Pono Hanson wins WEF's Outstanding Young Professional award

A senior associate engineer with Brown and Caldwell, Hanson's significant contributions toward the water industry are celebrated with this accolade.

Sept. 28, 2021

2 min read

Brown and Caldwell ‘s senior associate engineer Pono Hanson has been recognized by The Water Environment Federation (WEF) with a 2021 Outstanding Young Water Environment Professional Award.

WEF is a not-for-profit association providing technical education and training for thousands of water quality professionals worldwide who clean water and return it safely to the environment.

Involved with WEF for a decade, Hanson received the award for his longstanding commitment toward advancing professional development opportunities, inspiring, and engaging students and young water industry professionals. He has served as chair of WEF’s Student Design Competition and is the present vice-chair of the federation’s Students and Young Professionals Committee, which fosters career growth, networking and learning opportunities for aspiring water professionals. Passionate about creating an inclusive environment for underrepresented groups, he currently leads the development of WEF’s first Students and Young Professionals Mentorship Program.

Additionally, Hanson has held numerous leadership roles at The Chesapeake Water Environment Association (CWEA), including establishing its first two student chapters at Howard University and the University of the District Columbia. Both chapters are part of WEF’s InFLOW program to enhance diversity and inclusion in the water workforce. He also lends his expertise to CWEA’s Collection Systems Committee.

As a senior associate engineer, Hanson focuses on the management and engineering of sanitary sewer rehabilitation and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. He is adept in the applications of trenchless technologies to overcome aging infrastructure challenges. Outside of project responsibilities, Hanson is a mentor to Brown and Caldwell’s network of young professionals, leveraging his experience to nurture career advancement and encourage industry association involvement.

“I am pleased to see Pono’s peers honor his dedication to advancing the water profession with this thoroughly deserved award,” said Brown and Caldwell Vice President Jay Kirk. “His ambition, passion, and empathy continually shine through in his work and his ambassador activities, not to mention the encouragement and support he lends to other young professionals.”

Based in Alexandria, Virginia, Hanson is a licensed professional engineer and holds a master’s in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s in civil engineering from the University of Portland.