USask Hydrologist Honoured with Prestigious AGU Medal

Dr. Jeffrey J. McDonnell (PhD), Distinguished Professor with the School of Environment and Sustainability and Associate Director of the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan, has been awarded the 2025 Robert E. Horton Medal from the American Geophysical Union (AGU). The medal is one of the highest international honours in the field of hydrology, recognizing outstanding contributions to advancing the understanding of water science.

The Robert E. Horton Medal is awarded annually to one scientist worldwide whose research has made exceptional impact on hydrology. Named after Robert E. Horton, a pioneer of modern hydrological science, the medal celebrates innovation, leadership, and transformative scholarship.

McDonnell is known around the world for his research on how rainfall and snowmelt travel through forests, soils, and streams. His studies have helped improve both the science of hydrology and the way water resources are managed. He has published hundreds of scientific papers, worked with colleagues across many countries, and trained dozens of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

This recognition follows other recent accolades for McDonnell, including his appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2024, further cementing his place as one of the world’s leading hydrologists.

The award will be formally presented at the AGU Annual Meeting in December 2025.