Schnoor and Krajewski leave behind 88 years of service to the College of Engineering
Witold ‘Witek’ Krajewski: Making science accessible for the public
Arriving in the United States from Poland with limited English but strong academic training, Witold “Witek” Krajewski built an internationally recognized career in hydrology and water resources engineering.
Over nearly four decades at Iowa, he became a leading figure at IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering and cofounded the Iowa Flood Center (IFC), an institution now regarded as a national model for flood preparedness and response.
Krajewski’s research focused on rainfall measurement, hydrologic modeling, and flood prediction, including early contributions to the development of the NEXRAD weather radar system. His most visible legacy is the IFC, established after the devastating 2008 floods.
“There was life before the Iowa Flood Center,” said Krajewski, who was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2021. “But then the flood came and that changed my life. It just gave me such a strong purpose.”
Under his leadership, the IFC developed a statewide network of stream sensors, real-time flood forecasting tools, and the Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS), providing accessible, actionable data to emergency managers, policymakers, agencies, and the public.
Krajewski insisted on “no jargon” communication because scientific knowledge must be understandable to be useful. That philosophy helped IFC become a trusted resource for Iowans, from farmers to city officials.
“What makes Witek so unusual is that he can translate the theory into a practical, working system that benefits society,” said Anton Kruger, professor of electrical and computer engineering and IFC researcher.
Krajewski, who retired in 2026, credits the collective effort behind the center’s success, noting the contributions of students, faculty, staff, and partners across the state.
“We did something special,” he said. “It still is special.”
Jerry Schnoor: Engineering solutions for a changing planet
After Jerry “Rubber Arm” Schnoor realized professional baseball was not in his future, his trajectory shifted to chemical engineering upon advice from a guidance counselor.
Motivated during the first Earth Day in 1970, the then Iowa State University undergraduate decided to apply the principles of chemical engineering to solve environmental problems.
“Everyone was so excited,” Schnoor said. “Everybody wanted a better environment. Everybody.”
Joining the University of Iowa faculty in 1977, Schnoor quickly established himself as a leader in water-quality modeling, with early work predicting the environmental persistence of banned pesticides. His research expanded to include acid rain, where his modeling informed national policy discussions and contributed to the Clean Air Act of 1990.
Schnoor pivoted to phytoremediation or using plants, bacteria, and other natural methods to mitigate toxic substances in the environment. His work demonstrated the potential of “green” technologies. Schnoor would become an early scholar focused on climate change, teaching one of the university’s first courses on the subject and contributing to international discussions, including attending the 2015 Paris Climate Talks.
Over his career, Schnoor, who was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1999, advised dozens of doctoral students and taught thousands of undergraduates.
“Jerry has the unique ability to not just educate and discover, but to go beyond and inspire people to be good — to the planet, to their community, and to each other,” said Forrest Meggers, associate professor of architecture at Princeton University.
Added Emily Jansen, graduate research assistant in civil and environmental engineering, “He brought so much passion and enthusiasm to both his research and teaching roles, and he cared deeply for his students.”
Schnoor retired in 2025 after holding the Allen S. Henry Chair Professor in Engineering for more than 20 years. Though officially retired, Schnoor continues to investigate pressing issues, such as environmental factors contributing to rising cancer rates in Iowa.