Press Releases

AAEES Announces 2024 Winners for Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science Competition

4/1/2024

ANNAPOLIS, MD/April 1, 2024/AAEES – The American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES) today announced the 2024 winners of its annual Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science^® Awards Competition, which recognizes the best of environmental engineering and science projects. The competition defines what it takes to be the best in environmental engineering and science practice: a holistic environmental perspectives, innovation, proven performance and customer satisfaction, and a contribution to an improved quality of life and economic efficiency. Winners will be recognized at the annual Awards Celebration and Conference, which is scheduled for April 11, 2024, at historic Howard University in Washington, DC. 

“The winning projects, chosen by an independent panel of distinguished experts, address the broad range of modern challenges inherent in providing life-nurturing services for humans and protection of the environment,” said Daniel B. Oerther, PhD, PE, BCEE, Executive Director, AAEES. “They are but a small percentage of the many projects involving environmental engineers and scientists around the world. Nevertheless, their innovations and performance illustrate the essential role of environmental engineers and scientists in solving the problems of planetary health. These award winners testify to the genius of humankind and best exemplify the Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science the of 2024 winners of its annual Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science^® criteria.”

As part of the Awards Celebration and Conference, this year’s Superior Achievement Award winner will present details of the winning project. Dr. Kimberly Jones, Associate Provost at Howard University and Chair of the USEPA Science Advisor Board, will offer remarks on the 50^th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Winners of the annual Individual Awards and the annual joint awards with the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors will be announced. AAEES 40 under 40 Recognition Program recipients and scholarship recipients of the Environmental Engineering and Science Foundation also will be acknowledged.

The winners in each award category include:

Best in the Overall Competition Category

Superior Achievement

From the Laboratory to the Field - STAR Treatment of PFAS in Soils
Entrant: Savron, a division of Geosyntec Consultants International, Inc.
Engineer in Charge: N/A
Location: Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Design Category

Honor Award

Ashtabula Water Treatment Plant Reconstruction
Entrant: HDR
Engineer in Charge: Adam Arnold, P.E.
Location: Ashtabula, Ohio

Environmental Sustainability Category

Grand Prize

Omaha RiverFront Revitalization
Entrant: HDR
Engineer in Charge: Chris Koenig, P.E.
Location: Omaha, Nebraska

Honor Award

A.K. Warren Water Resource Facility
Entrant: Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
Engineer in Charge: Robert C. Ferrante, P.E., BCEE
Location: Carson, California

Industrial Waste Practice Category

Grand Prize

NW Natural Gas Interceptor Trench Remediation Project
Entrant: Aponowich, Driscoll & Associates, Inc. with Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc. (Contractor/Operator)
Engineer in Charge: Terrence P. Driscoll, P.E., BCEE
Location: Portland, Oregon

Grand Prize

South Sioux City Wastewater Treatment Facility
Entrant: HDR
Engineer in Charge: Amit Shrivastava
Location: South Sioux City, Nebraska

Honor Award

WWRF Cleanup Site Remediation: Restoring a Brownfield and Paving the Way for a Regional Water Recycling Program
https://www.lacsd.org/about-us/warren-facility-cleanup
Entrant: Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
Engineer in Charge: Robert C. Ferrante, P.E., BCEE
Location: Whittier, California 

Planning Category

Grand Prize

Santa Monica Recycled Water Master Plan
Entrant: Kennedy Jenks
Engineer in Charge: Dawn Taffler, P.E.
Location: Pasadena, California

Honor Award

Feasilibility and Routing Study for Phase 2B/2C Regional Integrated Loop Pipeline Project
Entrant: Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
Engineer in Charge: Douglas H. Eckmann, P.E., BCEE, BC.WRE, F.ASCE
Location: Fort Myers, Florida

Research Category

Honor Award

PFAS - Decision Support System
Entrant: HydroGeoLogic, Inc.
Engineer in Charge: Varut Guvanasen, Ph.D., P.E.
Location: Reston, Virginia

Small Projects Category

Honor Award

The Gateway Reserve
Entrant: Boelter Risk Sciences and Engineering LLC
Engineer in Charge: Fred W. Boelter, CIH, PE, BCEE, FAIHA
Location: Boise, Idaho

Safe Water Drinking Act and its Variants, Special Category for 2024

Grand Prize

A.K. Warren Water Resource Facility
Entrant: Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
Engineer in Charge: Robert C. Ferrante, P.E., BCEE
Location: Carson, California

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Founded in 1955, the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists offers specialty Board Certification to the nation’s 47,300 environmental engineers and 80,500 environmental scientists, participates in accrediting more than 100 university programs, sponsors more than 40 student chapters as well as Tau Chi Alpha (TXA) the environmental honor society, mentors emerging professionals, offers continuing education, and provides public recognition of outstanding individuals and practices. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, the Academy harnesses the technical expertise of our members to advice decision-makers and the public on the use of environmental engineering and science to improve and maintain the environment as we lead efforts to solve the problems of planetary health. For more information, access the Academy's website: https://www.aaees.org.