UC Davis professor emeritus George Tchobanoglous has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, which is one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to engineers.

A faculty member in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tchobanoglous was honored for his contributions to engineering education, engineering practice, and public service in the field of environmental engineering.

Academy membership honors those who have made "important contributions to engineering theory and practice, including significant contributions to the literature of engineering theory and practice," and those who have demonstrated accomplishment in "the pioneering of new fields of engineering, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."

Tchobanoglous is an international authority on wastewater treatment, management and reuse. He has taught courses on water treatment, wastewater treatment and solid waste management at UC Davis since 1970. He continues to write textbooks, consult and lecture internationally.

He is known for advancing the use of new technologies in four key areas: the construction of wetlands for wastewater treatment; the application of alternative filtration technologies; ultraviolet (UV) disinfection for wastewater reuse applications; and decentralized wastewater management.

In 2003, Tchobanoglous won the Athalie Richardson Irvine Clarke Prize, given annually by the National Water Research Institute to recognize outstanding research scientists who have implemented better water-science research and technology. The prize includes a gold medallion and $50,000.

This year the national academy named 76 new members and 11 foreign associates, for a total of 2,174 U.S. members and 172 foreign associates. Six of the new members are University of California faculty members.

UC Davis now has six active or retired faculty members who are members of the academy, as well as two alumni.

The University of California is one of the world's foremost research and teaching institutions, and UC Davis is the University of California's flagship campus for environmental studies. UC Davis is a global leader in environmental studies relating to air and water pollution; water and land use; agricultural practices; endangered species management; invasive plants and animals; climate change; resource economics; information technology; and human society and culture. One in six of UC Davis' 1,500 faculty members specializes in an environment-related subject.