logo

Water Program – List of National Focal Points

The core work of IANAS is thanks to the following scientists and experts appointed by the Academies of Sciences in their countries

Argentina
Raúl A. Lopardo
[email protected]

Universidad de La Plata

BS in Hydraulic and Civil Engineering from the University of La Plata and PhD from the University of Toulouse. Full Professor of Hydraulics, University of La Plata. President of the National Water Institute. Former President of the Latin American Committee of the IAHR. Member of the Academy of Engineering of the Province of Buenos Aires, the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences. Bernardo Houssay Award (1987), Enrique Butty Award (1988), José S. Gandolfo Award (1993), City of La Plata Award for Engineering (2011) and Trajectory Award from the Senate of the Province (2012). Konex Platinum Award in Science and Technology 2013 as the most outstanding engineer in Argentina in the period 2003-2013 in the field of Civil Engineering, Mechanics and Materials. He participated in model studies for the verification and optimization of most of the major hydraulic works designed and built in Argentina in the past forty-five years.

Córdoba – Argentina 
Pedro Depetris
[email protected]

Bolivia
Fernando Urquídi
[email protected]

Fernando Urquidi-Barrau, Ph. D., is a Bolivian Geologist with an Applied Geochemistry Ph. D. degree obtained at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London.  He is a Full Member of the Bolivian National Academy of Science and has been a member and Past President of the Bolivian Geological College. He is the focal point of the IANAS Water Program for Bolivia.  He is also a member of the International Association of Exploration Geochemistry, the Association of Geoscientists for International Development, the Bolivian Association for the Advancement of Science (ABAC) and the Bolivian Association of Planning.  He is the author and/or co-author of more of 20 publications regarding diverse geological topics including water resources, geochemistry, mining strategy and projects.  He has worked in several private and public executive positions, the Bolivian Geological Survey, and for over 20 years he was a Senior Economic Adviser (FSN) for the American Embassy.   He was also a professor at the Universidad Mayor de San Andes, La Paz.

Brazil
José G. Tundisi
[email protected]

Born in 1938, Bariri, São Paulo State, Brazil. He is a retired professor of Environmental Science at the University of São Paulo, São Carlos. He is specialized in reservoir limnology and ecology of inland waters, watershed management, water resources management and environmental planning. He is at present, president of International Institute of Ecology and a full member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. He was consultant in 40 countries. He prepared 35 Ph.D. and 40 MsC and more them 300 managers in Brazil and several other countries. He is a staff member of the Ecology Institute – Excellence in Ecology – Germany. He served for 20 years as a member of scientific committee of ILEC, in Japan and was President of National Research Concil in Brazil (1995 – 1999). He was President of the International Advisory Board of the Millenium Institutes Initiative from the government of Brazil. He is co chairman of the IANAS water programme with Prof. Dr. Blanca Jimenez of UNAM Mexico and is Chairman of the IAP water programme. He published 320 papers and 35 books.

Brazil
Marcos Cortesao Barnsley Scheuenstuhl
[email protected]

Canada
Banu Örmeci
[email protected]

Carleton University

Prof. Banu Örmeci completed her MS and PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Duke University (North Carolina, USA). She is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Wastewater Treatment Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada), and is the recipient of numerous research, teaching, and mentoring awards. She has an internationally recognized research program on wastewater and biosolids treatment, and she is the chair of the IWA(International Water Association) Sludge Management Group.

Caribbean
Martin Forde
[email protected]

Dr. Forde is a full professor and Chair of the Department of Public Health & Preventive Medicine (DPHPM) in the School of Medicine at St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies. He also serves as Track Director of the Environmental and Occupational Health Track and is a Research Fellow at the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF).

Dr. Forde is also the Director of a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center in Environmental and Occupational Health which is hosted by his Department. This WHO Collaborating Center’s prime mission is to assist both local and regional Caribbean countries address environmental and occupational issues for which they might need assistance.

Dr. Forde’s main teaching and research activities are centered on environmental health, environmental health management, occupational health, ergonomics and industrial hygiene, and global population health research. Some of his current research interests in environmental health include environmental toxicology, in particular, contamination of surface water sources and their potential health effects on humans, and water conservation techniques such as rainwater harvesting.

Dr. Forde currently serves as the Water Expert representative for the Caribbean Academies of Science (CAS). Since 2013, he has represented the region on water issues and co-authored several chapters for regional publications put out by the Inter American National Academies of Science (IANAS).

Within recent times, Dr. Forde has received grant funding from the World Bank, the Pan American Health and Education Foundation, and the Canadian International Development Research Centre to research a range of environmental and occupational health issues. He has authored and co-authored over 30 refereed publications and more than 50 technical and governmental reports.

Chile
Katherine Lizama
[email protected]

Katherine Lizama Allende is Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, Universidad de Chile. She is also the Coordinator of the Water Resources and Environment Group of the Department and the Coordinator of the Water Quality laboratory. B.S. and M.S. in Engineering at Universidad Católica de Chile, she obtained her Ph.D. degree in the Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Australia and the topic of her thesis was the application of subsurface flow constructed wetlands for the removal of arsenic from contaminated water. Research interests include: constructed wetlands for water pollution control, environmental chemistry and biotechnology, biogeochemistry of metals and metalloids in aquatic systems, and emergent technologies for the removal of arsenic and metals from contaminated water.

