Joanna Doummar
Biography
Joanna Doummar is an associate professor of Groundwater hydrology and Chair of the Department of Earth Sciences at the American University of Beirut. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Hydrogeology from Georg- August University Goettingen in Germany. Her research focuses on the development of methods for the assessment of the quantitative vulnerability of karst aquifers including the numerical simulation of integrated karst systems, the characterization of karst aquifers using different methods, and the assessment of transport behavior using specific contamination indicators. She is the principal investigator of international research grants. Her research includes also the gradual construction of a high-resolution monitoring network of water resources and climatic parameters in poorly-investigated and monitored sites in Lebanon. She is also involved as a principal investigator in a pilot testing of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in Lebanon. She has supervised many undergraduate and graduate students in research topics in hydrogeology that culminated in various publications. She is an IAH member and a member of the IAH Karst Commission. She has been elected in the World Economic Forum Young Scientists Community- Class of 2020.
Personal statement
I am thrilled to have the opportunity to pursue the activities that were started back in 2020. When I first assumed the position of VP for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, I had three main goals in mind, and wish to continue with this endeavor: 1) to foster networking and collaborations among chapters and individuals of the MENA region and beyond, 2) to encourage young scientists and hydrogeologists and especially mentor more females to join this field, 3) help promote, with other fellow scientists, groundwater hydrology in both academic and professional realm in the region. I will continue to encourage the formation/finalization of local chapters, with three new local chapters formed since 2020, and to represent IAH’s mission in different professional and international venues and events (to make the invisible visible). I hope through a growing national and international network that more scientific collaborative activities can be achieved through regional meetings. With local IAH chapters, we have started working on thematic research led by scientists of our region. Finally, I hope to facilitate the development of local policies/guidelines for water management in the MENA.
I commit to serve the mission of groundwater in the MENA and beyond and to try my best to achieve the goals set above.
Seifu Kebede Gurmessa
Biography
Seifu Kebede Gurmessa obtained BSc degree in Geology (1994) and MSc degree in Hydrogeology (1999) both from Addis Ababa University. He obtained a PhD degree from the University of Avignon, France in 2005 in Isotope (tracer) hydrogeology. Between 1994 and 1999, he served the School of Earth Sciences, Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia) as research assistant and junior lecturer. For about one year (2005-2006), after completion of his PhD work, he served the International Atomic Energy Agency as Junior Professional Officer. On return to the Addis Ababa University in 2007, he was appointed as Assistant Professor of Hydrogeology and later in 2013; he was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Hydrogeology. He joined the School of Agricultural Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre of Water Resources Research, University of KwaZulu Natal in September 2019.
He has authored more than 70 peer reviewed articles in various hydrogeology/hydrology topics, as well as a Springer Nature book on groundwater in Ethiopia.
He has worked with several international organizations such as AMCOW, IAEA, UNESCO, UNICEF and NBI, as well as multiple NGOs and the private sector operating in Africa. He serves as regional contact person for the USGS groundwater mapping project in Ethiopia. Over the last ten years, he has built extensive collaborative research projects and networks in the Africa region. He was the Africa-Oxford fellow in 2018 and has international short-term teaching experience in various African countries, and internationally (e.g University of Doshihsa, Japan; University of Bochum, Germany). He contributed to the various IAH strategic policy papers as well as to various global groundwater mapping efforts (e.g BGS’s Groundwater Atlas of Africa, BRGMs Hydrogeology map of Africa, World Karst Map etc). He is currently providing technical backstopping to finance organization of their groundwater investment programs
Personal statement
By working closely with IAH council and the national chapters, I will endeavour to ensure that relevant and current hydrogeological/groundwater knowledge reaches all corners of SSA. I will continue to work with all stakeholders at all levels for a better use of hydrogeology knowledge in practice and policy making in SSA. As Regional Vice President of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) between 2020-2024, I promoted IAH as an international knowledge base contributing to sustainable management and development. I worked with regional bodies such as the AMCOW and its groundwater program (APaGROP) for a better use and assimilation of hydrogeological knowledge in SA groundwater policymaking. I contributed to the formation of national chapters in Ghana, Malawi, Ethiopia and Kenya. I used various global scale platforms (e.g UN Water, UNESCO Groundwater summit) to showcase statutes of groundwater in SSA and promoted the need to accelerate the sustainable use of groundwater to meet SDG targets. During my tenure as IAH vice president, I witnessed growth in investment in the groundwater sector in Africa and will continue to ensure that groundwater gains a firm policy standing at regional and national scales in SSA.
Grant Ferguson
Biography
Grant Ferguson is professor at the University of Saskatchewan, where he holds a joint appointment between the Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering and the School of Environment and Sustainability. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona and the University of Waterloo. Grant holds a B.Sc. from the University of Waterloo and a Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba. Grant’s research and teaching interests focus on deep groundwater systems, regional hydrogeology and sustainable development of groundwater resources. He served as president of the IAH Canadian National Chapter (CNC) from 2009 to 2015 and was a founding member of the IAH ECHN. Grant Ferguson recipient of the IAH CNC’s Long-Term Service Award and have also received an American Geophysical Union Editors’ Citation for Excellence in Refereeing. With his students and collaborators, Grant has authored papers that have been recognized as an Editor’s Choice by Hydrogeology Journal, Research Highlights by the American Geophysical Union and a Highly Cited Paper by Groundwater. He was recently selected as the National Ground Water Association’s 2025 Darcy Lecturer.
Personal statement
I am putting my name forward for a second term as IAH VP for North America. The past few years has presented many challenges for all of us, including our ability to meet. After missing IAH Congresses from 2020 to 2022 due to travel restrictions, I attended my first in person IAH Council meeting in Cape Town in 2023. While we were able to accomplish many things online, seeing friends and colleagues in person was invigorating. I feel like I have only just begun to contribute as a member of IAH Council and am excited to continue to work on several current initiatives.
There have been recent meetings to connect the Canadian National Chapter and US National Chapter with the Mexican National Chapter. We are exploring the possibility of co-hosting events, which may include preparing a bid for an IAH Congress. Bringing an IAH Congress or other large IAH-hosted event to North America will help to engage our members in the United States and Canada.
I will work to grow existing relationships with other groundwater organizations, including existing relationships with the Geological Society of America and the Canadian Geotechnical Society, who have helped us host past events. Relationships I am developing with NGWA through organization of the 2025 Darcy Lecture tour will provide opportunities to understand how IAH and NGWA might work.
Finally, I am hoping to foster growth of the ECHN in North America, including co-operation between the ECHN in Canada and the USA. The ECHN has seen phenomenal growth since it was formed but opportunities to create opportunities for early career hydrogeologists remain. There are also enormous benefits that the larger IAH community can gain from engaging with larger ECHN.
Aqeela Parker
Aqeela is a Project Hydrogeologist and the Business Unit Leader for the Groundwater Monitoring and Management Department at GEOSS South Africa. She holds an MSc in hydrogeology and is currently pursuing a PhD, focusing on sustainable dewatering and managed aquifer recharge schemes for a mine on South Africa’s West Coast. Her expertise lies in determining natural groundwater sources and flow paths using physical and hydrochemical methods. Her key skills include natural groundwater flow path assessments; groundwater monitoring and management; conducting groundwater geophysical surveys (including Airborne Electromagnetic (TDEM) and Ground Resistivity); stable isotope and radioisotope analysis; and basic geochemical modelling.
