ASCE has honored Stuart Styles, Ph.D., P.E., BC.WRE, M.ASCE, with the 2025 Royce J. Tipton Award for outstanding contributions and leadership within water resources and civil engineering in the broad area of irrigation engineering both nationally and internationally and for education and mentoring of irrigation engineers, industry collaborations, service to ASCE-EWRI, and community engagement.
Styles has demonstrated exemplary service and leadership to the irrigation and water resource communities and pioneered irrigation assessment programs that have advanced irrigation management worldwide. He has contributed committee and council leadership within EWRI and is a strong, impactful, and visible director for the Cal Poly Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC).
He is also an enthusiastic role model and mentor for students and has trained over 100 students in irrigation system design and management, many of whom are applying this invaluable knowledge in their professional careers. Styles led the development of the Rapid Appraisal Procedure, which has been employed by over 200 water districts throughout the world to improve canal automation techniques and irrigation system modernization.
Styles has advised over 40 irrigation districts in the Western United States on flow measurements, irrigation system optimization, and implementation of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, which has improved their efficiency in water use.
Training projects led by Styles have included trips to China, Vietnam, and Azerbaijan to provide support for irrigation modernization efforts through the World Bank.
The Royce J. Tipton Award recognizes contributions to the advancement of irrigation and drainage engineering in teaching, research, planning, design, construction, or management.
