Lily S. Baldwin (right), chair of the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress (EWRI), presents the award to Professor Xia (left).

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has announced that Professor Xia Junqiang of Wuhan University has been awarded the 2026 Hans Albert Einstein Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to water and sediment disaster simulation and prevention.

Xia’s major research accomplishments include developing a model for sediment regulation and river-regime prediction, addressing the challenges of sediment reduction in reservoirs and flood control in the lower reaches of the Yellow River.

He also developed new technologies for simulating riverbank collapses and early warning systems, transforming the prediction of bank collapse in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River from purely empirical assessments to quantitative forecasts.

His pioneering work on a comprehensive dynamic model for flood evolution and risk assessment has enhanced the precision of flood risk management.

The Hans Albert Einstein Award was established by the ASCE in 1988 to honor scholars who have made significant contributions to erosion control, sediment transport, and waterway development.