Dr. Beth Parker, professor in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and director of Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), a distinction that honours those who have made outstanding contributions in engineering practice, innovation, research or education.
Parker, NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Hydrogeology, was honoured "for developing field methods to monitor, understand and remediate groundwater contaminant occurrence, fate and transport in fractured rock aquifers," according to the NAE.
After receiving her PhD from the University of Waterloo in 1996, Parker joined the School of Engineering at U of G in 2007. An internationally recognized expert in contaminant hydrogeology, she has made exceptional contributions to the understanding and remediation of contaminated groundwater.
Parker's research focuses on understanding how water moves underground and how contaminants behave in groundwater, specifically in fractured bedrock, a key component for safeguarding the water supply, profoundly changing scientific understanding.
A fellow of both the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the American Geophysical Union, she is also an inventor with four patents to her name, and founder of the Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute.
"I'm grateful for the recognition of my work and for joining the esteemed colleagues and mentors before me in the National Academy of Engineering," Parker says. "It has been a rewarding and enjoyable experience addressing real-world challenges, using creative approaches to better understand the nature of the problems. Seeing these efforts get put to use has been the most fulfilling part."
Based in Washington, D.C., the NAE is a private, non-profit institution founded in 1964. Its members are among the world's most accomplished engineers from business, academia and government. Members of the NAE - elected by their peers - provide independent, objective analysis and advice on matters involving engineering, technology and quality of life.
NAE's Class of 2025 includes 128 newly elected members and 22 international members bringing the total U.S. membership to 2,487 members and 336 international members. The newly elected class will be formally inducted Oct. 5.
