Dennis P. Lettenmaier is an American hydrologist.
Lettenmaier earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington in 1970, then attended George Washington University, where he pursued a master's degree in civil, mechanical and environmental engineering. He returned to UW to complete a doctorate in civil engineering in 1975, and accepted a faculty position at his alma mater in 1976. [1] Lettenmaier joined the University of California, Los Angeles faculty in 2014, [2] and was appointed to a distinguished professorship. [3] [4]
In 1990, Lettenmaier was a joint awardee of the Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize. [5] The American Geophysical Union granted Lettenmaier fellowship in 1995, [5] [6] its Hydrology Section Award in 2000, [7] and its 2018 Robert E. Horton Medal. [8] The American Meteorological Society elected Lettenmaier to fellow status in 1998. [5] He was the founding chief editor of the AMS-published Journal of Hydrometeorology from 2000 through 2003. [9] [10] Lettenmaier was the 2018 recipient of the Jule G. Charney Award bestowed by the AMS. [11] He was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2007, [12] [13] followed by membership of the National Academy of Engineering in 2010, "[f]or contributions to hydrologic modeling for stream water quality and hydro-climate trends and models for improved water management." [14]