Alexander Michalek grew up in Kansas, where he attended the University of Kansas. Later, he earned a PhD at Princeton University. And recently, he joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

Despite all that, he still proudly wears his University of Iowa black and gold. Michalek has been an Iowa fan since before he can remember, thanks to family connections in Iowa and a mom who is an Iowa alum. 

“My family are all Hawkeye fans,” he says, adding that it still feels a bit strange to wear University of Minnesota colors, maroon and gold. 

Making a difference

Growing up in Kansas, Michalek loved playing baseball and studying math and science. As he began to consider a career, he realized he wanted to do public-facing work that serves society. He decided to study civil engineering at the University of Kansas (KU) because he thought it would be a good way to help people through his work.

“I think the discipline I picked is perfect,” he says.

After completing B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering at KU, Michalek took the advice of his advisor there and investigated the graduate program at the University of Iowa. 

“I think it was hard to turn down the chance to go to Iowa after growing up an Iowa fan,” Michalek adds.

It was a perfect fit academically, too, and Michalek started his PhD at Iowa working with then-IIHR Director Gabriele Villarini. As part of the Iowa Flood Center, Michalek focused on hydrology, climate, and human interactions related to flood risk modeling. 

At the time, his twin brother, Brenton, was living and working in Des Moines. Like most twins, they’re very close, so being close by was a big plus.

No regrets

Michalek had completed two years of work at Iowa when Villarini moved on to Princeton; Michalek went with him. And while he appreciated his experience there — especially being able to jump on a train and be in New York City in less than 90 minutes — he still remembers Iowa fondly.

“I think it was probably one of the best times of my life,” he says. “I really loved living in Iowa City and being a part of everything related to IIHR and Iowa Flood Center.”

But he has no regrets. “I don’t think I would change any of the experience because I got to enjoy my experience in Iowa that I always wanted and then explore something new.”

A new chapter

Michalek is only a few months into his work in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Minnesota, where he will start teaching next semester. He is also affiliated with St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, an interdisciplinary fluids lab on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis. 

It’s an amazing setting for a hydraulics lab, Michalek says. “You look out the window, and there’s the Minneapolis skyline, but then there’s also the river and the falls right there. Especially for someone who’s studying rivers, it’s kind of cool.”

Michalek focuses on modeling how floods are projected to evolve due to climate change. “We’re trying to understand the uncertainty related to that and hopefully reduce it in the modeling so it’s easier to communicate,” he says. His work also considers the more outward facing aspects, such as dealing with infrastructure datasets and communicating with the public.

Michalek hopes to expand his research into flood adaptation and mitigation. “A lot goes into it, from the hydrologic science to the atmospheric science,” he says. 

It’s work that’s relevant to people’s lives, and given the trends toward increasingly extreme weather, more important than ever. 

“I’m hopeful that one day we’ll figure out the best way to deal with the consequences of flooding, or maybe find solutions to them,” he adds.

Life in a cold climate

Michalek and his wife, Lena, are adapting to life in Minnesota and looking forward to their first winter in the Twin Cities. Lena is an architect who still works for a company in Iowa City. They love hiking with their west highland terrier, Luna, and they’re thinking about what kind of cold weather activities they could pursue. 

“People here are really committed to being outside,” Michalek says.

But even as he’s becoming a Minnesotan, Michalek hasn’t forgotten his Hawkeye roots. “I still watch every Iowa football game on TV,” he says.