The Peter S. Eagleson Hydrologic Sciences Award formerly known as the Hydrologic Sciences Award and the Robert E. Horton Award from 1956 to 1998, is presented annually and recognizes outstanding contributions to the science of hydrology over the course of the awardees’ careers. Successful nominees are senior scientists, with an emphasis on their contributions over the past five years.

Professor Peter S. Eagleson was a pioneer in the field of hydrology, transforming it from an engineering specialty with local application into the global-scale study of the water cycle. His 1970 book, titled Dynamic Hydrology provided radically new perspective on the movement and storage of water in the environment. The water cycle interface with the climate system and biogeochemical cycles and its interactions with the biosphere were hallmarks of his new vision. In a series of seven papers under the main title Climate, Soil, and Vegetation in a single issue of Water Resources Research he demonstrated the potential of this new thinking for solving some of the long-standing disciplinary and interdisciplinary challenges. In 1991 the National Research Council published Opportunities in the Hydrologic Sciences as the report of a committee chaired by Professor Eagleson. This report recommended a new vision for the field of study that built on his pioneering ideas.

Following his retirement from MIT, Professor Eagleson continued producing inspiring new ideas. He published two books: Ecohydrology (2002) and Range and Richness of Vascular Land Plants (2009) that ushered in yet another transformation of the discipline by bridging the fields of hydrology and ecology.

He served as the president of the American Geophysical Union from 1986 to 1988. In 1992, he was MIT Killian Award lecturer, the Institute’s highest faculty honor.