Hydrology and Hydroclimatology

Graduate study in Hydrology and Hydroclimatology at MIT considers all aspects of the hydrologic cycle, with an emphasis on better understanding the physical, chemical and biological processes associated with the movement of water. Our goal is to give students the knowledge they need to address important environmental and resource challenges and to develop informed solutions that improve quality of life.

Hydrologic education and research are inherently multidisciplinary and typically involve integration of theory, data analysis and modeling. Students need to develop expertise in the basic sciences, applied mathematics and, depending on their research topic, in laboratory and field research, mathematical modeling, economics and public policy. Hydrologic research and education at MIT involve close interactions with the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, and frequently with other engineering departments, including Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering.

A key goal of the MIT Hydrology and Hydroclimatology program is to develop better understanding of earth processes. There are still many uncertainties about interactions between human activities and the natural world. New sources of data, including airborne and satellite-based remote sensing and in situ microsensors, are enabling hydrologists to get a more comprehensive picture of processes that have previously been difficult to observe or predict. A combination of new theoretical advances, major improvements in sensing technology and great social relevance make this an exciting time for hydrology. MIT welcomes applications from interested students from a range of fields and backgrounds.

This program emphasizes Ph.D. level research.

Faculty

Elfatih A. B. Eltahir, Professor
Dara Entekhabi, Professor
Charles Harvey, Professor
Harold F. Hemond, Professor
Ruben Juanes, Assistant Professor
Dennis McLaughlin, Professor
Daniele Veneziano, Professor

Representative Research Areas

  • Climate dynamics and variability
  • Land-atmosphere interactions
  • Subsurface transport over a range of scales, including extensive field experiments
  • Multiphase flow and geochemical processes
  • Data assimilation and data fusion
  • Hydrometeorology and precipitation
  • Environmental sensing
  • Nonlinear dynamics of coupled climatic and hydrologic systems
  • Land use change and climate

Facilities and Special Programs

The Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory houses geochemistry, organic and inorganic chemistry, biology, hydraulics and hydrodynamic laboratory facilities. Field experiments and research campaigns are carried on at outside locations as well. Close cooperation exists with many other MIT departments, with other universities in the Boston area and with hydrology programs throughout the United States.

The Hydrology program also supports a number of international cooperative agreements. A formal initiative with the National Research Council of Italy promotes joint research on issues of hydrology, natural hazards and climate change. There are also ongoing programs with groups in France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Bangladesh and the Middle East. Research sponsors of the Hydrology program include U.S. government agencies, international organizations and industry.

Research Projects