Highpoints
March 2026 | Volume 42, Number 3
In this issue:
AAEES Patrons
Patrons of the Academy are organizations that are distinguished by providing financial support to the Academy's programs in addition to their engagement in specialty certification of their Engineers and Scientists. They are dedicated to a collaborative effort with the Academy in pursuit of Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science. For more information, go to https://www.aaees.org/patronsprogram.
With Gratitude for Dan Oerther’s Service as Executive Director
On behalf of the Academy, I want to extend my deepest appreciation to Daniel B. (Dan) Oerther, PhD, PE, BCEE, BCES, for his leadership and dedicated service as Executive Director. Dan has chosen not to continue in his position as Executive Director. Dan’s steady guidance, commitment to excellence and professionalism have been central to the Academy’s success and continued credibility within the environmental engineering and science community.
Over the course of his tenure, Dan has strengthened our organization, advanced our mission and built lasting relationships that have elevated our standing. The standards he helped shape will continue to guide our work and uphold the integrity of our organization for years to come.
I am especially grateful for the collegial spirit and thoughtful direction Dan brought to our operations and membership. Dan’s ability to balance strategic vision with day-to-day management ensured that we met our objectives with both rigor and respect. It has been a privilege to work with Dan, and on behalf of the Academy I wish Dan every success in his future endeavors.
Jeff Greenfield, PhD, PE, BCEE, BCES
President
Upcoming Webinars
Happy Birthday to Dr. Lilia A. Abron
 During International Women’s Month, the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists is proud to celebrate the birthday of Lilia Ann Abron, a pioneering environmental engineer whose achievements have helped shape the profession.
Dr. Abron made history in 1972 as the first African American woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in chemical engineering. She later founded PEER Consultants, P.C., one of the nation’s leading environmental engineering firms, and has dedicated her career to advancing sustainable solutions, improving water and sanitation systems, and expanding opportunities in engineering.
A past president of AAEES and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Dr. Abron’s leadership and vision continue to inspire generations of environmental engineers and scientists.
During this International Women’s Month, we celebrate Dr. Abron’s remarkable contributions and wish her a very happy birthday.
Have You Renewed Your Board Certification?
It is not too late to maintain your professional standing. To streamline the process, you may remit payment for your specialty certification renewal without the need to log in to your account.
To complete your renewal, please follow these steps:
- Locate your renewal notification email.
- Select the link labeled "Click here to view this invoice" to be directed to your personalized payment portal.
- Click the "Pay Invoice" button located at the bottom of the document.
- Enter your payment details to finalize the transaction.
Once submitted, your certification status will be updated accordingly.
Call for Papers:
Artificial Intelligence in Environmental Engineering & Science
AAEES invites submissions for a special issue of Environmental Engineer and Scientist exploring how AI is transforming environmental engineering and science—from air and climate modeling to water systems, waste management, energy, policy, and emerging ethical considerations.
We welcome Technical Notes, State-of-the-Art Reviews, Forums, and Editorials.
Submission deadline: June 30, 2026
Publication: October 2026
Full submission details: https://www.aaees.org/ees-call-for-papers
Help shape the future of the profession through innovation and leadership.
Advance Your Career and Expertise with AAEES Microcredentials
In a world driven by innovation, professionals need more than experience—they need proof of expertise. The AAEES Microcredentials offer targeted, flexible learning opportunities designed to elevate your skills and showcase your mastery in high-demand areas like Artificial Intelligence and PFAS.
Click here for details
Step-by-Step Directions: Adding a Microcredential to LinkedIn Education
If you’ve put in the time and effort to complete one of AAEES’s microcredentials, make sure your network knows! Add this accomplishment to the Education section of your LinkedIn profile to highlight your commitment to professional growth. (Step by step directions below). Badges were sent out via email.
AAEES microcredentials offer targeted, flexible learning opportunities designed to elevate your skills and demonstrate your mastery in today’s high-demand areas. Learn more at: https://www.aaees.org/aaees-microcredentials. 
Step 1: Log in to LinkedIn
- Open linkedin.com and log in with your account.
- Navigate to your profile by clicking your profile picture or name in the top bar.
Step 2: Scroll to the Education Section
- Scroll down your profile until you see the Education section.
- If you don’t have an Education section yet, click Add profile section → Background → Education.
Step 3: Click the “+” Icon
- In the Education section, click the “+” (Add education) button to create a new entry.
Step 4: Fill Out the Microcredential Details
Step 5: Save
- Click Save to add the microcredential to your Education section.
Step 6: Verify
- Scroll through your Education section to ensure the microcredential appears correctly.
