Biography
- How did I get here?
I have been thinking about water for a long time. My father probably had the most profound impact on my interest in earth sciences through his passion for the outdoors and rock collecting. When I was 7 or 8 years old, I was honing my civil engineering skills with my brother as we built a “mud city” in the backyard. Growing up outside of Portland Oregon meant that it rained almost all the time. So, our city made of mud came complete with underground storm drains, bridges, and a river running through it. My interest in exploration was sparked around age 10 (1980), as NASA’s voyager space probes sent back stunning images of the outer planets and the space shuttle program was planning its maiden voyage. I wrote letters to all the NASA space centers asking for their latest technical briefs and pictures, and I built space shuttle models for school projects. Between 10 and 14 years old, I was highly involved in Boy Scouts, being a young patrol leader and taking on the challenge of teaching my peers how to tie the 6 basic knots. In the pre-GPS era, one of the most important outdoor skills was orienteering (using a map and compass to navigate from point to point). For fun on weekends, I would get some friends together on bicycles to find benchmarks (brass survey markers set in stone or concrete) that were marked on geological maps. We would often end up high on mountain tops clearing away brush to find these long-forgotten relics.
In 8th grade (13 years old) my school offered an opportunity to participate in a career day – where you could take the day off from school and spend it following around a professional. My interests in the outdoors, orienteering and science pointed me towards geology as a possible career day choice. So, I arranged to spend the day at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). It turns out that the USGS office in Portland Oregon is part of their water resources division, and is primarily focused on hydrologic sciences. They suggested that water might actually be an interesting career choice related to geology. I agreed, and decided to be a hydrologist at 13 years old. From there, I worked for several summers at the USGS, supporting a study of water quality in the Yakima River Basin (Central Washington State).
My dream was to go to school in Northern California, but when I asked my USGS colleagues where the best place to study water was, they pointed me to the University of Arizona in Tucson. I applied, and was immediately accepted in 1988 with a great scholarship. I earned my B.S. in Hydrology and water resources in 1992. I skipped the Master’s degree, and earned a Ph.D. in Hydrology and Water Resources at the University of Arizona in 1996. During my university years I had some wonderful experiences working at Los Alamos National Laboratory developing landfill cover technology, working in Globe Arizona studying the permeability of volcanic tuff, developing some of the first eddy covariance systems, and developing a real love for field observations, modeling and data assimilation.
When I graduated in 1996, I found myself coming full-circle back to my childhood interest in space. I was offered a research science job at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, studying water from space. I quickly build a number of new research programs, such as the Land Data Assimilation Systems, and the Land Information System. I also helped to establish a new soil moisture mission (Hydros – now SMAP), and helped to get several more hydrologic missions to measure surface water and snow started. I served as a program manager at NASA Headquarters, as a Branch Head at Goddard, and mentored a plethora of interns each summer. In 2005 I was offered a faculty position at George Mason University, and my love for teaching drew me to the new challenge.
My George Mason faculty position only supports about 1/3 of my salary, so I have become quite an entrepreneur – starting and building non-profit and commercial companies, working with NGO’s, writing government grants, and advising federal government water programs. My current interests are to advance land modeling and data assimilation, develop the next generation water cycle observation satellite, to lead NASA’s Energy and water Cycle Program (NEWS), and to develop and promote the North American Water Program (NAWP).
It has been a strange and wonderful journey, and I am looking forward to the next chapter.
Career GoalMy career goal is to continue my leadership in global water cycle research of direct relevance to society, including local to global land surface-atmospheric process observation and numerical simulation, and development and application of ecohydrologic data assimilation methods. I am also broadly interested in exploring the physical, spatial, and temporal interconnections between all the earth system components as they relate to the global water and energy cycles. My more specific interests include, water and energy flux studies at various scales including vadose zone, surface, and atmospheric interactions, regional land surface-atmospheric hydrologic modeling, remote sensing, surface flux observation, and near surface soil moisture investigation. I am especially interested in applying cutting-edge research to develop practical solutions to water problems faced by society.
Short BiographyDr. Houser in an internationally recognized expert in local to global land surface-atmospheric remote sensing, in-situ observation and numerical simulation, development and application of hydrologic data assimilation methods, scientific integrity and policy, and global water and energy cycling. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona in 1992 and 1996 respectively. Dr. Houser’s previous experience includes internships at the U.S. Geological Survey and at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Dr. Houser joined the NASA-GSFC Hydrological Sciences Branch and the Data Assimilation Office (DAO/GMAO) in 1997, served as manager of NASA’s Land Surface Hydrology Program, and served as branch head of the Hydrological Science Branch. In 2005, he joined the George Mason University Climate Dynamics Program and the Geography and Geoinformation Sciences Department as Professor of Global Hydrology, and formed CREW (the Center for Research for Environment and Water). Dr. Houser has also teamed with groundwater development and exploration companies (EarthWater Global and Geovesi) and has served as Science Advisor to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Dr. Houser has led numerous scientific contributions, including the development of Land Data Assimilation Systems (LDAS), the Hydrospheric States Mission (Hydros/SMAP), the Land Information System (LIS), the NASA Energy and Water cycle Study (NEWS), and the Water Cycle Solutions Network (WaterNet).
