Andrea Rinaldo elected to the US National Academy of Sciences
© 2012 EPFL
Andrea Rinaldo has been named Foreign Associate of the prestigious US institution in recognition of his distinguished scientific career.
Two EPFL professors, Andrea Rinaldo, renowned for his innovative approach to studying hydrology, and Denis Duboule, a specialist in developmental genetics, have been elected to the US National Academy of Sciences. They join the ranks of 2’200 American and 400 foreign members, almost thirty of which now come from Switzerland.
“It comes as a surprise and a great honor,” says Rinaldo. He stresses the responsibility of being a member of the academy, which involves closely following the development of important scientific and social questions as part of the independent group of experts that the US government can call on for advice.
Pioneering research into the climate
The US National Academy of Sciences was founded by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Today it brings together scientists considered to be leading specialists in their fields. Besides advising the government on scientific matters, the academy anticipates and examines the scientific issues of the day and publishes its findings. In 1979, this led to the first studies of global warming. Every month, the academy publishes the journal PNAS, one of the world’s most-cited scientific journals.
A life dedicated to understanding the complexities of the water cycle
Rinaldo has spent much of his career focusing on eco-hydrological processes, that is, those concerning the role of the water-cycle on biotopes. He is especially interested in the role that river networks play as ecological corridors and their impact on species, populations, and the pathogens that cause certain diseases. Both his research and his multi-disciplinary approach have made him a well-renowned expert in the fields of water resources and eco-hydrology. He has received multiple awards, among them the Dalton Medal in 2005.
Born in Venice in 1954, Rinaldo studied at the University of Padua, where he graduated as a civil engineer in 1978. He then moved on to the United States, where he completed his PhD at Purdue University in 1983. He was named professor in 1985 and held positions at the University of Padua, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Princeton, before joining EPFL in December 2007. Now he heads EPFL’s Laboratory of Ecohydrology (ECHO), an important European Research Council grant (ERC Advances Grant), and the Institute of Environmental Engineering at the School of Architecture, Civil, and Environmental Engineering.