Colombia
Gabriel Roldán
[email protected] / [email protected]

Bachelor of Sciences in Biology and Chemistry, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; Master of Science, Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia, Kansas, U.S.A. Doctor in Natural Resources, University of Kassel, Germany.

Professor of Ecology and Limnology, University of Antioquia (1966-2000) where also played several positions: Head of the Department of Biology, Head Research Center of the School of Natural Sciences and Head of the Graduate School. He was also Director of Research and Development, Universidad Católica de Oriente, Rionegro (2000-2011).He has nearly 60 scientific publications, 8 books for high school biology and 6 books on ecology and limnology at University level. Author of more than 30 chapter books.

He has been also environmental consultant for mining projects, roads and dams. Guest lecturer for courses and conferences at national universities and abroad especially in all Latin America. Several national and international awards. He received in 2016 the award “Price to an academic and scientific life” from de Colombian Academy of Sciences. Number Member “Chair 56” of the Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences. Focal point from Colombia to IANAS since 2005. Current position: Director of Publications of the Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences.

Costa Rica
Hugo Hidalgo
[email protected]

Universidad de Costa Rica

Professor and researcher in surface water hydrology, with a special interest in hydroclimatology.

Dr. Hidalgo obtained a BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Costa Rica (1992) and an MS (1998) and a PhD (2001) in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a specialization in Water Resources at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Hidalgo is currently a professor of the School of Physics at the University of Costa Rica. He is the coordinator of the Master’s Degree Program in Hydrology, the Focal Point for the Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences Water Program and Director of the Geophysical Research Center at the University of Costa Rica. He has authored over 30 publications and participated in more than 100 conferences, seminars and workshops.

Dominican Republic
Eleuterio Martínez
[email protected]

Cooperativist, professor, researcher, bioethicist, engineer, ecologist and environmental consultant. Director of the Verdor Magazine of the Academy of Sciences of the Dominican Republic. Promoter of the Green Belt of Santo Domingo and most of the Protected Areas of the Dominican Republic. Environmental Advisor for the General Law on Environment and Natural Resources and Consultant for various international organizations (FAO, OAS, KfW, USAID, AECI, IDB, IILA, ​​UNEP, ASOPROVIDA, FELAIBE …). Speaker and representative of the country in multiple international conclaves. Scientific advisor, organizer and director of multiple national events related to the environment. Full-time activist in the Dominican environmental movement and Nature Guide. Author of multiple books, essays, and documentaries on Dominican nature. Proposal for the National Plan of Territorial Planning of the Dominican Republic (Community of Madrid and Inter-American Development Bank). Member of the Gnostic Cultural Foundation, Academy of Sciences of the Dominican Republic and multiple patrons of municipal ecological parks throughout the country.

El Salvador
Julio Quiñonez
[email protected]

Guatemala
Manuel Basterrechea
[email protected]

Academia de Ciencias Medicas, Fisicas y Naturales de Guatemala

Civil engineer with an MS in Water Resources and a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Iowa, United States. Member of the Academy of Physical, Medical and Natural Sciences of Guatemala and member of IANAS. Since 1990, consultant to national and international organizations.

Ecuador
Blanca Rios Touma and Ricardo Izurieta
[email protected]

Academia de Ciencias de Ecuador

Dr. Izurieta is a member of the Ecuadorian Academy of Sciences. He obtained a degree in medicine from the Central University of Ecuador and subsequently conducted postdoctoral work in Public Health and Tropical Diseases. In 1991, he dealt with the cholera epidemic in Latin America as National Cholera Control Coordinator of the Ministry of Public Health in Ecuador. In 1997, he was elected Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Director of the Vaccination Center of the Armed Forces of Ecuador. During his studies he was a Thomas Jefferson USAID fellow, and received grants from PAHO, Gorgas Memorial Institute and FUNDACYT. In 2003, Dr. Izurieta was elected Vice President of the Gorgas Memorial Institute of Tropical and Preventive Medicine. He has served as a consultant for WASTE International in Holland, the Environment Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, PAHO and UNICEF. Dr. Izurieta is currently Associate Professor at the University of South Florida and the San Francisco University of Quito Ecuador, Director of the Donald Price Center for Parasitology and Latin American Liaison and Board Member of the Gorgas Institute of Tropical and Preventive Medicine. His expertise areas include waterborne diseases, vector-borne diseases, water and health.

Honduras
Marco Antonio Blair Chávez
[email protected]

Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Honduras

BS in Civil Engineering from the National Autonomous University of Honduras. MS in Sanitary Engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. And MS in Water Resource Management from the University of Newcastle on Tyne, England. Member of the College of Civil Engineers of Honduras, the Academy of Sciences of Honduras and the Inter-American Association of Sanitary Engineering. Focal Point of the Inter-American Network of Academies of Science (IANAS).

