7/23/2025
CEE Department Head and Donald Biggar Willet Chair of Engineering Ana Barros has been awarded the 2025 Ray K. Linsley Award for Surface Water from the American Institute of Hydrology (AIH). Learn more>>
Written by
CEE Department Head and Donald Biggar Willet Chair of Engineering Ana Barros has been awarded the 2025 Ray K. Linsley Award for Surface Water from the American Institute of Hydrology (AIH).
AIH awarded Barros with the award in recognition of her outstanding career contributions to the field of hydrology and, specifically, surface water hydrology, as outlined in the awards citation:
"Dr. Barros is receiving the Ray K. Linsley Award for exemplary leadership as an engineering educator and scientist, and for numerous fundamental contributions to the advancement of hydrological and hydrometeorological science. Her work in making critical field measurements of precipitation in complex mountainous domains formed the basis for our understanding of orographic precipitation, and has provided a valuable blueprint on how we can better understand and manage the complexity of climate change. Dr. Barros has worked tirelessly to improve the development of hydrologic science, serving on major policy setting committees and advocating for science funding."
Barros joined the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2021. In addition to her role as department head, she also serves as the director for the Center for Secure Water (C4SW), a research center dedicated to creating, developing, and growing novel and transformative solutions in the water resources space, headquartered in the department.
Her research focuses on computational environmental fluid mechanics and nonlinear dynamics, remote sensing of the environment using microwave and infrared sensor, long–range predictability and risk analysis of natural hazards, physics of water cycle processes in mountainous regions with a focus on cloud formation and precipitation, and development and application of information technology as a research tool and in the operation of complex engineering systems.
Barros recently led a team of researchers on a project to improve flash flood response in the Appalachian region. Researchers worked with Amazon Web Service (AWS) to prototype a hydrological prediction tool capable of providing the National Park Service flood hydrographs with 18-hour lead times. She and her team are developing an AI-assisted foundational model to anticipate heavy rainfall and flash floods in the Appalachian Mountains. AI’s ability to detect patterns in complex data will improve current forecasting ability and create more accurate flood predictions.
With these advanced modeling capabilities, authorities and emergency managers in vulnerable communities can better implement plans that maximize safety and mitigate damage. Barros continues to work to improve inland flash flooding protection, utilizing AI and weather models to power next-gen flash flood preparedness.
The Ray K. Linsley Award will be presented on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, during the Awards Luncheon at the 2025 American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Annual Conference in Westminster, Colorado.