ASCE has honored Inigo J. Losada, Ph.D., M.ASCE, with the 2024 International Coastal Engineering Award for his internationally outstanding research, academic, and practice-oriented contributions to coastal engineering.
Losada has had an amazing career in coastal engineering, researching topics such as breakwaters, wave modeling, nature-based shore protection, and coastal evolution. He authored or coauthored numerous books, chapters, and journal papers, including papers in the prestigious Nature Climate Change, Nature Communications, JWPCOE, Coastal Engineering, and Journal of Geophysical Research journals. He served an important international role in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as a coordinating lead author of Chapter 5 of the 5th Assessment Report, and then as lead author of Chapter 6 of the IPPC’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate.
He co-founded IHCantabria, serving as its first director. He also led the effort to build the Coastal and Offshore Basin at the Institute, creating one of the world’s largest directional wave basins.
Losada’s contributions to the international coastal engineering community include leading the Local Organizing Committee that hosted the 33rd International Coastal Engineering Conference; serving as the Editor-in-Chief of the Coastal Engineering Journal; and serving on ASCE’s Coastal Engineering Research Council.
He led IHCantabria to international recognition and played a large role in fostering coastal engineering and resilience in Latin America by co-founding the Cantabria-Cornell University Exchange Program.
Losada’s career excellence is recognized by his induction into the Royal Academy of Engineering, the receipt of ASCE’s John G. Moffatt–Frank E. Nichol Award, and the receipt of many Spanish national awards, including the Leonardo Torres Quevedo National Research Award and the Lucas Mallada National Environmental Award.
The International Coastal Engineering Award is given to an individual who has made significant contributions to the advancement of coastal engineering in the form of engineering design, teaching, professional leadership, research, planning, or a combination thereof.
