Thomas J. Wu '94 Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Role
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the High Meadows Environmental Institute
Office Phone
609-258-2287
aporpora@Princeton.EDU
Office
E407 Engineering Quad
Website
http://porporato.princeton.edu/
CV
Porporato CV 2021-22.pdf
Degrees
PhD????????? Polytechnic of Milan, Italy, 1996.
MS?????????? Civil Engineering, CPolytechnic of Milan, Italy, 1992.
Bio/Description
Concurrent University Appointments
Associated Faculty,?High Meadows Environmental InstituteAdjunct Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University
Honors, Awards, DISTINCTIONS
Highly Cited Researcher, Web of ScienceHydrologic Sciences Award, AGU
Borland Lecture – Hydrology Days
American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fellow.
Inaugural Landolt Chair in Sustainable Development and Innovation, EPFL, Switzerland
Research INTERESTS
Dr. Porporato's research focuses on the quantitative description and prediction of the complex dynamics of the terrestrial water cycle, with special interest in the impact of the hydrologic cycle on temporal and spatial variability of ecosystem processes (eco-hydrology) and the related energy, carbon and nutrient cycles. He uses both theoretical and experimental approaches to isolate and describe the dominant dynamical components of these physical and biological interactions. Specific research areas focus on soil moisture-microbes-plant dynamics, mathematical modeling of biogeochemical cycles, soil-atmosphere dynamics, and sustainable use of soil and water resources (irrigation, soil salinization and remediation) with particular attention to semiarid ecosystems, both natural and agricultural. Because of the inherent interdisciplinarity of such problems, his research methods draw from fluid mechanics, soil physics, plant physiology, statistical physics, nonlinear dynamics, non-equilibrium thermodynamics, and complex system science.COURSES
CEE 587 / ENV 587 EcohydrologyENV 385 / CEE 385 Environmental Thermodynamics
Selected Publications
Google scholar profile https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vqnUTqMAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
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Prof. Porporato Awarded the 2020 EGU Dalton Medal in Hydrology
Sitewide Category
Water, Climate and Energy
Hydrology and the Atmospheric Environment
Chemistry, Biology and Technology