her focus on food, energy and water issues in rural communities, is incredibly valuable for Kansas and the Midwest,” said John Colombo, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. “She is truly deserving of this latest recognition for her timely and important work.”

Founded in 1964, the National Academy of Engineering is a private, independent, nonprofit institution that provides engineering leadership in service to the nation. The NAE has more than 2,000 peer-elected members and international members, senior professionals in business, academia and government who are among the world’s most accomplished engineers. They provide the leadership and expertise for numerous projects focused on the relationships between engineering, technology, and the quality of life.

The College is the heart of KU, educating the most students, producing the most research and collaborating with nearly every entity at KU. The College is home to more than 50 departments, programs and centers, as well as the School of the Arts and School of Public Affairs & Administration.

Fri, 10/01/2021

author

Heather Anderson

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Heather Anderson

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

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