Our committee
Chair
Alfonso Rivera
Alfonso Rivera, Chair
Alfonso Rivera is former Chief Hydrogeologist of the Geological Survey of Canada; he served both as research manager and research scientist. Alfonso is the author and editor of the book “Canada’s Groundwater Resources” published in 2014. He is adjunct professor at the University of Quebec-INRS, Canada, and member of the Académie de l’eau, France.
He has a vast international experience having practiced hydrogeology for 40 years in Mexico, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, and has established permanently in Canada since 1999. Alfonso collaborates with research institutions and universities in Canada, the United States, Mexico, France, Switzerland, Spain and Argentina. He led the ISARM-Americas group of 24 countries for UNESCO in the preparation of the Regional Strategy for the Evaluation and Management of Transboundary Aquifers in the Americas (see here), and produced a Special Issue on the Transboundary Aquifers of the World (see here). He provides scientific and technical advice to various Canadian and international institutions and governments – UNESCO, RAMSAR, IAEA, IAH, and others.
Alfonso holds a PhD in Quantitative Hydrogeology from the École des Mines de Paris and Université Pierre & Marie Curie, France.
When he is not working as a hydrogeologist, he travels to exotic places for scuba diving, his other passion.
Co-Chairs
Rosario Sanchez
Rosario Sanchez, Co-Chair
Dr. Rosario Sanchez is a Senior Research Scientist for the Texas Water Resources Institute, at Texas A&M University. She is the leader of the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act program to integrate research and data on transboundary aquifers between Mexico and Texas. She leads the transboundary groundwater research team with 15 years of academic and work experience on transboundary issues between Mexico and the United States.
Rosario has been working and publishing on transboundary water issues at an international and binational level since 2006. Her research can be found on the Transboundary Water Portal. She developed a data-sharing portal to promote dissemination of information related to transboundary groundwater resources.
Rosario originated the idea and development of the “Permanent Forum of Binational Waters” with the objective to integrate and communicate independent and sometimes isolated efforts to promote transboundary water cooperation between Mexico and the United States as well as to integrate a network of experts along the border working on binational water issues.
Rosario holds a PhD in Water Management and Hydrological Sciences from Texas A&M University, a MS on Diplomatic Studies from Matias Romero Foreign Affairs Institute in Mexico City and a BS on International Relations.
Arnaud Sterckx
Arnaud Sterckx, Co-Chair
Arnaud is a hydrogeologist at IGRAC, the International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre, which he joined in 2018. He has been engaged in various groundwater assessment and capacity-building projects worldwide, in particular in Africa.
His experience with TBAs includes research and assessment in the Baltic Artesian Basin, the Senegalo-Mauritanian Aquifer System and the Ramotswa aquifer. He contributes to the Transboundary Aquifers of the World map. Arnaud has also extensive experience in groundwater data and information management systems, including the Global Groundwater Information System (GGIS).
Arnaud obtained a Ph.D. from Laval University (Canada) in 2017, after completing a thesis on regional groundwater flow modelling.
Kevin Petersen
Kevin Pietersen, Co-Chair
Kevin Pietersen has 25+ years’ experience in the water, geosciences and energy sectors. He currently holds an extraordinary position at the University of the Western Cape in the Department of Environmental and Water Studies.
Kevin has been involved in several projects, including the Policy, Legal and Institutional Development for Groundwater Management in the South African Development Community (SADC) Member States. He has developed big data analytics and modelling to localise transboundary data sets in Southern Africa. Kevin worked on a case study approach and provided consultancy services in the development of operations and maintenance training manual for groundwater Infrastructure.
Kevin was the team leader for the compilation of the SADC Hydrogeology Map.
Kevin holds a PhD in Hydrogeology from the University of the Western Cape that focussed on multi-criteria decision analysis.
Members
- Christina Fraser, Associate (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK)
- Laura Movilla Pateiro, Associate (University of Vigo)
- Marie-Amélie Pétré, Associate (Geological Survey of Finland, Finland)
- Elia Maria Tapia Villasenor, Associate (University of Arizona, USA)
- Moti Rijal, Advisor (Tribhuvan University, Nepal)
- Jacob Petersen-Perlman, Advisor (East Carolina University Water Resources Center, USA)
- Alexis Gutierrez, Advisor (BRGM, France)
- Caroline King Okumu, Advisor (UK Center for Ecology & Hydrogeology, UK)
- Oleg Podolny, Advisor (Research and Design Company KazHYDEC, Ltd, Kazakhstan)
- Han Zaisheng, Advisor (China Geological Survey, China)
- Momčilo Blagojević, Advisor (HYDROPHIL GmbH, Austria)
- Lucia Samaniego, Advisor (Regional Center for Groundwater Management in Latin America and the Caribbean)
- Alice Aureli, Advisor (formerly at UNESCO)
- Constanza Maass Morales (IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the Netherlands)
