College of Engineering News
Professor Levent Kavvas, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Levent Kavvas Receives Prestigious Civil Engineering Award
Posted on: October 29, 2009
Civil engineering professor Levent Kavvas has received the 2009 Ven Te Chow Award, the highest honor awarded a hydrologic engineer by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and its specialty organization, the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI).
The ASCE-EWRI National Career Achievement Society Award recognizes individuals whose careers in hydrologic engineering “have been distinguished by exceptional achievement and significant contributions in research, education or practice.” Kavvas was noted particularly for his contributions to engineering hydrology and water resources management, outstanding service to the profession through the founding of the ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, and for mentoring young hydrologic engineers.
Kavvas has devoted his career specifically to developing mathematical models to characterize the complexity of hydrological and hydro-meteorological processes. “My goal has been to put hydrological engineering on a sound scientific basis,” Kavvas said. Until recently, the study of climate change has focused on the atmosphere. He thought it important to also bring that focus down to earth, addressing water balance issues on land at watershed, state and continental scales, and relate these factors to atmospheric models.
Kavvas and his students developed hydrologic and hydro-climate models at various scales with physics-based frameworks, also quantifying uncertainty in such processes. These and other achievements have contributed to Kavvas’ international reputation in hydrology research and his instrumental role in developing hydrological/climate models for various regions in Asia, as well as precipitation/flood forecasting in the United States.
A native of Turkey, Kavvas received his bachelor of science degree in engineering at Middle East Technical University in Ankara. He came to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar, encouraged by Prof. V. Yevjevich, the first recipient of the Ven Te Chow Award. He received his master’s degree in civil engineering, hydrology and water resources from Colorado State University under the guidance of Dr. D. Dawdy and his doctor’s degree in civil engineering, hydrology/hydraulics at Purdue under the guidance of Prof. J. Delleur both of whom were past recipients of the Ven Te Chow Award. Kavvas has been a member of the UC Davis College of Engineering faculty since 1985. He served as the founding editor-in-chief of the ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering from 1995 to 2004.
The Ven Te Chow Award includes a crystal trophy and a cash prize, which Kavvas contributed to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He was asked to deliver the 2009 Ven Te Chow Award lecture during the 2009 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress in May.
Kavvas, who has received a number of awards, says this honor is, by far, the one that makes him most proud.
“But ultimately, the greatest honor of all would be recognition for developing tools that are used by practicing hydrological engineers,” Kavvas said. “If you do something that matters, you may be recognized for it.”