Bernard Berger

Distinguished Departed Pioneer

Professional background

Bernard B. Berger (1912-2000) was born in New York City, earned a BS degree in 1935 from MIT and an MS degree in Sanitary Engineering in 1948 from Harvard.  In the first half of his professional career, Berger worked as a civil engineer for twenty-five years in the United States Public Health Service, where he researched and advocated policies on pollution control, both in the US and abroad.

Berger then served as the Director of the Water Resources Research Center at the University of Massachusetts from 1966 to 1978, where he was regarded as a world-renowned expert on water supply management and the effects of pollution. While at the University, Berger served as the United States’ water resources specialist in the executive office of Science and Technology.  He also was a consultant to Israel in 1972 in the creation of the Israel Department of the Environment and as a consultant to South Africa on a similar project in 1975.  The year after retiring from the University of Massachusetts in 1978, Berger earned an honorary Doctorate of Science degree and was inducted into the US National Academy of Engineering.

Major contributions to IWA

Berger was one of IAWPR’s founding members and served as IAWPR’s first Secretary-Treasurer through its early years, as well as hosting the IAWPR Secretariat during this time. He then served as IAWPR’s second Vice President during the Presidency of Gerrie Stander, beginning in 1969.

In parallel, Berger served on the Governing Committee of USANC (the USA National Committee of IAWPR) from its inception through 1976.

His role in linking the US community of water scholars with the prodigious output of IAWPR in the 1960s and 1970s was extremely valuable to all parties.

Author:  Paul D Reiter

Major Source:  U Mass Library