The Rose & Joseph Summers Chair in Water Resources Engineering was established through a gift to the University of Iowa Foundation from University of Iowa engineering graduate Joseph B. Summers of Hanford, CA, in honor of his wife, Rose. Based in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Summers’ gift enables the College to further strengthen its internationally renowned programs in water resources engineering.
Until his death in 2006, Mr. Summers was chairman of the board of Summers Engineering Inc., which he founded in 1962. An active consulting engineer, he was a leader in water use, irrigation, and drainage issues in California and internationally. He made a profound impact on water conservation and preservation in the water-starved U.S. West. Among many honors, Mr. Summers received the inaugural Merriam Improved Irrigation Award from the U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage in 1999.
A member of the College’s Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy, Mr. Summers received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from The University of Iowa in 1948. He served as a member of the UI Engineering Building Campaign Steering Committee for the Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences and served as a member of the Engineering Advisory Board and Development Council.
Mr. Summers was a recipient of The University of Iowa Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award for Service.
College of Engineering recipient: Witold F. Krajewski