Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. Janos J. Bogardi

Janos Bogardi has been the Director of the United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) since 2003. Simultaneously he is also Vice-Rector a.i. of the Vice Rectorate in Europe since May 2007.

Prof. Bogardi has Hungarian roots, and is fluent in five European languages: English, German, French, Dutch and Hungarian, being his mother tongue.

Prof. Bogardi started his professional career as Assistant Professor at the Institute for Water Resources Management of the Technical University of Budapest. Shortly after having relocated to Germany, he became part of the scientific staff in the Federal Institute for Hydraulic Engineering in Karlsruhe, and the University of Karlsruhe, respectively. Between 1971-1973 and 1983-1985 he worked as a consulting engineer amongst others in Africa.

He was then seconded by the German Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ) to the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok, Thailand, between 1985 and 1988.

For the next almost seven years he worked as professor for Hydraulics, and quantitative Water Resource Management at the Agricultural University of Wageningen, the Netherlands.

Janos Bogardi started his UN career in 1995 with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, France, as a Senior Programme Specialist and soon became the Chief of the Section on Sustainable Water Resources and Management.

Between October 2006 and October 2007, Prof. Bogardi acted as Chair of the Head of Agencies of all Bonn-based UN Organisations.

Prof. Bogardi is a member of “Internationales Bonn” and a member of the board of the German Committee for Disaster Prevention (DKKV).

He is also member of IAHR (International Association of Hydrologic Engineering and Research) and IAHS (International Association of Scientific Hydrology).

Prof. Bogardi graduated in Civil Engineering at the Technical University of Budapest, Hungary, with special emphasis on water resources and agricultural water resources development in 1969. After obtaining a post graduate Diploma in Hydrology from the University of Padua, Italy, he earned his doctorate (Dr.-Ing.) in Civil Engineering at the University of Karlsruhe, Germany.

Prof. Bogardi was honoured to receive the title of ‘Doctor Honoris Causa’ from the Agricultural University of Warsaw , Poland in 1996, and the Technical University of Budapest, Hungary in 1997. In addition, in May 2008, on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the UNESCO Chair, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (NNSUACE).

In June 2008, he was honoured by the International Cannes Water Prize “Grand Prix des Lumières de l’Eau de Cannes”.

Prof. Bogardi is also a member of the board of trustees of the Bonn association "Demokratiepreis Bonn".

Prof. Bogardi has authored, co-authored, and edited more than 170 publications. Therefore we name here only a short selection.

Bogardi, J.J., Bruk, S. (2000): In Lieu of Conclusions: Some Answers and Many Questions. In: Interbasin Water Transfer. UNESCO-IHP Technical Documents in Hydrology No. 28, pp. 9-16. Paris. UNESCO-IHP.

Milutin, D.; Bogardi, J.J.(2000): Optimization of Multiple-Reservoir Systems Operation Under Semi-Arid Climatic Conditions. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Hydrological Research and Water Resources Management Strategies in Arid and Semi-Arid Zones, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, September 1995. UNESCO-IHP-V Technical Documents in Hydrology, No. 32, Paris, UNESCO-IHP.

Nandalal, K.D.W., Bogardi, J.J.(2000): Use of Reservoir Operational Analysis in Reducing Impacts of Water Resources Systems Upon Environment. In: Maione, U., Majone Letho, B., Monti, R. (Eds.): Proceedings of the International Conference 'New Trends in Water and Environmental Engineering for Safety and Life: Eco-compatible Solutions for Aquatic Environments". Capri, Italy, p. 95 . Rotterdam. A.A. Balkema.

Zsuffa, I., Bogardi, J.J., Leentvaar, J.(2000): Genetic Algorithm Based on Multi-Criteria Decision Support for the Rehabilitation of the Gemenc Floodplain in Hungary. In: Maione, U., Majone Letho, B., Monti, R. (Eds.): Proceedings of the International conference “New Trends in Water and Environmental Engineering for Safety and Life:Eco-compatible Solutions for Aquatic Environments”. Capri, Italy,p. 128. Rotterdam, A.A.Balkema.

Affeltranger, B., Bogardi, J.J.(2000): Added-Value of Public Participation for Reconstructing the Flood Management Capabilities of Mozambique. Paper presented at the Maputo Conference for Flood Management, 25-28 October 2000.

