Erich T. Hester has been named a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). This honor recognizes outstanding professional distinction and reflects exceptional contributions to the civil engineering field.

Hester has been a faculty member at Virginia Tech since 2009. He served as an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow with the U.S. DOE Water Power Technologies Office in 2022-2024 and was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at National Taiwan University in 2017-2018. He is also a Professional Engineer in Virginia and Washington.

Championing Environmental Hydraulics

Hester leads the Environmental Hydraulics Research Group, which investigates hydrologic and hydraulic processes to improve river infrastructure management, river restoration and flood control practices, and sustainable hydropower. His work has advanced understanding of river floodplains, hyporheic zones, pollutant attenuation, and micro‑hydropower.

In 2023, Dr. Hester was awarded the Alumni Teaching Excellence Award by Virginia Tech’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Students lauded his dedication in highlighting his mentorship in guiding them through research and publication.

About ASCE Fellows

Becoming an ASCE Fellow is one of the top honors in the civil engineering world. It’s given to members who have made a big impact in the field through leadership, innovation, and overall excellence.

For Dr. Hester, this recognition highlights just how far-reaching his work has been, combining groundbreaking research, public service, real-world consulting, and outstanding teaching.