Director, United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health
Professor Kaveh Madani is a leading environmental scientist, educator, and policy expert known for his interdisciplinary work on complex human-natural systems. He specializes in integrating mathematical, economic, and systems models to inform environmental and human security policies.
He is currently the Director of the United Nations University Institute of Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), known as the UN Think Tank on Water, where he leads scientific research and policy solutions to address the growing human security challenges related to global water, environmental and health crises.
He has previously served as the Deputy Vice President of Iran in his position as the Deputy Head of Iran’s Department of Environment and led Iran's delegation. Between 2017 and 2018, he was the Vice President of the UN Environment Assembly Bureau, overseeing the world's highest decision-making body on the environment.
He has over 300 publications and has received several prestigious awards for his fundamental research, capacity building, societal outreach, and humanitarian contributions, including the New Face of Civil Engineering (ASCE), Arne Richter Award for Outstanding Young Scientists (EGU), Hydrologic Sciences Early Career Award (AGU), Walter Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize (ASCE), and Ambassador Award (AGU).