Bogardi J.J.(2000): IAHR, IHP and the Water World: Partnership and Challenges. Keynote address on 12th. Congress of the Asian and Pacific Division of IAHR 13-16 November 2000, Bangkok.

Bogardi, J.J. (2001):Erwartungen und Möglichkeiten flussgebietsbezogener Wasserwirtschaft um die Jahrhundertwende (Expectations and possibilities of river basin-oriented water resources management around the change of the century) in German. In: Mitteilungen .Heft 152, pp. 101-110, Leichhveiss - Institut für Wasserbau der Technischen Universität Braunschweig.

Bogardi, J.J., Hartvelt, F., (Eds)(2001): Towards a Strategy on Human Capacity Building for Integrated Water Resources Management and Service Delivery Water-Education-Training. UNESCO, UNDP, WBI, IHE, UNU/INWEH strategy paper, p.44.

Bogardi, J.J., Kundzewicz, Z.W. (Eds)'(2002): Risk, Reliability, Uncertainty, and Robustness of Water Resources Systems. International Hydrological Series, Cambridge University Press, 220 p. Cambridge.

Milutin, D., Bogardi, J.J. (2002): Performance criteria for multiunit reservoir operation and water allocation problems. In: International Hydrological Series, pp. 199-208, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Bogardi J.J.(2002): Der "integrierte Wasserexperte" Traum oder Voraussetzung für die Lösung der wasserwirtschaftlichen Probleme des 21sten Jahrhunderts? (The "integrated water resources expert" dream or pre-requisite to solve the water resources problems of the 21st century?) in German. In: Wasserwirtschaft, Zeitschrift für Wasser und Umwelt, Ig.92, pp 22-27.

Bogardi J.J.(2002): Lehrt uns der Wassermangel das Teilen? (Does the water security teach us to share?) in German. In: Die Welt (daily newspaper), p.6. issue 26. July

Bogardi J.J., Otte, A (2002): UNESCO und die Wasserwelt. In: Internet Journal of the UNESCO National Commission for Germany, issue no. 9.

Bogardi J.J., Szöllösi-Nagy, A.(2002): Towards the Water Policies for the 21st Century: a Review after the World Summit on Sustainable Development. In: Johannesburg, E.Cabrera, Comacho, R (Eds): Challenges of the New Water Policies for the 21st Century. Proceedings of the international seminar held 29-31 October 2002 in Valencia, Balkema.

Zsuffa I., Bogardi, J.J., Leentvaar, J.(2003): Matematikai döntèstàmogató rendszer hullàmterek ökológiai revitàlizaciójàhoz (Mathematical decision support for the ecological revitalisation of flood plains), in Hungarian. In: Hidrològiai Közlöny.

Bogardi, J.J..(2004):"Hazards, risks and vulnerabilities in a changing environment: the unexpected onslaught on human security?". In: Global Environment Change Part A, UN Monitor. Volume 14, Issue 4, December 2004, S. 361-365.

Nandalal, K.D.W.; Bogardi J.J. (2007): Operation of Reservoirs Based on Dynamic Programming: Applicability and Limits. In: International Hydrology Series, Cambridge University Press, 130pp.

Bogardi, J.J.; Thywissen, K.; Villagrán, JC (2006): Frühwarnung: unverzichtbares Element globaler Katastrophenvorsorge. In: Notfallvorsorge. Vol. 1, pp. 6-9

Villagrán, J.C.; Bogardi, J.J.; Dannenmann, S.; and Basher, R. (2006): Early Warning Systems in the Context of Disaster Risk Management. In: Entwicklung & Ländlicher Raum. 40. Jahrgang Heft 2, pp. 23-25

Birkmann, J.; Bogardi, J. (2007): Katastrophenforschung im Dienste der Vereinten Nationen - Herausforderungen, Erfahrungen und zukünftige Forschungsbedarfe aus Sicht von UNU-EHS. In: Notfallvorsorge, no. 38, pp. 21-23

Thywissen, K.; Bogardi, J.J. (2007): Die UN Familie in Bonn bekommt Zuwachs. In: DKKV InfoBlatt Nr. 1&2/07. <http://www.dkkv.org/DE/news/infoblatt.asp?h=3>. pp. 3-5.