The Ralph and Joe Bales Graber Science Award

The Ralph and Joe Bales Graber Science Award (previously known as the AAEES Science Award) honors two individuals who contributed to the formation of what is now known as the environmental engineering and science profession.

Ralph Graber (1917-2012) held a BS in Sanitary Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and a MS in Sanitary Engineering from Harvard University. His employers included the United States Public Health Service, local health departments in the United States, the Institute of Inter-American Affairs in Mexico, and the University of Texas System. Ralph was employed as an Executive Director of the Academy from 1982 to 1984.

Joe Bales Graber (1921-2020) held a baccalaureate degree from Louisiana State University and a Master’s in Public Health from Yale University. Her employers included the United States Public Health Service, and her efforts contributed to the establishment of the National Institute on Ageing within the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

The Ralph and Joe Bales Graber Science Award is given to an individual who is an outstanding performer in the management and implementation of environmental science programs and projects conducted under either public or private auspices and has demonstrated exemplary professional conduct, has distinguished qualities of personal leadership, originality in devising new management techniques for dealing with environmental issues, and sensitivity and responsiveness to the impact of social and political influences on the conduct of environmental programs.

For the full list of eligibility criteria and information on how you can submit nominations for a worthy Environmental Scientist or Environmental Engineer, click here.

2024 Ralph and Joe Bales Graber Science Award Recipient

Professor Dionysios D. Dionysiou, Ph.D., BCEEM
June 1, 1966 - November 20, 2023

Professor Dionysiou was born on the Island of Cyprus. He was a Herman Schneider Professor of Environmental Engineering and Distinguished Research Professor (STEM). He received a Diploma (B.S./M.S.) from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, and an M.S. from Tufts University, both in Chemical Engineering. He received his Ph.D. degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 2001. He teaches courses on drinking water quality, treatment and reuse, advanced unit operations for water treatment, advanced oxidation technologies, and physical-chemical processes for water quality control.

His research interests included: physical chemical processes for treatment of surface water, groundwater, industrial wastewater, and other types of polluted water; advanced oxidation technologies; UV and solar light-based remediation processes; treatment of contaminants of emerging concern; remediation of Harmful Algal Blooms/cyanotoxins; removal of toxic metals, oxyanions, and other inorganic constituents from waters; valorization of precious metals; environmental catalysis and nanotechnology; (nano)interfacial phenomena in environmental systems; and water sustainability. He performed research on investigating environmental problems in masonry formulations at W.R. Grace and served as consultant of several environmental companies in the field of environmental engineering.

Dr. Dionysiou authored or co-authored over 600 refereed journal publications and has edited seven books.

He was a fellow of the European Academy of Sciences, fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), fellow of the International Water Association (IWA), fellow of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP), elected Board Certified Environmental Engineering Member (BCEEM) of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES), and recipient of several awards.