Bruno Merz, Head of the Hydrology Section, has been awarded the "Volker Medal" in 2020. The award ceremony could now take place during the Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) in Montpellier in France. The International Association of Hydrological Sciences also celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Since 2014, two medals have been awarded as part of the International Hydrology Award: the Dooge Medal and the Volker Medal. The Dooge medal is aimed at fundamental contributions to the science of hydrology, whereas the Volker medal is aimed at outstanding applications of hydrological science for the benefit of society at large.  Bruno Merz's research focusses, among other things, on hydrological extremes.

The Volker Medal also recognises the international dimension of scientific work in particular, as the laureate is awarded for work that goes beyond both the country in which the candidate normally conducts research and his/her specific field of interest. The award is also a recognition of international leadership in his or her field.

Nominations for the Hydrology Award are generally submitted by the National Committees of the IAHS, the National Committees of the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO or the National Hydrological Advisors of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The award is named after Adriaan Volker (1917-2000), a former president of the IAHS.

More about the International Association of Hydrological Sciences IAHS
IAHS is one of eight International Associations under the umbrella of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG). The IAHS community has more than 9,000 members in over 150 countries who contribute to the extensive programme of conferences and workshops, online discussions and IAHS publications.

The list of twenty-three unsolved problems in hydrology: Twenty Three Unsolved Problems in Hydrology - a Community Perspective