- Optionally, move it up in the section if you want it to stand out.
Tips
- You can also add microcredentials to the Licenses & Certifications section
The 2026 Academy Convocation and Celebration of Excellence
Join leaders and innovators in environmental engineering and science for the AAEES 2026 Academy Convocation and Celebration of Excellence featuring two special events on April 16, 2026.
Daytime Event – Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center, Washington, DC
The day’s program will take place at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC and will honor the winners of the Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science (E3S) Competition and the Environmental Communication Awards. Attendees will enjoy presentations from E3S winners, recognition of top achievements in environmental practice, and opportunities to earn professional development hours. This daytime gathering provides an inspiring look at groundbreaking projects and innovations shaping the future of environmental engineering and science.
Evening Ceremony – Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel
The celebration continues that evening at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel, where AAEES will honor its individual award winners, the 2026 40 Under 40 Award recipients, and the newest Board Certified environmental engineers and scientists.
This special ceremony includes networking, recognition of professional excellence, and celebrations highlighting the individuals who advance the profession and inspire future leaders.
Don’t miss this premier professional event that brings together the best in environmental engineering and science. Connect with colleagues, gain insights from award-winning projects, and celebrate the achievements and impact of outstanding practitioners across the field.
https://www.aaees.org/aaeesawardsceremony
Tau Chi Alpha - Central State University
Central State University recently celebrated a significant achievement in its environmental engineering program. Held on February 20, 2026, the ceremony marked the official induction of the first two members into the university's chapter of the TXA.
We are proud to recognize and congratulate our newest inductees:
- Bryant Willis, Graduating Senior
- Raniah Saunders, Junior and 2025-2026 AAEES Student Chapter President
 
Appreciation as well to the AAEES Central State University student chapter officers and members who joined in celebrating this milestone.
Pictured in the background is “The Water Lady” metalwork in front of The C. J. McLin International Center for Water Resources Management with Dr. Ramanitharan Kandiah, The TXA Faculty Advisor.
We encourage all faculty advisors to submit photos of your initiation ceremonies. Sharing these moments helps celebrate your students’ achievements and provides national and international recognition of your TXA inductees.
Thank you for continuing to nominate your exceptional environmental engineering students for induction into Tau Chi Alpha. This lifetime honor is a distinguished achievement and a meaningful professional credential within our field.
Go to https://www.aaees.org/txa to learn more about Tau Chi Alpha.
Submit Abstracts for the 2026 Nanobubble (Ultrafine Bubble) Conference
 AAEES, on behalf of NJIT, invites you to submit abstracts for the 2026 Nanobubble (Ultrafine Bubble) Conference, taking place August 19–21, 2026, at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark, New Jersey
Conference website
This marks the first Global Nanobubble Conference in the United States, following successful events in Kyoto, Magdeburg, Suzhou, Coffs Harbor, Shanghai, and Les Houches. The conference will bring together experts from academia, industry, and government to advance nanobubble and nanodroplet science—covering theory, characterization, and applications in environmental, agricultural, medical, and food systems.
The 2nd ISO TC 281 Meeting on Fine Bubble Technology is tentatively planned just before the conference, and the ACS Fall 2026 Conference will follow in Chicago, offering attendees a convenient opportunity to participate in both.
We look forward to welcoming you to New Jersey in 2026!
AAEES Job Board Postings
Senior Sustainability Program Lead
San Jose State University - San Jose, CA
Senior Scientist RL 2026-01
San Francisco Estuary Institute - Richmond, CA
Monthly Features
In order to celebrate the Academy’s 70th birthday, we are sharing 70 stories in 2025. We post them on our social media platforms so make sure you are following us. You can also catch up on recent stories on our website: https://www.aaees.org/70years70stories
If you would like to submit a story for consideration please email Marisa Waterman at mwaterman at aaees dot org.
Have you added your Board Certification credentials to your LinkedIn name?
Show off your accomplishments to your LinkedIn network…it takes under a minute to add your credentials.
See directions in the image below:
Foundation Donations
The Environmental Engineering and Science Foundation's primary purpose is to recognize and promote excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science. As a result, the public will become more aware of the important role Environmental Engineers and Scientists play in managing global, national and regional environmental challenges. To accomplish its goals, the Foundation dedicates its resources to education, research and awards focused on outstanding Environmental Engineering and Science achievement.
The Environmental Engineering and Science Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. As such, all contributions donated through this site are eligible to receive a tax-deduction. The Environmental Engineering and Science Foundation supports several educational, awards, and outreach programs and supports a variety of activities and initiatives of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.
Descriptions of the various funds and their charitable objectives can be found at https://www.eesfoundation.org/donate/.
