Dr. Ingrid Padilla is the Advisor to the Chancellor in Research, Innovation and Creative Endeavors and a Professor in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez (UPRM). She recently served as a Program Director at the National Science Foundation and as a member of the Navy Research Advisory Committee. Before joining the UPRM, Dr. Padilla led the groundwater office at Greg Morris & Assoc. and directed hydrologic investigations while working with the U.S. Geological Survey. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona; a M.S. from University of Michigan; and a B.S. from the University of Maryland. Dr. Padilla’s expertise is on hydrology and water resources, with particulate emphasis on contaminant and groundwater hydrology. Her current research focuses on impacts of extreme hydrologic events on environmental quality and health. Her prominent role in laboratory, field-scale, modeling and training programs in the academic, government and private sectors, has given her extensive leadership, management, and network capabilities. Dr. Padilla has also been heavily involved in inclusion programs to increase diversity of women and underrepresented populations in STEM education and research, and academia. Her work has widely disseminated and recognized through numerous awards.

Positions

Professor (Civil Engineering and Surveying)
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
2001
Program Director (EAR/GEO)
National Science Foundation
2019 - 2021
Director (Office of Groundwater)
Gregory L. Morris & Associates
1999 - 2001
Hydrologist
United States Geological Survey
1988 - 1993

Education

PhD (Hydrology)
University of Arizona
1998
Water Resources Science (Civil and Environmetal Engineering)
University of Michigan Press
1988
B.S. Natural Resources Science and Management (Natural Resources Science)
University of Maryland, College Park
1986