Prof. Günter Blöschl heads the Institute of  Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources  Management at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien). He received a diploma in civil  engineering and a Doctorate in hydrology. His research interests revolve around understanding hydrological extremes, including climate change effects. He is a strong advocate of bridging the gap between fundamental process understanding and the practice of water resources management. Among other duties, he has served as president of the  European Geosciences Union and the International  Association of Hydrological Sciences. He is currently leading a Doctoral Program on water resource systems funded by the Austrian Science Foundation. He is a member of the Academies of Sciences in Austria, Germany, and the US.