The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) has selected Bridget R. Scanlon, senior research scientist with the Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, to receive the 2016 M. King Hubbert Award for major science contributions to the knowledge of groundwater.

“Dr. Scanlon is an active and energetic scientist devoted to the advancement of geoscience and education,” says nominator William M. Alley, NGWA’s director of science and technology. “She is a gifted scientist and collaborator, and has made outstanding contributions on cutting-edge science.”

Relevant topics of Scanlon’s research include:

• Groundwater recharge
• Application of numerical models for simulating variably saturated flow and transport
• Assessment of natural and anthropogenic contamination of groundwater
• Impacts of climate and land-use changes on hydrologic processes
• Water use and availability for energy.

Scanlon has published more than 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals including Groundwater, Water Resources Research, and Environmental Science & Technology. She has served on many National Academy of Sciences committees, been involved with numerous U.S. Department of Energy scientific endeavors, and has been a key member of the NASA GRACE Science Team. In addition, Scanlon is a frequent adviser on student thesis and dissertation committees, and teaches several courses

Honors Scanlon has received include being a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America, serving as the GSA Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished Lecturer, and being appointed to the National Academy of Engineering.

The M. King Hubbert Award will be presented to Scanlon during NGWA’s 2016 Groundwater Week, being held Dec. 6-8 in Las Vegas.

NGWA is a nonprofit that supports responsible development, management and use of water resources. It’s comprised of groundwater professionals ranging from contractors to equipment manufacturers to scientists and engineers. For more information, visit www.ngwa.org.