[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 166 (Wednesday, November 20, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8358-S8359]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        TRIBUTE TO JON E. ZUFELT

 Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize and pay 
tribute to Dr. Jon E. Zufelt for his exceptional contributions to the 
Nation as he retires after 30 years of service in the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers. Dr. Zufelt's dedication as a civil engineer with the U.S. 
Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Cold Regions Research 
and Engineering Laboratory has resulted in the transfer of knowledge on 
a global scale.
  As a research hydraulic engineer, Dr. Zufelt's career focused on 
solving tough problems in cold regions hydraulics and hydrology, ice 
jam processes, erosion and bank protection, ice mitigation, permafrost 
dynamics, seasonal water quality issues, environmental remediation, and 
Arctic coastal processes affecting military lands. Dr. Zufelt spent his 
entire 30-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
culminating in the management of the Anchorage Office of the Cold 
Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, primarily in support of 
projects in Alaska.
  Dr. Zufelt came to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in April of 1983 
as a civil engineer working in Vicksburg, MS. Later that year, he began 
working for the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's 
Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, NH, and 
then the project office located in Anchorage, AK, in 2001.
  Dr. Zufelt is a leader in cold regions engineering issues in Alaska 
and beyond. He is often sought out by universities, technical 
societies, and journals for his affiliation and technical expertise. 
Throughout his career, Dr. Zufelt has served for many years on multiple 
professional society committees and working groups, which include the 
American Society of Civil Engineers,

[[Page S8359]]

the U.S. Permafrost Association, the Alaska Chapter of the American 
Water Resources Association, the Interagency Hydrology Committee of 
Alaska, and the Alaska Governor's Sub-Cabinet on Climate Change. These 
professional organizations have acknowledged Dr. Zufelt's contributions 
with multiple awards, including the 2006 Alaska Engineer of the Year 
Award by the Joint Engineering Societies of Alaska. Dr. Zufelt was also 
awarded the 2005 American Society of Civil Engineers CAN-AM Civil 
Engineering Amity Award for his work in river ice hydraulics and ice 
engineering through research, teaching, and dedication to professional 
relationships between engineers in the United States and Canada.
  Dr. Zufelt has made significant contributions to the scientific and 
engineering communities through editorships, professional society 
participation, and university teaching. He has served as the conference 
chair and proceedings editor for the American Society of Civil 
Engineers--International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering; the 
conference cochair of the American Water Resources Association--Alaska 
Section; a technical committee chair and co-editor of the proceedings 
of the American Society of Civil Engineers--International Conference on 
Cold Regions Engineering; and the chair of the 2009 University of 
Alaska Anchorage workshop entitled, ``Climate Change Impacts on Defense 
Assets in Alaska.'' Since 2001, Dr. Zufelt has served as an adjunct 
professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, teaching at least one 
graduate-level engineering course each academic year. For 2 years, Dr. 
Zufelt served as the acting U.S. Army Alaska/Alaskan Command Science 
Advisor providing onsite technical advice and quick reaction solutions 
to technical problems. The European Command and Northern Command have 
also sought Dr. Zufelt's expertise.
  Dr. Zufelt has more than 90 technical publications. His articles are 
published in a diversity of conference proceedings, technical reports, 
and journals, including the International Conference on Permafrost, 
International Symposium on Cold Regions Development, Journal of 
Environmental Engineering and Science, Workshop on Ice Covered Rivers, 
and the Proceedings of the ASCE World Water and Environmental Resources 
Congress.
  I would like to extend my deepest thanks to Dr. Zufelt for his 30 
years of leadership, expertise, and service to our Nation. I wish the 
best to him and his family as they begin this next stage in their 
lives.

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