Photo by L. Brian Stauffer
Following a rigorous selection process, Professor Ximing Cai has been honored with the esteemed title of International Water Resources Associate (IWRA) Fellow Member. This prestigious award is recognition of his outstanding contributions to IWRA and the broader field of water resources.
His induction as a Fellow Member stands as a testament to his expertise and significant impact on the IWRA and the industry and his dedication to continuing to advance IWRA's mission in water resources research and management. The IWRA Fellow Member is selected based on the following:
“An IWRA Fellow must have been a member for at least ten years, made a significant contribution to the Association and to the field of water resources, as determined by the Executive Board upon recommendation by the Membership and Awards Committees.”
This award is especially significant given that the IWRA was founded by the late University of Illinois CEE Professor Ven Te Chow. Chow was a renowned educator, researcher, and water resources engineer, his accomplishments significantly influenced the understanding and importance of water resources throughout the entire world. Chow was an admired and highly respected colleague at Illinois, revered by his legion of students both here at the university and worldwide.
Among numerous other accomplishments, Cai was also recently recognized with the Warren A. Hall Medal by the Universities Council on Water Resources in February 2024. The award honors exceptional accomplishments and distinction of an individual in the water resources field. It is given to those who have demonstrated a career-long commitment to exemplary interdisciplinary scholarship and academic excellence in water resources.
Cai has been a faculty member of CEE at Illinois since 2002, and is the Ben Chie Yen Professor, Ven Te Chow Faculty Scholar in Water Resources, and the Donald Biggar Willett Faculty Scholar. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in water resources engineering, surface water hydrology and application of geographic information systems, and river basin management. His primary research area is water resources systems analysis, with a focus on coupled hydrology-human systems.