The has named , Ludmilla F., Stephen J. and Robert T. Galla Professor of and director of the , as the recipient of its 2026 Award of Excellence 鈥� the society's highest career honor.
The Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) is the leading international organization advancing the science of freshwater ecosystems 鈥� from organisms to landscapes 鈥� and connecting that science to resource managers, policymakers and the public. The is presented annually to a single recipient for exceptional and career-long contributions to freshwater science.
"Jennifer Tank鈥檚 career has had a profound impact on freshwater science, advancing our understanding of aquatic ecosystems while also shaping how that knowledge is applied in practice," said William K. Warren Foundation Dean of the . "Her work stands out for its scientific depth and reach, bringing together researchers, policymakers and communities to address urgent challenges in water quality and environmental stewardship. This honor is a fitting recognition of a career defined by excellence, collaboration and lasting influence."
Tank has contributed significantly to the SFS via science leadership, service and contributions to foundational and applied freshwater science. Notably, she served as the society鈥檚 president in 2019, became an in 2020 and received the SFS Environmental Stewardship Award in 2022.
"I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from a society that has shaped my scientific identity and where my students and postdocs have built theirs,鈥� Tank said. 鈥淚nnovative freshwater science has never been more urgently needed, and I am grateful to be recognized for work that bridges what we discover in the field with what land managers need to make better decisions. This award belongs to every student and collaborator who has ever waded into a stream with me."
Advancing Science at the Intersection of Agriculture and Freshwater
Tank's research contributions have advanced scientific understanding of the ecology and biogeochemistry of streams and rivers, and have directly influenced stream management and policy. She has published more than 220 peer-reviewed journal articles and her research has been cited nearly 25,000 times.
Her research spans the fundamental processes that keep streams healthy 鈥� how nutrients cycle, how organic matter breaks down, how stream communities respire 鈥� as well as emerging challenges like the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes, the use of environmental DNA for species detection and how arctic systems are responding to a warming climate. Combining innovative field experiments, high-frequency monitoring and modeling, her work addresses some of the most pressing questions in freshwater ecology.
A Career of Scientific Leadership and Mentorship: Translating Science into Action
A recognized leader in translational ecology, Tank has spent her career connecting science to real-world decisions and the people who make them 鈥� a commitment that was deepened by her experience as a聽Leopold Leadership Fellow.
Through the long-running Indiana Watershed Initiative, Tank has worked directly with farmers to demonstrate how conservation practices such as cover crops and two-stage ditches reduce nutrient loss from agricultural fields to streams. The results of her work have informed federal and state conservation policy and reflect her broader mission to find win-win solutions that reduce nutrient runoff while supporting the productive, profitable agriculture that feeds the world.
Tank earned her doctorate from Virginia Tech and served as a postdoctoral fellow on the first Lotic Intersite Nitrogen eXperiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Throughout her career at Notre Dame, she has graduated 19 doctoral students, with four more doctoral students currently in progress and has mentored 10 postdoctoral researchers.
Tank will be formally recognized at the SFS 2026 Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington, in May.
Contact: Brandi Wampler, associate director of media relations, 574-631-2632, brandiwampler@nd.edu
Originally published by at on April 15, 2026.