Vogel selected to deliver Langbein Lecture

Professor Emeritus Richard Vogel of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering was recently chosen to deliver the Walter B. Langbein Lecture at the 2023 American Geophysical Union’s conference (AGU23) in San Francisco. Selection as an honoree is bestowed upon individuals for meritorious work or service toward the advancement and promotion of discovery and solution science.

According to AGU, the lecture “recognizes lifetime contributions of a senior scientist to the science of hydrology or unselfish cooperation in hydrologic research.” The Langbein Lecture is part of the Bowie Lecture series which began in 1989 to mark 50 years of presenting AGU’s highest honor, the William Bowie medal. Vogel’s presentation, “When heavy tails disrupt hydrologic modeling” will focus on an important, but relatively under-discussed topic within the field of hydrology.

Vogel earned his PhD in water resource systems from Cornell University. His research focuses on using statistical and systems approaches to solve problems in the field of hydrology and water resources engineering. His work has applications in a wide range of areas including reservoir operations, water quality, watershed modeling, environmental statistics, and frequency analysis of natural hazards. After 33 years at Tufts, he transitioned to professor emeritus and research professor in 2016.

Over the course of his career, Vogel has earned several honors including being elected a Fellow of AGU in 2017. He has been a contributing editor for the ASCE Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management for over a decade. Vogel’s selection as the Langbein Lecturer acknowledges his leadership in the field. When informed of the honor, Vogel expressed his appreciation for those who have come before him. “I am very proud of this award, because most of the previous recipients are my heroes,” he says.  

Founded in 1919, AGU is among the world's largest Earth and space science associations. For over 50 years, the organization operated as an unincorporated affiliate of the National Academy of Sciences before independently incorporating in 1972. AGU23 will convene more than 25,000 attendees from over 100 counties. The theme of this year’s conference is wide open science, in keeping with their mission of advancing discovery and solution science in an ethical and unbiased way.