Tufts Engineering Dean Linda Abriola Among Top U.S. Women in Science

MEDFORD SOMERVILLE, Mass., Dec. 31, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Linda Abriola, dean of the School of Engineering at Tufts University, has been recognized in "American Women of Science Since 1900" (ABC-CLIO, 2010), an encyclopedia focused on 500 of the 20th century's most notable American women scientists.

"American Women of Science Since 1900" examines the pioneering but sometimes overlooked achievements of distinguished women in disciplines from genetics to computers to nutrition.

"I am truly honored to be recognized alongside such accomplished and pioneering women," said Linda Abriola. "Science and technology are playing an increasingly important role in our society, yet women are still significantly underrepresented in so many engineering and science fields. It is crucial for young women to understand that they can be leaders in this space; that they achieve both fulfilling personal lives and successful professional careers as engineers and scientists."

In addition to her deanship at Tufts, Abriola holds appointments as professor of civil and environmental engineering and adjunct professor in chemical and biological engineering. Her research integrates mathematical modeling and laboratory experiments for the study of reactive contaminants in the subsurface. She is particularly known for her work on the characterization and remediation of aquifers contaminated by chlorinated solvents.

Abriola is a member of both the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) and is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union.

Prior to her appointment at Tufts, Abriola held the Horace Williams King Collegiate Professorship in Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan. Her many service activities include elected membership of the governing Council of the National Academy of Engineering, as well as the Engineering Deans Council Executive Board. Abriola also currently serves on the National Academies Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy and the National Science Foundation Engineering Directorate Advisory Committee.

The author of more than 130 refereed publications, Abriola has received numerous accolades, including the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award, the Association for Women Geoscientists' Outstanding Educator Award, the National Ground Water Association's Distinguished Darcy Lectureship, and the SERDP (Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program) Project of the Year Award in Environmental Restoration.

More information on Abriola's work in the Integrated Multiphase Environmental Systems (IMES) laboratory at Tufts University is accessible at: http://engineering.tufts.edu/cee/impes/.

Tufts University School of Engineering is dedicated to educating the technological leaders of tomorrow. Located on Tufts' Medford/Somerville campus, the School of Engineering offers a rigorous engineering education in an environment characterized by the best blending of a liberal arts college atmosphere with the intellectual and technological resources of a world-class research university. Close collaboration with the School of Arts and Sciences and the university's extraordinary collection of excellent professional schools creates a wealth of educational and research opportunities. The School of Engineering's primary goal is to educate engineers committed to the innovative and ethical application of technology in the solution of societal problems. It also seeks to be a leader among peer institutions in targeted areas of interdisciplinary research and education that impact the well-being and sustainability of society, including bioengineering, sustainability and innovation in engineering education.

About Tufts University

Tufts University, located on three Massachusetts campuses in Boston, Medford/Somerville, and Grafton, and in Talloires, France, is recognized among the premier research universities in the United States. Tufts enjoys a global reputation for academic excellence and for the preparation of students as leaders in a wide range of professions. A growing number of innovative teaching and research initiatives span all Tufts campuses, and collaboration among the faculty and students in the undergraduate, graduate and professional programs across the university's schools is widely encouraged.

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SOURCE Tufts University