The International Association of Hydrogeologists accords the title of Honorary Member to those who have given exceptional services to the Association over a long period. Candidates are elected, following the recommendation of Council, by a vote of the General Assembly of the Association. This vote took place at the IAH Worldwide Groundwater Congress in Davos and via Zoom in September 2024.
We were delighted to announce three Honorary Members in 2024.
Vicki Kretsinger Grabert
Vicki Kretsinger Grabert received her BS in Environmental Toxicology (1977) and her MS in Hydrologic Science (1989) from the University of California at Davis. She has more than 40 years’ experience in regional groundwater resource management and quality assessments. In 1983 Vicki joined Luhdorff and Scalmanini, Consulting Engineers, becoming a partner in 1991. She served as President from 2012-2022 and continues to support the company. Vicki has been a champion for IAH and other groundwater-related organisations for many years, both within the US and worldwide.
Her roles have been many and include the National Groundwater Association (NGWA) (Past Vice President; Chair of the Association of Groundwater Scientists and Engineers; Groundwater Journal Column Co-Editor), American Institute of Hydrology (AIH), Geological Society of America (GSA). She has served in officer roles and on countless committees. She was an Advisory Council Member for 15 years at the University of California Water Resources Center.
Vicki was Founding President of the Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA) in 1992, serving as a director for 23 years. In 2010, she planned and managed the launch of the Contemporary Groundwater Issues Council for GRA. She was recognised as “GRA’s Founding Mother 1992-2014” and in 2014 received the award “The Foundation, The Rock of GRA”.
Further awards include the University of California Davis, Alumni, 2019 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Award of Distinction. In 2021 she received the AIH Charles Vernon Theis Award in 2021 for her contributions to groundwater hydrology.
Vicki has been a member of the Executive Committee of IAH’s US National Chapter since 2009, serving as Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Coordinator and officer responsible for Geological Society of America liaison. In 2010 she participated in IAH’s Forward Look Initiative, contributing to the vision and strategies for IAH’s subsequent growth and wider recognition.
Vicki has greatly contributed to IAH’s support of science and the profession and has created many kindred affiliations. Vicki Kretsinger Grabert fully deserves the award of Honorary Membership of IAH.
Dr. Callist Tindimugaya
Dr. Callist Tindimugaya gained his BSc honours degree in Geology and Chemistry at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda (1990) and began his career as a hydrogeologist in Uganda’s Ministry of Natural Resources. He became Principal Hydrogeologist and Head of the Groundwater Section in 1999, responsible for all groundwater management activities in Uganda. He later joined the IHE at Delft, obtaining an MSc in Hydrology and Water Resources (2000). Callist joined the Management College of Southern Africa, Durban, South Africa in 2003, where he completed an MBA (2008). He received his PhD in Groundwater Resources Management University College, London in 2008. He is currently Head of the Department for Water Resources Planning and Regulation, and Commissioner for Water Resources Planning and Regulation, at the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda.
Callist oversaw the Groundwater Mapping Programme for Uganda, guiding planning of groundwater development across the country. He coordinated the successful piloting of SDG6 indicator monitoring in Uganda and continues to coordinate SDG6 indicator baseline data collection. Callist is a Regional Coordinator for the Nile Integrated Water Resources Management Network. He has worked on groundwater projects in over 10 countries in Africa as an Isotope Hydrology Expert for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Callist has supervised several postgraduate students at Makerere University and helps facilitate various courses on groundwater and integrated water resources management.
Callist has been Chairman of the Uganda Groundwater Professionals Association (National Chapter IAH), a Member of IAH’s Burdon Network, Steering Committee member of the African Groundwater Network (AGWNET), and Chairman of the UNESCO National Committee for the International Hydrological Programme in Uganda. He was elected IAH Regional Vice-President for Sub-Saharan Africa from 2012-2016 and 2016-2020. In this role he strengthened links between IAH and key groundwater related institutions in Africa, including the Africa Groundwater Commission, River Basin Organisations, Regional Economic Commissions and Africa Groundwater Network.
For his contribution to the hydrogeology profession, his work in Sub-Saharan Africa and the work of the Association, Dr Callist Tindimugaya fully deserves the award of Honorary Membership.
Dr. Neno Kukurić
Dr Neno Kukurić is a hydrogeologist with more than 35 years’ worldwide experience as a field hydrogeologist, consultant, scientific researcher, project manager and director. He received his MSc in Hydrogeology from the University of Belgrade in 1988 and a further MSc in Groundwater Hydrology from the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in 1993. He was awarded his PhD in Hydrogeology from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 1999. He is a long-term member of IAH, active in IAH’s commissions, and has collaborated extensively with IAH throughout his career.
Neno was Groundwater Knowledge Manager with TNO from 1998, moving to Deltares in 2010. In 2011 Neno was entrusted with establishing of IGRAC (International Groundwater Resource Assessment Centre), as an independent foundation, remaining as Director until 2022. During this period IGRAC worked in more than 50 countries. In 2012, Neno signed the Memorandum of Understanding between IGRAC and IAH. IAH continues to have Technical Committee Board Member representation of IGRAC.
On World Water Day 2018 Neno launched the ‘Groundwater overview: Making the invisible visible’ during the World Water Forum in Brasilia, supported by IAH, leading to the selection of groundwater as the theme for World Water Day 2022. He initiated and coordinated with UNESCO and supported by IAH, a “Year of Groundwater”, including the World Water Day campaign, the World Water Development Report and the Groundwater Summit.
Neno was a joint leader of IAH’s Transboundary Aquifer Commission from 2014-2020. His work for IAH’s Karst Commission included managing the GEF/UNESCO project on the Dinaric Karst Aquifer System (DIKTAS). He was joint editor of ‘Karst Without Boundaries’ in the IAH Green Book Series and regular contributor to the Commission on Managing Aquifer Recharge. He is joint author of the IAH Strategic Overview Series paper, ‘Water Security & Groundwater’.
As part of the ‘Friends of Groundwater’ Neno has contributed to World Water Quality Alliance’s work on ‘Assessing Groundwater Quality: A Global Perspective’. Dr Neno Kukurić is also a true ‘friend of IAH’ and fully deserves the award of IAH Honorary Membership.
