The award, presented only four times in the last decade, was presented at the United States Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM) seventh U.S. national congress on computational mechanics in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was cited for "sustained and seminal contributions to the development of innovative theory and computational methods" for oil reservoir simulation and for the study of flow in porous media.
Dr. Wheeler's research involves creating complex computer models of estuaries and coastal waters, as well as underground aquifers that hold groundwater or oil. Her work is used in environmental clean-up efforts, and underground oil and water exploration.
Dr. Wheeler has served on the faculty since 1995 and is director of the Center for Subsurface Modeling in the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences. She holds the Ernest and Virginia Cockrell Chair in Engineering, and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Dr. Wheeler has published more than 150 technical papers and edited seven books. She is currently an editor of six technical journals and managing editor of Computational Geosciences.
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About the Cockrell School of Engineering:
The Cockrell School ranks among the top ten engineering programs in the United States and aspires to move into the top five. With the nation's fourth highest number of faculty members elected to the National Academy of Engineering, the Cockrell School's more than 7,000 students work with many of the world's finest engineering educators and researchers. This environment prepares graduates to become engineering leaders and innovators working for the betterment of society.