Long BiographyDr. Houser in an internationally recognized expert in local to global land surface-atmospheric remote sensing, in-situ observation and numerical simulation, development and application of hydrologic data assimilation methods, scientific integrity and policy, and global water and energy cycling. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona in 1992 and 1996 respectively. His dissertation research, titled “Remote Sensing Soil Moisture using Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation” introduced data assimilation into hydrological models, and demonstrated the benefit of including information from soil moisture observations in land-surface energy and water balance simulations. Dr. Houser’s previous experience includes exploration of surface water quality issues at the U.S. Geological Survey, development of landfill cover technology at Los Alamos National Laboratory, study of fracture flow in volcanic tuff near Globe Arizona, hydrometeorological instrumentation design and measurement of surface water and energy fluxes throughout Arizona, and teaching general hydrology, hydrologic field camp, and graduate hydrometeorology seminar classes. Dr. Houser joined the NASA-GSFC Hydrological Sciences Branch and the Data Assimilation Office (DAO/GMAO) in 1997, and served as manager of NASA’s Land Surface Hydrology Program from 1999-2000, and served as branch head of the Hydrological Science Branch from 2000-2005. In 2005, he joined the George Mason University Climate Dynamics Program and the Geography and Geoinformation Sciences Department as Professor of Global Hydrology, and formed CREW (the Center for Research for Environment and Water) with the mission to quantify and predict water cycle and environmental consequences of earth system variability and change through focused research investments in observation, modeling and application. Starting in 2008, Dr. Houser teamed with groundwater development and exploration companies (EarthWater Global and Geovesi) to solve fresh water shortages, where he is responsible for providing satellite- and model-based estimates of water availability. In 2011, Dr. Houser served as Science Advisor to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, where he was responsible for developing the Scientific Integrity, Peer Review, and Data Stewardship policies, as well as coordinating Reclamation activities with other agencies and the broad scientific community. Dr. Houser has led numerous scientific contributions, including the development of Land Data Assimilation Systems (LDAS), the Hydrospheric States Mission (Hydros/SMAP), the Land Information System (LIS), the NASA Energy and Water cycle Study (NEWS), and the Water Cycle Solutions Network (WaterNet). Dr. Houser has published over 100 peer-review publications (4000+ citations, H-Index:33), several book chapters, has been invited to give numerous scientific presentations, has been awarded and supervised tens of millions in research funding, and has supervised hundreds of students and researchers. Dr. Houser’s current research focuses on integrating water cycle research across traditional disciplines in an end-to-end program that transitions theoretical research to academic/public education and real-world application, through partnerships with universities, government, and international agencies.
LeadershipDr. Houser has proven leadership skills and ability to build world-class research capabilities, as demonstrated in his leadership positions at NASA and CREW. This is evidenced by his terms as NASA Headquarters Program Manager in Hydrology, Head of the NASA Hydrological Sciences Branch, Project Scientist for the Hydros soil moisture satellite mission and the NASA Energy and Water cycle Study (NEWS), and as Director of the Center for Research on Environment and Water (CREW). Moreover, during his time at NASA he established a team of more than 30 support scientists through his national competitive funding awards. Currently CREW (a Center that is wholly supported by his national competitive funding awards), has already grown to more than 10 support scientists in only 3 years. Dr. Houser has been awarded a considerable number of large research grants with very ambitious goals. These grants have been successfully completed as evidenced by his significant publication track record in highly regarded peer-reviewed journals. Moreover, his research has often bridged interdisciplinary boundaries. He has also received several prestigious awards, including a U.S. Presidential Award. Evidence of his substantial track record relative to his relatively short career. Dr. Houser was recognized as one of the most exceptional and visionary scientists amongst NASA’s already gifted and forward thinking leaders. It is no surprise then that it is Dr. Houser who has been chosen to lead many innovative and ambitious projects. As a gifted leader he consistently takes action to motivate, inspire and coordinate the talents of others, directing their efforts in areas of groundbreaking research to attain excellence in all of their endeavors.
Since his decision in 2005 to join George Mason University as a faculty member, Dr. Houser has guided his students and empowered them with the necessary skills to achieve their goals and become successful. He encourages and trusts others around him to think independently but also engage as a team when necessary while applying cutting-edge research to develop practical solutions to water problems faced by society today.
