Don L. Boyer Memorial Endowment
Don L. Boyer Memorial Endowment for Excellence in Environmental Fluid Dynamics
Don Lamar Boyer, a pioneer of physical modeling of rotating and stratified topographic flows, passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 19, 2020. A visionary in and champion for geophysical and environmental fluid dynamics research, a dedicated mentor and a skilled administrator, he played an influential leadership role in the evolution of laboratory-based research in environmental flows.
In his honor, the Don L. Boyer Memorial Endowment for Excellence in Environmental Fluid Dynamics has been created to support groundbreaking, crucial lectures in the important fields of environmental prediction, risks, and sustainability. These lectures, emphasizing the fundamental dynamics of environmental flows in the spirit of the research of Don L. Boyer, will enliven the conversation around these topics in the college and beyond.
The fund will support two lectures in perpetuity:
- The inaugural lecture at the Biennial World Congress of the International Association of Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research
- The annual Don L. Boyer Lecture in Environmental Fluid Mechanics at the University of Notre Dame
Engineering at Notre Dame combines technical inquiry with a creative bent to develop innovations that can improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for all persons. Consistent with the University’s Catholic mission and heritage, the College of Engineering’s mission is founded on the principle that the creation and transfer of fundamental knowledge should reflect a profound and complete respect for the dignity of all persons and for the greater common good of humanity. Through its lectures and support for the IAHR, the Don L. Boyer Memorial Endowment supports faculty, students, and the scientific community at large in the pursuit of achieving the educational mission and outreach of the University.
The endowment’s inception was established by a generous donation from Dr. Dustin Boyer, Don’s son. Donations to the fund can be made through Notre Dame Giving.
To read more about Don L. Boyer’s impactful life, please see “In Appreciation: Don L. Boyer (1938-2020),” written by Harindra Joseph S. Fernando and Peter A. Davies. Citation: Fernando, H.J.S., Davies, P.A. In Appreciation: Don L. Boyer (1938–2020). Environ Fluid Mech 21, 283–285 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-021-09784-8
At Notre Dame:
2024 Don L. Boyer Distinguished Lecture in Environmental Fluid Mechanics, March 19, 2024
Some Fascinating Aspects of Shallow Flows, GertJan van Heijst, Emeritus Professor, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
2023 Don L. Boyer Distinguished Lecture in Environmental Fluid Mechanics, March 21, 2023
Modeling the Behavior of Internal Solitary Waves in Stratified Waters, Peter A. Davies, Emeritus Professor, University of Dundee, U.K.
2022 Inaugural Don L. Boyer Distinguished Lecture in Environmental Fluid Mechanics, March 29, 2022
Orographic Wakes in Experiments of Rotating and Stratified Flows, Joël Sommeria, Research Director, Laboratoire des Écoulements Géophysiques et Industriels, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes
At IAHR World Congress:
Information forthcoming