Member Since 1983
Efi Foufoula-Georgiou
Professor, University of California Irvine
ajor research interests are in hydro-meteorology and hydro-geomoprhology with special emphasis on scaling theories, multiscale dynamics and space-time organization of precipitation and landforms. Diploma in Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Greece, 1979. M.S. 1982 and Ph.D. 1985, Environmental Engineering, University of Florida. Faculty at Iowa State University 1986-1989; since 1989 faculty at the University of Minnesota. Currently a Distinguished McKnight University Professor in Civil Engineering and the Joseph T. and Rose S. Ling Chair in Environmental Engineering. She is director of the NSF Science and Technology Center “National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics” (NCED), and has served as Director of the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory at the University of Minnesota. Total number of refereed publications 130 (90 in AGU journals). NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award, 1989-1994; Fellow AGU, 1999; Fellow American Meteorological Society (AMS) 2005; John Dalton Medal of EGU, 2002; AGU Hydrologic Sciences Award 2007; Borland Lecturer, Hydrology Days, 2008. Associate editor of Water Resources Research (1992-1995), J. of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres (1997-2005), Editor J. Hydrometeorology (1999-2001), Associate Editor Hydrologic and Earth System Sciences of EGU (1997-2010), Editorial Board Nordic Hydrology (2003-2010), Geography Compass (2006-2009), Advances in Water Resources (2000-2005). Elected service positions: Trustee, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) 2007-2010; Chair elect, Board of Directors of CUAHSI (Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Sciences), 2007-2009. Professional society service. At AGU: Chair, Precipitation Committee (1992-1996), Hydrology Section Fellows Committee (1999-2002; 2005-2010); Horton Medal Committee (member 2006-2008; chair 2008-2010); AGU Publications committee (2011-present); special session organizer, student paper judging, co-organizer of the “Water in Geosciences: celebrating the past and looking ahead”, Fall 2009. At AMS: Atmospheric Awards committee (2009-2012). At EGU: Scientific committee Plinius conference (2007-2012); Dalton Medal Committee (2003-2004). At NCAR/UCAR: University Relations committee (2000-2007); Research Applications Laboratory Advisory Board (2005-2013); Member Board of Trustees, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (2007-2010). Advisory to Federal Agencies. At NSF: panel review member (2000, 2004, 2009); Committee of Visitors Facilities Program of Geosciences Directorate (chair, 2011); Advisory Council, Geosciences Directorate (2008-2011). At NASA: TRMM Science Team (1998-2007); member of Precipitation Science Team (2007-present); Science Advisory Council – Earth Sciences Subcommittee (2011-2013). At NOAA: proposal evaluation panel (1995, 1997); Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment, Precipitation Research area (chair, 1994); Global Change Research Program Water Cycle Initiative Study Group (1999-2000); U.S Weather Research Program Science Steering Committee (1999-2003); Science Advisory Board- Ecosystem Science and Management Working Group (2010-2013). At National Academies: Member, Water Sciences and Technology Board (2000-2004); NRC Committee on “Risk based analysis methods for flood damage reduction studies” (1998-2000); NRC committee on “Assessment of the NWS Advanced Weather Prediction System” (2003-2005); BASC (Board of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate) committee on “Progress and Priorities on US Weather Research and Research to Operations” (2009-2011); NRC committee on “Challenges and Opportunities in the Hydrologic Sciences” (2011-2012); NRC Board of Space Studies Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space (2012-2014). Foreign science advising includes: European Commission panel, Water and Climate Programme (1997); European Union (EU) Framework 7 - Environmental Infrastructure and Collaboratories review panel (2005, 2008); review committee “Sustainable Water Resources Management”, Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (2009); Argentinian Water Resources Advisory Board (2010-2011).
Professional Experience
University of Minnesota
Professor, Civil Engineering
2012 - Present
University of Florida
PhD
1985 - Present
University of Minnesota
Professor
University of California Irvine
Professor
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Education
Doctorate
1985
Honors & Awards
Robert E. Horton Medal
Received 2022
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Walter Langbein Lecture
Received 2019
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Peter S. Eagleson Award
Received 2007
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Publications
A New Event‐Based Error Decomposition Scheme for Satellite Precipitation Products

Understanding the nature and origin of errors in satellite precipitation products is important for applications and product improvement. Here we pr...

November 20, 2023
AGU Abstracts
Understanding the varying performance of satellite precipitation products during the lifecycle of precipitation events
SPACE-BASED PRECIPITATION OBSERVATIONS: INNOVATIONS FOR SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS V ORAL
hydrology | 13 december 2023
Runze Li, Clément Guilloteau, Pierre-Emmanuel Kirs...
Accurate representation of the timing, duration, magnitude and peak intensity of precipitation events (defined as continuous rainy periods) in satelli...
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Active Fire Line as a Key Control on Hourly Fire Growth for Predictive Modeling
THE ROLE OF FIRE IN THE EARTH SYSTEM: UNDERSTANDING DRIVERS, FEEDBACKS, AND INTERACTIONS WITH THE LAND, ATMOSPHERE, AND SOCIETY I POSTER
biogeosciences | 13 december 2023
Tianjia Liu, James T. Randerson, Yang Chen, Dougla...
Recent fire seasons in the western United States, particularly in California in 2020 and 2021, included dozens of megafires that lasted for weeks and ...
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Conditions Favoring the Formation of River Mouth Spits and Their Effects on Delta Morphodynamics
PREDICTING THE FATE OF RIVER DELTAS AND COASTAL WETLANDS: OBSERVATIONS, MODELING, AND EXPERIMENTATION III POSTER
earth and planetary surface processes | 13 december 2023
Connor Broaddus, Efi Foufoula-Georgiou
River deltas are important depositional landforms at the land-water interface, supporting biodiversity and hosting a variety of natural resources. Man...
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Volunteer Experience
2021 - 2023
Member
Hydrology Langbein Lecture Committee
2018 - 2018
Chair
Hydrology Nominations Canvassing Committee
2017 - 2018
Immediate Past President
Hydrology Executive Committee
Check out all of Efi Foufoula-Georgiou’s AGU Research!
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