Need PDHs?
You now have the opportunity to earn PDHs from recorded webinars! If you miss an AAEES webinar, you can watch it at your convenience and then take a quiz to earn PDHs.
- Go to our webinar library and watch a webinar of your choice.
- Once you have watched it, go to the coordinating quiz link to purchase and complete a brief quiz.
- Once you pass the quiz, we will send you your PDH certificate.
It’s that simple!
Go to our webinar library to browse our recorded webinars: https://www.aaees.org/aaeeswebinarslibrary.
Stories Submission
AAEES is THE collaborating organization in environmental engineering and environmental science. Environmental engineers and environment scientists can come here to tell a story and connect with others. We accept a variety of formats:
- Photo(s) with description
- Links to news articles
- Video clips
- Links to relevant webinar/podcasts
- Links to industry white paper
We appreciate everything our members submit. Depending on the size of your item, we may include it on social media, the monthly Highpoints Newsletter, or Environmental Engineer and Scientist magazine.
For more information, and to submit your story, go to https://www.aaees.org/MemberStories.
AAEES Podcasts
The Importance of Mentoring: No One is An Island
Nicholas Albergo and Matthew Talbert from GHD discuss mentoring, ethics, and career growth. Hear insights on board certification, networking, and challenges for emerging professionals in this engaging episode.
Stream or Download This Episode
Environmental Engineering and Science: A Team Sport
Dr. Mary deFlaun interviews Heather Tahon on mentorship, leadership, and board certification’s impact on credibility. Heather shares career insights and advice for aspiring environmental professionals in this inspiring episode.
Stream or Download This Episode
A Day in the Life of an Environmental Engineer and the Steps it Takes to Get There: Interview with Isreal Hodges, Jr., P.E., BCEE
Anastasia Rudenko interviews Isreal Hodges on board certification, networking, overcoming challenges, and prioritizing health. Isreal’s inspiring journey offers valuable advice for aspiring environmental engineers.
Stream or Download This Episode
Overcoming Obstacles to Become a Successful Engineer: The Story of Melody Gonzalez
Anne Germain interviews Melody Gonzalez on her inspiring journey from single motherhood in Venezuela to engineering success, emphasizing mentorship, networking, and resilience for aspiring professionals.
Stream or Download This Episode
Interactive Who’s Who
The Academy’s website has an improved and expanded feature for members: the Interactive Who’s Who. Look for the link just below the welcome message after you log in. With this tool you can search for members by name, specialization, organization, and location.
You can use this feature to find Board-Certified individuals within a specialty for possible engagement on projects. You can find out who else in your organization is a member and see their biographical information. You can get contact information for colleagues in the Academy. Universities can find local Board-Certified members to engage them with their program as mentors or external advisory board members. The feature is intuitive to use by selecting one or more text fields to search for. Once you find a member you can then click on them for more detailed profile including contact information. And, if you search for yourself, you will be able to edit your profile including adding a headshot photo for your colleagues to know you by. Enjoy this new feature that will help our members connect with each other.
All AAEES members receive a 30% discount off any of PDH Online's 3,000+ courses, including live webinars. AAEES will receive a 20% royalty for each course taken by AAEES members using the AAEES membership code AAEES30.
Members can search courses and sign up at https://www.PDHonline.com.
PDH Online is one of the leading online course providers and is an approved continuing education sponsor by many state licensing boards for professional engineers. Over 100 of their courses have been developed by BCEEs. AAEES has designated PDH Online as the Preferred PDH Provider to help AAEES members complete all their bi-annual PDH requirements.
Update Your Profile
Change of address, email or any information? You will need to login to your profile in our organization.
If you are having trouble accessing your account, email Yolanda at YMoulden at aaees.org for assistance.
Not Getting Email Announcements from AAEES
Please be sure to whitelist or add [email protected] to your contact list to ensure you receive important updates and announcements to your inbox.
It's Simple - Refer a Colleague to Apply for Board Certification
Host a Virtual Event
It's easy and free to host an AAEES Webinar or Virtual Workshop/Event
If you would like to learn more, please email Marisa Waterman at MWaterman at aaees.org. Be sure to give an approximate date and suggested topic and possible speakers.
Don't Miss Anything!
The AAEES calendar is a great way to stay connected with listings of upcoming events, meetings, deadlines, industry observances, and other important dates.
Student Lounge
We always love to hear what our student members have been up to! Send us your recent articles, news, studies, project photos, etc. We would be happy to share with the rest of the environmental engineering and science community via social media. Send an email to Marisa Waterman at MWaterman at aaees.org.
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