• Home
  • Job Announcements
• The Academy
  • About
  • Diplomates
  • CEC
  • Related organizations
  • Sponsorship
• Requirements
• Application
• Certification FAQs
• News Room
  • Interviews
• Renewal
• Continuing Ed
• Contact

AAWRE Founding Trustees Recognized for Service and Leadership

On September 12, AAWRE Board of Trustees recognized two of its founding trustees for their leadership and service on the board. Founding AAWRE President-Elect, Michael A. Ports, P.E., P.H., D.WRE, F.ASCE, and Jerry R. Rogers, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE, Dist.M.ASCE, were recognized with plaques during the fall AAWRE board meeting in Irvine, CA. Both Mr. Ports and Dr. Rogers served on the board from AAWRE's inception in October 2004 to this past September.

Michael Ports played a vital role in starting AAWRE and was also instrumental in founding the Environment and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), as he served as President for both organizations- 2004 as President of EWRI and 2008 as President of AAWRE respectively. Mr. Ports has received numerous awards for his contributions to the technical literature and his profession. He is the recipient of awards from the Maryland State Highway Administration, National Taiwan University, Parsons Brinckerhoff, and University of Iowa. He has authored more than 150 technical papers, articles, reports, and chapters on subjects ranging from hydrologic analysis, computer modeling, master planning, and geomorphology to erosion and sediment control, water law, flood plain management, stormwater planning, and urban watershed management.

Mr. Ports has more than thirty-nine years of planning, analysis, design, and construction experience in a broad spectrum of water resources engineering applications, including surface water hydrology and hydraulics, storm water management, master planning, soil and water conservation, urban drainage and flood control, river training works, fishery and wildlife habitat mitigation and design, stream channel restoration, erosion and sediment control, environmental impact assessment, water law, sediment transport modeling, bridge scour analysis, and environmental regulatory compliance. Mike has represented the American Society of Civil Engineers on water resources issues before the Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Land Management, and United States Congress. In addition, Mike has served as an expert witness before state courts in Louisiana, Maryland, and West Virginia, and federal courts in Louisiana, Maryland, and Washington, DC. In addition, he has advised the national governments of Argentina, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Paraguay, and Taiwan on water resources issues.

Mr. Ports reflected:

"I am very proud of just how successful our new academy has been. We were the first and we have done well. Reviewing more than 500 applications and nominations in less than five years is no small task. It was a great challenge to do portfolio reviews of all of the candidates, but fun also."

"We have worked hard to help raise the bar for the water resources engineering profession. The real fruits of our labors will be evident in the future when we pass the threshold of 2,000 certified professionals (Diplomates). The board has its work cut out for them. It will be no small feat to reach that goal, but it will be worth it. I stand ready to help in any way that I can. I pledge my full support and commitment to AAWRE."

Mr. Ports will continue his role as Principal at Bergmann Associates in Jacksonville, Florida, but also continue his vital role as a Board Director on the Civil Engineering Certification, Inc. (CEC) and as a founding trustee on the Board for the newly created Academy of Coastal, Ocean, Ports & Navigation Engineers (ACOPNE).

Jerry R. Rogers, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE, Dist.M.ASCE, a professor at the University of Houston for more than 35 years also played vital roles in starting AAWRE and the formation of the EWRI. Professor Rogers played a vital role in the establishment of EWRI at its beginning and presently, still serves as the Chair of EWRI's History and Heritage Committee.

Dr. Rogers has served as an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Houston for more than 35 years and also spent one year at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Prior to his work with the University of Houston and the USACE, Jerry was a visiting industrial professor at Southern Methodist University and an assistant professor of civil engineering at Rutgers University.

A lifetime ASCE member, Rogers served on and chaired more than 200 committees in the areas of engineering history, water resources, flood control, drainage control, environmental issues and engineering education. He was responsible for leading the publication efforts for seven ASCE National Engineering History symposia and has edited seven ASCE publications that provide information for university and K-12 students and faculty on civil engineering history.

During his more than 40-year career in water resources and engineering education, Rogers' research has focused on storm water management, urban growth planning, drainage engineering, water distribution and water resource systems. His expertise in these areas has assisted the cities of Pearland, Conroe, Houston and others with planning.

Throughout the nearly four decades he has been involved with ASCE, he has served in roles that include Dallas branch board member, Houston branch president, Texas section president and district director. From 1992-95 he served as national board member and as the national vice President on the ASCE Executive Committee from 2001-03.This is in addition to efforts to lead publications for seven ASCE National Engineering History symposiums and the founding of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute.

