CV prof. dr. ir. Patrick Willems

academic file      publication list

CURRICULUM VITAE in brief:

Family name: Willems
First name: Patrick

Born in Herentals, Belgium, 21 May 1970

Master in Civil Engineering (KU Leuven, 1993; grote onderscheiding: magna cum laude)
PhD in Engineering (KU Leuven, 2000; grootste onderscheiding: summa cum laude)

Coordinates:

KU Leuven, Hydraulics and Geotechnics Section
Kasteelpark Arenberg 40, BE-3001 Leuven, Belgium
Tel. +32 16 321658
E-mail: patrick.willems@kuleuven.be
URL: www.kuleuven.be/cv/u0009249e.html

Present Appointments:

Former Appointments:

Expertise

  • Statistical analysis and stochastic modelling of hydrological extremes, extreme value analysis, hydrological time series analysis, impact of climate change, climate adaptation planning
  • River and urban drainage modelling: Spatial rainfall modelling, river catchment hydrological modelling, hydraulic river flood modelling, physico-chemical river water quality modelling, impact of sewer systems on receiving surface waters, bi-directional river-sewer interaction, real-time forecasting and control, uncertainty analysis

Publications:

Scopus (h-index = 53; number of citations > 10 000)
Web of Science (Researcher ID: A-9715-2010; h-index = 51; number of citations > 9000)
Google Scholar profile (h-index = 71; number of citations > 23 000)

Research and teaching activities:

in brief:

