Kerkez will contribute to the board’s mission with his expertise in emerging technologies, particularly in the application of AI and sensing to water management.
U-M CEE is happy to announce that Branko Kerkez, the Arthur F. Thurnau Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Director of the Digital Water Lab, has been appointed to serve on the National Academies Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB).
Established in 1982, the Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB) serves as a crucial advisory body within the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. Its mission is to enhance the scientific and technological framework for addressing significant issues related to water resources, including their management and use. The board’s work spans a broad spectrum of topics, encompassing science, engineering, economics, policy, education, and social aspects of water resources.
Kerkez will contribute to the board’s mission with his expertise in emerging technologies, particularly in the application of AI and sensing to water management. His research at the University of Michigan’s Digital Water Lab aims to enable smart water systems capable of adapting to changing conditions using real-time data and controls. As the Chief Technical Officer of Hyfi, he also leads advancements in sensing and AI technologies designed to revolutionize urban water management.
Under his leadership, the Digital Water Lab (digitalwaterlab.org) at the University of Michigan has made significant strides into areas such as wireless sensing, real-time controls, and analytics for water systems. Kerkez’s commitment to open-source innovation through his founding of Open-Storm.org exemplifies his dedication to advancing smart water systems by freely sharing hardware, software, and case studies with the global community.
Kerkez holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, along with an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, all from UC Berkeley. His contributions have been recognized through the Gilbreth Lecture by the US National Academy of Engineering, the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award, the Verizon Climate Resilience Prize, and the Grand Prize for the WEF/WRF Intelligent Water Challenge.
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Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering