Professor Lena Merete Tallaksen (Norway) is the recipient of the 2024 Dooge Medal (International Hydrology Prize) of IAHS/UNESCO/WMO
Prof Lena Merete Tallaksen at the University of Oslo, Physical Geography and Hydrology Section, Department of Geosciences, in Norway, is the recipient of the 2024 Dooge Medal (International Hydrology Prize) of IAHS/UNESCO/WMO in recognition of her outstanding and remarkable contributions in taking to new frontiers the hydrological understanding of extreme weather events for the betterment of our communities.
The Dooge Medal was presented in November 2024 during the 9th IWRM, 14th STAHY and 1st EBHE meeting in Florianópolis, Brazil.
Lena Tallaksen receiving the award from Berit Arheimer (IAHS President) and Jean-Marie Kileshye Onema (IAHS Secretary General).
Citation for Prof. Lena Tallaksen by Berit Arheimer
Prof. Tallaksen has conducted remarkable and sustained contributions to hydrology. Notably, her work has advanced our understanding of hydrological drought in different climates - introducing and investigating its characteristics, statistics, trends, causes from atmospheric processes to land surface hydrological processes, and finally the impacts. According to Google Scholar Lena’s work has been cited over 12,000 times and she has published 100 journal papers in peer reviewed international journals.
She has fostered international integration at various levels, with many initiatives in IAHS and UNESCO-IHP through the FRIEND-Water program, which she joined in 1989. She coordinated the FRIEND low flows group from 1997 to 2006.
Lena also contributed to science and with the influential textbook: "Hydrological drought: processes and estimation methods for streamflow and groundwater". The first edition, published 20 years ago and the second edition published in 2023, explores modelling, forecasting, impacts, climate and human changes.
Lena also initiated, hosted and coordinated the European Drought Centre, a community-driven network of scientist and practitioners with interest in hydrological drought established in 2004.
She has served as an expert in the 5th and 6th IPCC Assessment Reports.
Also, Lena is strongly engaged in international educational efforts in less privileged countries, such as summer schools in Morocco and exchange programs with Malawi.