  • More than 300 peer-reviewed publications in international journals or books
  • More than 250 full publications in proceedings of international conferences
  • More than 300 presentations sat international conferences and workshops
  • More than 15 keynote or invited presentations at international conferences or events; more than 50 invited presentations at national workshops
  • More than 60 PhD theses as promotor; 12 ongoing
  • More than 280 Master theses as promotor since 2000; 5 this academic year
  • Leading researcher or coordinator of more than 100 research projects since 1995; 5 on-going
  • Main author of more than 10 guidelines for regional authorities on river flood modelling, rainfall statistics and design storms, climate scenarios, climate change impact estimation on hydrological extremes, climate adaptation planning
  • Editor-in-Chief for the Q1 Elsevier Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, since 2013
  • Included in the Reuters list of world's climate scientists
  • Membership of international working groups and ongoing projects:
    • IWA International Water Association & IAHR International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research - IGURInternational Working Group on Urban Rainfall: Member since 2000, Chairman 2008 - 2014
    • EWA European Water Association: Appointed member of the Technical and Scientific Committee, since 2015
    • EUMETSAT H-SAF (Support to Operational Hydrology and Water Management): Chair of the Operations Review, since 2014
    • EU-H2020 project “PRECINCT - Preparedness and Resilience Enforcement for Critical INfrastructure Cascading Cyberphysical Threats and effects with focus on district or regional protection”, EU-H2020 INFRA call - Protecting the infrastructure of Europe and the people in the European smart cities: Project partner
    • EU-COST Action "Opportunistic precipitation sensing network (OPENSENSE)": Member of the Management Committee
    • Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliance "DIGIWATER - Digitalisation of water industry by innovative graduate water education": Project partner
    • ER-SMNR programme on “Sustainable management of natural resources”, supported by VLIR-IUC (till 2018), and by Suriname Conservation Foundation and 13 green partners (since 2018): External programme coordinator, since 2012
    • VLIR-IUC project with Quy Nhon University, Vietnam: Project leader “Developing an early flood warning system to improve the adaptive capability of the local authorities and communities in the context of climate change”, since 2021
    • VLIR-IUC project with Ardhi University, Tanzania: Project leader “Decent housing” – subproject “safe and clean water”, since 2021
    • VLIR-IUC project wih University of Azuay & University of Cuenca, Ecuador: Promoter "Sustainable water management under climate change in Southern Ecuador", since 2022
  • Membership of regional or local working groups and ongoing projects (not exhaustive):
    • High Level Taskforce Drought of the Flemish Government, chaired by the Minister for Environment, and with presence of the Minsters for Economy, Agriculture, Mobility, Public Works, and Internal Affairs: Member since 2020
    • Multidisciplinary Expert Panel "Flood protection Flanders" (Weerbaar Waterland) of the Flemish Government: Member since 2021
    • Task Force "Flood protection IJzer basin" (Weerbare Westhoek) of the Flemish Government: Member since 2023
    • Intendant for Dender - conflict between Flemish Authorities and environmental action groups on renewal of controllable hydraulic structures, for Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works, 2024  
    • Scientific Advisory Board of the “Management panel flooding” (Beleidstafel wateroverlast en hoogwater) in The Netherlands: Member since 2021
    • Quality Chamber of Water+Land+Scape programme of Flanders' authorities: Member since 2022
    • Scientific-Technical Committee of the Belgian Complex Project Kustvisie (Coastal Vision): Member since 2019
    • Advisory board "Sea level rise" of Flanders' authorities: Member since 2021
    • VLARIO - Knowledge platform of the urban water sector in Flanders: Chair of the Board of Directors, since 2020
    • VLM – Vlaamse Landmaatschappij (Flanders’ land management authority): Member of the Board of Directors, since 2020
    • Advisory board Blue Deal plan on drought management by the Flemish Government, since 2022
    • Advisory board Alluvial Demer valley vision by Flanders' authorities, since 2024   
    • Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and Arts (Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten): Member since 2025 
    • Royal Belgian Academy for Overseas Sciences (Koninklijke Academie voor Overzeese Wetenschappen / Académie Royale des Sciences d'Outre-Mer): Member since 2010
    • Joint Cooperation Programme for applied research on flood and drought risk management in transboundary regional river basins (JCAR-ATRACE), Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management: Partner since 2023  
    • Reactive assessment framework for priority water use during water scarcity, for Authorities of Flanders (joint initiative of Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij, De Vlaamse Waterweg, Departement Mobiliteit en Openbare Werken, Departement Landbouw en Visserij, Departement Omgeving, Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos, Departement Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie): Overall coordinator, 2019-2021, advisor 2022-2023
    • Water balance model for navigable rivers and canals in Flanders, for water authority De Vlaamse Waterweg: Project promoter, 2019-2024
    • Evaluation of the Sigmaplan in view of the climate change trends, for water authority De Vlaamse Waterweg: Project promoter, 2021-2023
    • Blue-green strategies for climate change adaptation (Turquoise), FWO-SBO research project: Project partner, 2021-2025
    • Deep learning based extreme rainfall and flood warnings through seemless forecasting (DERISC), for Belgian Science Policy Office (Belspo): Project partner, 2022-2026
    • Probabilistic nowcasting and forecasting for impact-based warning systems (EXPRIMA), FED-tWIN research mandate Belgian Science Policy Office (Belspo) i.c.w. Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium: Project promoter, 2022-2032
    • Understanding and monitoring changing conditions in peatlands (EO4PEAT), for Belgian Science Policy Office (Belspo): Project partner, 2024-2027    
  • International visiting lectureships:
    • Universidad da Cuenca, Ecuador: course "Advanced surface water hydrology", Master in Water and Soil Management Programme - Programa para el Manejo del Agua y del Suelo, 2003, 2005, 2009 (PROMAS)
    • Moi University, Faculty of Engineering, Kenya: course "Hydroinformatics", Master in Water Engineering, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016 (VLIR-UOS)
    • Anton de Kom Universiteit, Suriname: course "Water Resources Management", Master in Management of Natural Resources, 2010, 2011, 2012 (VLIR-UOS)
    • Universidad San Andres, La Paz, Bolivia: course "Statistical Hydrology", Master in Irrigation engineering, 2012, 2015 (VLIR-UOS)
    • Imperial College London, UK: guest lectures, Master in Civil Engineering, 2015 (Belgian Chair at London University)
    • Indian Institute for Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, India: Training course "Impact analysis of climate change", GIAN: Global Initiative of Academic Networks, 2016
    • Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam: Training courses on “Decision support tools for integrated water management in the context of climate change” and “Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS)”, 2018 (Enabel & MOET-Vietnam)