ASCE has honored Ashish Sharma, Ph.D., with the 2026 Arid Lands Hydraulic Engineering Award for a body of work that addresses the misrepresentation of low-frequency variability in hydro-climatology, the proper assessment of which is responsible for accurate characterization of flood and drought extremes, a critical aspect of civil engineering infrastructure design for present day and future climates worldwide.
Sharma has transformed how we understand and predict drought and water availability in arid and semi-arid regions. As a global leader in hydro-climatology and stochastic hydrology at the University of New South Wales, he has advanced methods that shape how engineers and policymakers plan for water in a warming world. Sharma pioneered innovative modeling techniques that capture the low frequency variability often missed in traditional hydrologic and climate simulations – work that has fundamentally improved how we represent drought, flood risk, and long-term water resource reliability.
Sharma’s development of nested and multivariate bias correction frameworks now underpins national and international climate change assessments, guiding adaptation strategies for regions most vulnerable to water scarcity. What distinguishes Sharma is his integration of theory, modeling, and application. His open collaboration with global research teams and agencies has ensured that new insights translate into practical tools used by engineers and water managers worldwide.
The Arid Land Hydraulic Engineering Award is given in recognition of original contributions in hydraulics, hydrology including climatology, planning, irrigation and drainage, hydroelectric power development, navigation specially applicable to arid or semi-arid climates, or contributions to the understanding and development of new technology in river basins.