In addition to his contributions to AAWRE and EWRI, Rogers is a member of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA), the Engineering, Science and Technology Council of Houston; the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and Chi Epsilon/Tau Beta Pi. Among his numerous awards, Rogers has received the ASCE Houston Branch's Award of Honor and Engineer of the Year Award, the ASCE Texas Section's History and Heritage Award, ASCE's Wisely Award, AWRA's Icko Iben Award and Excellence in Civil Engineering Education's (ExCEEd) Leadership Award. Jerry is also active in the Houston Chamber of Commerce, the Regional Water Committee, the Texas Water Policy Committee and his local church. Jerry is also an avid basketball and baseball fan. He played college basketball at his alma mater, the University of Arkansas.

Michael Ports praised Professor Rogers:

"Jerry Rogers is an inspiration to thousands of civil engineers. Through his leadership and service he has benefited the profession in numerous profound ways. In 1979, he hosted the first significant conference dedicated to a systems approach to water resources engineering problems. He helped organize the first Water Forum in 1981. He served on the founding Governing Board of EWRI. He also was so instrumental in the nascent stages and continuation of AAWRE. Over the years, it has been a distinct honor and privilege to serve the profession with Jerry Rogers."

Professor Rogers will continue to teach at the University of Houston and serve on the EWRI History and Heritage Committee.

Beginning this October, AAWRE welcomed EWRI former Governing Board member and Director with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Kansas City, Missouri, Rao Y. Surampalli, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, D.WRE, Dist.M.ASCE and Paul F. Boulos, Ph.D., Hon.D.WRE, President and CEO of MWH Soft in Broomfield, Colorado. Dr. Surampalli and Dr. Boulos will fill the vacated posts left by Ports and Rogers, for a 3-year term on AAWRE board ending in fall 2012.

During his career, Dr. Rao Surampalli has coordinated major research efforts on 30 environmental engineering topics, including production of bioplastics and biopesticides from biosolids; occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, and endocrine disrupting chemicals in water and wastewater treatment plants; and environmental risk of nanomaterials and nanotechnology.

The author of eight books and 146 peer reviewed journal articles, Surampalli is the editor of ASCE's Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Water Management Journal. He also serves on the editorial advisory board of several major journals and is a member of many national and international committees, review panels or advisory boards, including ASCE's National Committee on Energy, Environment and Water Policy. He is adjunct professor of environmental engineering at University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Nebraska, University of Quebec, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Iowa State University and Tongji University.

Among his many awards, Surampalli has been the recipient of ASCE's Government Civil Engineer of the Year Award, the Rudolph Hering Medal, the State-of-the-Art of Civil Engineering Award, the Wesley Horner Medal, and was announced as a new Distinguished Member (Dist.M.ASCE) of ASCE.

Dr. Surampalli received his doctorate in environmental engineering from Iowa State University and his master's degree in environmental engineering from Oklahoma State University. He is a registered professional engineer in Iowa and Kentucky.

Dr. Paul Boulos is a renowned international authority in water resources engineering, Boulos is acclaimed for his practical and scientific expertise and his extensive experience in both academe and the corporate world. He has co-authored nine authoritative books and more than 100 technical articles on water and wastewater engineering.

Dr. Boulos is the recipient of numerous industry honors, including awards for excellence in scholarship from national and international scientific and engineering societies and notable accolades from government and research organizations and NGOs. Among these acknowledgements are technical awards from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Water Works Association and the US Environmental Protection Agency. In 2008, he was awarded Honorary Diplomate status (Hon.D.WRE) by AAWRE, the Academy's highest honor; accepted the Lebanese American Foundation Pride of Heritage Award; and received Special US Congressional Recognition. This year, he received one of America's most prestigious awards, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, for his outstanding contributions to our communities, our nation and the world.

Dr. Boulos received his Doctorate, Master of Science, and Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Kentucky, and has attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Boulos stated:

"I am so proud to be a part of this noble and great profession and to be able to contribute to its advancement. Joining the distinguished leaders of the AAWRE gives me an exceptional opportunity to share my expertise and make whatever contribution I can to furthering AAWRE's mission to enhance the field of water resources engineering."

American Academy of Water Resources Engineers
1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191 USA
Phone:703-295-6414 Fax:703-295-6415
E-mail:[email protected]

AAWRE Privacy Statement