Mexico
Maria Luisa Torregrosa
[email protected]

BA in Sociology (National Autonomous University of Mexico). MA and PhD in Social Science majoring in Sociology (El Colegio de México. Research Professor at the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Mexico campus. Coordinator of Water Network of the Mexican Academy of Sciences. National Focal Point for the Water Program of the InterAmerican Network of Academies of Sciences.

Nicaragua
Katherine Vammen
[email protected]

Katherine Vammen has a Doctorate (PhD) with specialty in biochemistry and microbiology from the University of Salzburg, Austria. She is presently Director of the Interdisciplinary Research Institute for Natural Sciences at the University of Central American (UCA) in Managua, Nicaragua. She is Co-Chair of the Water Program of the Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS). Her specialties are quality and management of water resources and has focused her research on Water Quality, Water and Forests and the Nexus between Water, Energy and Food Security.

She was former Dean of the Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment of the University of Central America (UCA), Managua, Nicaragua, founder and former coordinator of the Central American Master’s Program on Science of Water and Deputy Director of the Center for Research in Aquatic Resources (Centro para la Investigación en Recursos Acuáticos-CIRA/UNAN).

Panamá
José R. Fábrega
[email protected] / [email protected]
or
Argentina Ying
[email protected]

Peru
Nicole Bernex
[email protected]

Professor – Department of Humanities, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (present position). Invited Professor of the University of Piura (Master in Civil Engineering: Integrated Water Basins Management). Invited Professor in different universities of Canada (Laval), United States (Madison, San Diego), France (Paris), Spain (Salamanca, Granada, and Badajoz), and Norway (Bergen)

Uruguay
Daniel Conde
[email protected]

Daniel Conde is a Biological Oceanographer and has a PhD in Aquatic Ecology. His academic background focuses on basic and applied sciences, including aquatic ecology, conservation, and integrated coastal management, as well as curriculum development. For two decades he has executed research and education programs in biology, ecology and multidisciplinary environmental science, with regional and international partners. He led large teams of people and projects, mobilized important financial resources and published extensively. he has developed an extensive teaching career and mentored many young researchers. Increasingly, he has pursued a multidisciplinary approach to his career and acquired experience working and communicating with managers, politicians, and NGOs, at a Latin-American level and beyond. He now chairs an interdisciplinary group of professionals with diverse background, collaborating in the area of Integrated Coastal Management in Uruguay, in cooperation with other universities in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada.

Uruguay
Jimena Alonso
[email protected]

Uruguay
Javier Taks
[email protected]

USA
Henry Vaux
[email protected]

Dr. Henry Vaux, Jr. is Professor, Emeritus, of Resource Economics at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Riverside. Prior to his retirement in 2004, he served for 11 years as Associate Vice President, Agriculture and Natural Resources for the University of California System. He had previously served as Director of the UC Center for Water Resources. Dr. Vaux has authored over 90 publications on the economics of water resources and water policy.  He was a member of the Water Science and Technology Board of the National Research Council for 7 years and served as chair of the Board for 4 years. He is also President, Emeritus, of the California-based Water Education Foundation. Dr. Vaux is a National Associate of the U.S. National Academy of sciences and is the recipient of the 2005 Warren A. Hall Medal, given by the Universities Council on Water Resources for significant accomplishments in water resources research. He currently serves as Chair of the Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy.

Venezuela
Ernesto J. González Rivas
[email protected] / [email protected]

Ernesto González was born in Caracas, Venezuela, on December 7th, 1961. Biologist, graduated in the Central University of Venezuela, with title of Doctor in Sciences, Ecology (aquatic ecology), also in the Central University of Venezuela. He is Full Professor in the Institute of Experimental Biology – Central University of Venezuela (IBE-UCV), where he works as researcher since 1993. His fields of research are: 1) Reservoir limnology, 2) plankton interactions, and 3) eutrophication of water bodies. He directed and/or participated in 8 research projects concerning with the physical, chemical and biological characterization of Venezuelan water bodies. He directed 17 undergraduate theses in Biology and 2 Ph.D. theses in Ecology, and participated in 2 international training courses in Aquatic Ecology. He published 1 book about “Field Work in Aquatic Environments” for Basic Education”, edited by CENAMEC in 1995, 31 papers in specialized scientific journals, 16 Technical Reports, and 1 article in Internet, and participated in 51 national and in 30 international Congresses and Meetings. Now, he is participating in a project of “Building Capacities in the Management of Lakes and Reservoirs in Central America”. He received the prizes “Waraira-Repano Order” by merits in the Environmental Conservation, José María Vargas Order, Third and Second Classes, “Enrique Montbrún” of Academic Trajectory, Program of Promotion of Researcher (PPI), and Program of Stimulus to the Innovation and Research (PEII). González is member many scientific and professional societies, and acted as referee in 14 national and international scientific journals.

In the present, is the Director of the Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Central University of Venezuela (2011-2014), where he also is the Head of the Laboratory of Limnology. He was Head of the Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Central University of Venezuela (2006-2008). From 2006, is the National Focal Point of Venezuela in the Water Program of the Inter American Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS).

sp01b
sp02b
sp03b
sp13b
sp12b
sp11b
sp10b
sp09b
sp08b
sp07b
sp06b
sp05b (1)
sp04b