IAH-NL MSc Thesis Prize (PSSP 2024)

Pieter Stuyfzand Scriptie Prijs 2024: Results

The board of the Netherlands Chapter of IAH is pleased to present the evaluation of MSc theses nominated for the 2024 Pieter Stuyfzand Scriptie Prijs (PSSP). This year’s evaluation resulted in five MSc theses receiving honourable mentions with their nomination and selection as candidates for the PSSP 2024, and they stand out as clear examples of the high level of ongoing hydrogeological research in the Netherlands.

PSSP 2024 Honourable mentions

The runner up for this PSSP all delivered impressive, high-quality studies on important societal challenges: Marjolein van Noord from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam studied the impact of local drought adaptation measures on groundwater levels in the agricultural region of Breklenkamp in Twente, Eastern Netherlands. Chukwuemeka Eneogwe from IHE Delft evaluated the effectiveness of submerged zones in green infrastructures for enhanced vehicle-related contaminant removal. Wahdan Achmad Syaehuddin from Wageningen University and Deltares built a 3D coastal groundwater model of Java Island to study groundwater effects. Last but not least, Evi Derks from Wageningen University assessed Managed Aquifer Recharge in the mountainous watershed in Oaxaca, Mexico, where she performed challenging and elaborate fieldwork.

Winner PSSP 2024

After a thorough evaluation, we came to the unanimous decision that Sophie Hibben is the winner of the PSSP 2024. She was nominated by her supervisor, Alraune Zech, from Utrecht University. The winning thesis is titled “Biosurfactant-induced PFAS leaching from aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) impacted Dutch soil”. The thesis addresses an urgent environmental subject which is of great relevance to society: the behaviour of PFAS in soil and groundwater. The research consists of a literature review, column experiments and numerical simulation of PFAS transport for the interpretation of the experimental results. The thesis is extremely well organised and written, and all results and methods are presented in a very clear and precise manner.