Sevruk, Boris, Dr.

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Imbisbühlstrasse 133, 8049 Zürich
Tel: +41 44 341 14 24

Curriculum vitae

DR. BORIS SEVRUK IS SEVENTY

by Prof. Jan Szolgay, Slovak Technical University in Bratislava, Slovakia
published in Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics (Bratislava), 56(2), 2008, 42-43

Our friend and colleague, Dr. Boris Sevruk is celebrating his 70th birthday in May this year. He has studied at the Slovak Institute of Technology in Bratislava, the Czech Institute of Technology in Prague, and at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, where he received his PhD.
During his rich professional carrier he was associated with the Institute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava, the Research Institute for Irrigation in Bratislava, the Laboratory for Hydraulic Research, Hydrology and Glaciology of the Federal Institute of Technology, the Institute of Geography, and with the Climatic Research Institute of the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich.
At the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich he was teaching courses in Geography, Hydrology, Climatology and Hydrometeorology. He lectured at the Indian National Institute of Hydrology in Roorkee, India, held seminars at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava and was a Visiting Professor at the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, Slovakia. He has tutored the study stays of numerous young hydrologists and meteorologist from Slovakia at the ETHZ.
He was editor of more than 15 international publications, author and co-author of more than 210 peer reviewed papers and conference contributions, gave more than 150 oral presentational world-wide on conferences and workshops.
Dr. Sevruk was organiser of more than 20 international scientific conferences and workshops, leader of more than 10 national and international research projects and grants, reviewer of the International Journal of Climatology, Theoretical and Applied Climatology, Meteorologische Zeitschrift, Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology and of Nordic Hydrology.
He left his mark both on theory and on empirical methods, covering a wide variety of problems in hydrology, meteorology and climatology. His outstanding contributions to research in precipitation science are summarised in a comprehensive reference monograph “Niederschlag als Wasserkreislaufelement - Theorie und Praxis der Niederschlagsmessung”, which he published in 2004.
Dr. Sevruk is not only a top scientist but was also very active in organizing science. He was aware of the fact, that results of research must reach the scientific policy-makers. To this end he took active part in international scientific life, where his activities were restricted not only to academic teaching and research. He also took active role in shaping international development in his fields of expertise. For the Commission for Hydrology of the World Meteorological Organisation he acted as a Rapporteur on Accuracy of Point Precipitation Measurement (1976 -1980), on Extremes of Precipitation (1978 -1980), on Precipitation, Snow Cover and Soil Moisture (1980 -1984), on Precipitation (1985 -1989) on Precipitation and Evaporation (1989 -1993), on Precipitation and Evapotranspiration (1994 - 2002). He was further active in the WMO’s Commission on Instruments and Methods of Observation, Working Group on Precipitation, Evaporation and Soil Moisture and was a member of the Organising Committee for WMO Solid Precipitation Measurement Intercomparison. During the First Scientific Assessment of Climate Change of the WMO/UNEP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change he was a member of working group and a contributing author (1989-1990) and acted as a reviewer in the Second Scientific Assessment of Climate Change (1993 -1995).
He was also a member of the advisory board of the German Weather Service (1990-1995) and acted as a referee and reviewer for the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology in Wellington, New Zealand, University of Oklahoma in Norman, USA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA in Silver Spring, USA, University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, France and the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava, Slovakia.
With equal engagement Dr. Sevruk participated in the activities of international scientific non-governmental organisations. He was a leader of the project team for the IAHS/GEWEX Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment on the topic "Methods of precipitation measurement", (1989-96) and for the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences he was a member of its International Commission for Climate (1990 - 2003).
He participated in the scientific life of his second home country, Switzerland. For the Swiss Commission for Hydrology he served as a member of the Working Group on Evaporation (1978-1980); Working Group on Experimental Basins (1976 -1980) and took part in the activities of the Working Group on Precipitation as its chairman (1982-1986). For the Swiss Soil Science Society acted as a member of its Working Group on Lysimeters (1982 - 1992).
His contributions to the fields of hydrology and hydrometeorology, which consist of scientific work, teaching, lecturing, reviews for international journals, organising conferences, and consultancy for national and international organisations, have received world wide recognition. Dr. Sevruk’s contributions have a clearly identifiable and excellent international dimension, which extends beyond both his country of residence work and his specific fields of interest.
It is of particular importance that he has contributed to the development of hydrology through scientific and practical work and education also in less developed countries and countries with transition economies. His activities have enabled young hydrologists from these countries to be involved in international science. He has also organised institutional support for the involvement of hydrologists form these countries in international activities.
Dr. Sevruk has made an outstanding contribution to meteorology and hydrology in general and to the fields of experimental hydrology, precipitation measurements, correction of precipitation measurement errors, and regional analysis and mapping of precipitation in particular. These achievements were internationally acknowledged at several occasions. He received the Professor Dr. Vilho Vaisala Award of the WMO; the Medal of Merit for Development of Hydrology and Meteorology 1993 from the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, Bratislava; Medal of Merit from Civil Engineering Faculty of the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava; International Suvarna Parisara Rathna Award 1998 from the National Pollution Control & Environment Conservation Committee in Bangalore India. He is listed in the Who is Who in the World, Marquis 14th-18th Editions, Who is Who in Science and Engineering, Marquis 4th-5th Editions, Barons Who’s Who, and in the Member of The Europe 500: Leaders for the New Century based upon their unique accomplishments and contributions to society.
The above short summary may give an impression (not a full one) of the wide scope and broad interests of Dr. Sevruk’s research and other activities. His work has been influential among meteorologist, climatologists and hydrologists, which makes him a true representative of the field of hydrometeorology. At the occasion of his 70th birthday the Editorial Board wishes him all the best also in the name of all his former and present colleagues.

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