John J. Ramirez-Avila is an Agricultural Engineer (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) holding a Master’s degree in Soils (University of Puerto Rico) and a PhD in Engineering with an emphasis in Water Resources (Mississippi State University). John is an Associate Professor at the Watersheds and Water Quality Research Lab, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Mississippi State University. Over his 25+ years of professional experience, he has held academic, research, and service positions at educational and research institutions, and professional organizations in Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the United States. His research has contributed to implementing management, protection, and restoration strategies for different ecosystems; and assessing and reducing point and non-point source pollution from agricultural and urban systems. John has an extended record of service and leadership in several professional organizations such as the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), American Institute of Hydrology (AIH), Particles in the Americas (PIA), Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS), Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS), and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), among others. He became a Professional Hydrologist in 2020, joined the AIH Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee in 2021, and became its co-chair in 2023.
