Maria Donoso

Bio

Maria Concepcion Donoso is presently coordinating the International Programs for the Institute of Water and Environment (InWE) at Florida International University (FIU). She has a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the People's Friendship University (Moscow, Russia) and a M.Sc. in Ocean Engineering from University of Miami (Miami, Fl., USA). Mrs. Donoso has pursued doctoral (Ph.D.) studies at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami and at the UNESCO- IHE Institute for Water Education. Mrs. Donoso has a Doctor Degree (Doctor Honoris Causa) from the Universidad Federico Villarreal (Lima, Peru)

Ms Donoso's research and professional interests are in integrated water resources management, air-sea-land interaction processes, and in climate change and variability impacts on the natural environment (with main interest in water resources) and society. She has ample experience in research and academia. She was Professor of Water Sciences at the National University of Panama (1979-1980), Associate Researcher at the Technological University, Panama (1980-1981), Director of the Center for Hydraulic and Hydro-technical Research of the Technological University of Panama (1981-1983, 1985-1989), and Invited Professor of Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at the Naval Academy of Colombia (1989, 1990 and 1992). Presently, she is a Faculty Member at the Florida International University (USA).

Ms Donoso's previous employment was as Director of the Global Water for Sustainability Program (GLOWS) for the period February 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016. From April 2003 through January 2010, she was the UNESCO's Regional Hydrologist for Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously, she was Director of the Water Centre for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC), a Latin American and Caribbean regional center with headquarters in the Republic of Panama. Throughout her professional career, Ms. Donoso has acted as director of various projects and studies on water sciences. Similarly, she has served as Technical Adviser to national and regional organizations, and to private engineering consulting firms. In this context, she served as the Coordinator of the Regional Consultation of the Caribbean and Central America Vision on Water, Life and the Environment for the 21st Century (1999 - 2000), member of the Central America Technical Advisory Committee of the Global Water Partnership (2000 - 2003). Furthermore, Ms Donoso was a member of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Overall Performance Study International Team of Experts (2001) and of the UNEP Scientific Advisory Group on Water (2011), as well as the Coordinator of the Task Force of Experts in charge of the development of the VIII Phase of the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO (2009-2012).

Mrs. Donoso has served as a Member of the Inter-American Water Resources Network (IWRN) Executive Council and at the World Water Council (WWC) Board of Directors. She has been an active member of various professional associations, such as the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) and the International Association of Scientific Hydrology (IAHS), among others. Presently, she is a Fellow of the International Water Resources Association (IWRA). Ms Donoso has been a lecturer at scientific and professional conferences and has numerous publications.

Dr. Donoso is member of the Editorial Board of the journals AquaLAC and the Hydrological Research Letters, the latter published by the Japan Society of Hydrology and Water Resources. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French, Portuguese and Russian.