Dr. Houser is often described as a visionary leader, and has demonstrated his capacity to leave an enduring legacy at NASA, which includes several hydrology missions, modeling projects, and research themes. An esteemed colleague once described Dr. Houser as one of the most exceptional scientists amongst NASA’s already gifted and forward thinking leaders. Dr. Houser actively engages colleagues and partners on collaborative projects and quite frequently is the member who is chosen to lead collaborative, interdiciplinary endeavors. Projects under the direction of Dr. Houser invariably impact the international, as well as lnational scientific community. As a gifted leader he consistently takes action to motivate, inspire and coordinate the talents of others, directing their efforts in areas of groundbreaking research to attain excellence in all endeavors. Dr. Houser keeps current and connected to others by attending, presenting and coordinating seminars and workshops, teaching, presenting lectures at graduate and undergraduate levels, developing academic curricula, dissertation advising and continuing his research activities. Dr. Houser has a proven reputation in the educational as well as scientific community and has an extensive list of collaborations. Dr. Houser encourages and trusts others around him to think independently but also engage as a team when necessary while applying cutting-edge research to develop practical solutions to water problems faced by society today. Dr. Houser is a team builder with the motto of ‘water cycle research making a difference’.
TeachingDr. Houser has actively guided his students and empowered them with the necessary skills to achieve their goals and become successful. As a teacher and mentor, he consistently takes actions to coordinate the talents of outstanding young scientists from diverse backgrounds and cultures, directing their efforts in the most effective way. He has mentored students from Australia, Belgium, South America, Europe and throughout the United States and no matter if they are high school interns or postdocs, advising individually, or in groups, Dr. Houser believes the greatest gift you can give others is to enable them to succeed, never be selfish about your ideas, and one good idea can benefit many. Dr. Houser carries out this philosophy by encouraging others to think, question, and go beyond to explore the fringes of science. He enjoys sharing his knowledge with others, is not afraid of confronting the unknown, and pushes to search for answers to questions that still have not been addressed.
Dr. Houser has taught courses in principles of hydrology, land-climate interactions, environmental remote sensing, hydrologic data assimilation, global water cycling, micrometeorological observation, and snow hydrology. In addition, Dr. Houser is interested in developing coursework at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in local to global land surface-atmospheric process observation (both in-situ and remotely-sensed), numerical hydrological simulation, the physical, spatial, and temporal interconnections between all the earth system components as they relate to the global water and energy cycles, water and energy processes at various scales including vadose zone, surface, and atmospheric interactions, regional land surface-atmospheric hydrologic modeling , and near surface soil moisture investigation. Finally, Dr. Houser is especially interested in developing coursework on the application of cutting-edge science that bridges the gap between cutting-edge research and practical application to make a real contribution to society.
Summary of QualificationsDr. Houser in an internationally recognized expert in hydrology and water resources, climate dynamics and prediction, community of practice development, decision support tool design, and capacity building. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona in 1992 and 1996 respectively. Dr. Houser joined the NASA-GSFC Hydrological Sciences Branch and the Data Assimilation Office (DAO/GMAO) in 1997, and served as branch head of the Hydrological Science Branch from 2000-2005. In 2005, he joined the George Mason University Climate Dynamics Program and the Geography and Geoinformation Sciences Department as Professor of Global Hydrology, and formed the Center for Research for Environment and Water with the mission to quantify and predict water cycle and environmental consequences of earth system variability and change through focused research investments in observation, modeling and application. Starting in 2008, Dr. Houser teamed with groundwater development and exploration companies to solve fresh water shortages, where he is responsible for providing satellite- and model-based estimates of water availability. In 2011, Dr. Houser advised the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on scientific integrity, peer review, and data stewardship policies, as well as coordinating Reclamation activities with other agencies and the broad scientific community.
Dr. Houser has extensive experience designing and developing regional-level databases and clearinghouse mechanisms for gathering and sharing climate change knowledge including the development of extensive water-focused databases of climate data, satellite archives and model predictions. He led the development of WaterNet, a project that developed databases of decision support needs and science capabilities in the water sector, and made links between them to find solutions. He also has extensive capabilities in data visualization, GIS and database development, as well as semantic tools for finding relevant information in large databases.
Dr. Houser has developed a number of web-based data visualization tools for climate and water data, as well as climate visualizations customized for a particular region or sector. He has expertise in development of water decision support tools, from surface water availability and balance assessment tools to groundwater prediction tools. He has also developed data stewardship standards and worked with international communities to help unify protocols on data collection, management, storage, and quality, as well as methods for making data available widely. He has developed methods to share and promote success stories, as well as in-the-field knowledge by capturing these experiences via a web portal or workshops.
Dr. Houser has studied and taught adaptive management, as well as integrated decision making strategies. He has developed and participated in a number of capacity-building and stakeholder workshops on key priority areas that bring together researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders to identify shared priorities for research and development of decision-support tools. He has also worked with emerging climate model projections (AR5) to update and refine regional climate trend information, and has developed a multi-model ensemble hydrological downscaling methodology and toolset to develop future water availability scenarios with likely uncertainties, and with the recent past as a baseline comparison.
