Teaching Areas | Research Interests | Selected Publications
Associate Professor
Postal Address: Department of Civil Engineering
National University of Singapore
1 Engineering Drive 2, E1A 07-03
Singapore 117576
Tel: (65) 6516 4929
Fax: (65) 6779 1635
Email: vladan@nus.edu.sg
Office: E1A 05-09
Dr. Babovic obtained his Ph.D. degrees from both UNESCO-IHE and Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands in 1995. In 2001 he has obtained a business degree at IMD in Lausanne (Switzerland). Prior to joining NUS, he was Head of Emerging Technologies at Danish Hydraulic Institute (1995-2002) and Senior Research Scientist at WL | Delft Hydraulics (2003-2005).
Dr. Babovic is Editor in Chief for Journal of Hydroinformatics and is currently serving as Chairman of joint IWA-IAHR-IAHS Section on Hydroinformatics. His research interests include hydroinformatics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data mining and knowledge discovery, data assimilation and computational hydraulics. He has authored and co-authored more than 40 book chapters and papers in peer reviewed international journals and more than 40 peer reviewed conference papers. Dr. Babovic presented keynote/invited lectures in 15 international conferences and served on organizing and advisory committees for many international conferences.
- Programme for Executive Development (2001) International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Doctor of Philosophy (1995) Delft University of Technology and UNESCO-IHE, Delft, The Netherlands
- Master of Science cum laude (1995) International Institute for Infrastructural, Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, IHE-Delft, The Netherlands
- Diploma of Hydraulic Engineering (DipHE, cum laude) (1990) International Institute for Infrastructural, Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, IHE-Delft, The Netherlands
- Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (Dipl. Ing, cum laude) (1986) University of Sarajevo, (former) Yugoslavia
- 1999 — Arthur Thomas Ippen Award of the International Association for Hydraulic Research
- 1998 — Talent Award of Danish Academy of Technical Sciences
- 1997 — The Best Paper Award, Danish Hydraulics, 2nd International Software Conference
- 1986 — Jaroslav Cerni Award as the best Civil Engineering graduate at the Faculty
- Adjunct Professor at the University of Idaho (USA)
- Adjunct Professor at the University of Iowa (USA)
- Guest lecturer at International Institute for Infrastuctural Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, IHE-Delft (The Netherlands)
- Guest lecturer at the European Institute for Industrial Leadership (EIIL), Brussels (Belgium)
- Chairman of the joint Hydroinformatics Section of the International association for Hydraulic Research (IAHR), International Water Association (IWA) and International Association for Hydrological Sciences (IAHS)
- Editor in Chief of the Journal of Hydroinformatics
- Member of Council of Authors of the International Society for Genetic and Evolutionary Computation (ISGEC)
- Standing Member of Core Programme Policy Committee for Genetic Programming of the International Society for Genetic and Evolutionary Computation (ISGEC)
Membership of Professional Associations
- International Association for Hydraulic Research (IAHR)
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
- American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
- International Society for Genetic and Evolutionary Computation (ISGEC)
- Hydroinformatics
- Water Resources Management
- artificial intelligence
- machine learning
- data mining and knowledge discovery
- data-driven modelling
- data assimilation
- computational hydraulics
- hydroinformatics
Invited Keynote lectures
- 2006, International Association for Hydraulic Research, Asia-Pacific Division, 15th Congress, Chennai, India
- 2003, World Water and Environmental Resources Congress, ASCE Environmental Water Resources Institute, Philadephia, USA
- 2002, Fifth International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Cardiff, Unite Kingdom
- 1999, Second International Conference on Computing and Control for Water Industry, Exeter, United Kingdom
- 1998, Ippen Lecture, International Association for Hydraulic Research, 28th Congress, Graz, Austria
- 1996, Computation Fluid Dynamics Conference, Aachen, Germany
Invited lectures
- 2002, DHI User Conference, Orlando, USA
- 2001, NATO Advanced Research Workshop on New paradigms in river and estuary management, Sun Valley, USA
- 1999, NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Coping with Floods, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- 1999, European Science Foundation Workshop on Numerical Modelling of Hydrodynamic Systems, Zaragoza, Spain
- 1998, Danish Hydraulics, 3rd International Software User Conference
- 1996, Second International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Zurich, Switzerland
- 1995, Hydroinformatics Specialist Workshop, Wallingford, United Kingdom
- 1994, NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Hydroinformatics, Puten, The Netherlands
Book chapters
- 2005, Rainfall Runoff Modelling Based on Genetic Programming, in Mynett A. et.al (ed.) Encyclopedia of Hydrological Sciences
- 2001, On introduction of declarative bias in knowledge discovery computer systems, in Goodwin , P. (ed.,) New paradigms in river and estuary management, Kluwer, Dordrecht (with Keijzer, M.)
- 2000, On Computer-Aided Discovery of Knowledge in Hydrauic Engineering, in Bergmann, H., (ed.), Advances in Hydraulic Research and Engineering, Technical University Graz
- 1999, Knowledge discovery and scientific data mining, in Navarro, P., G., and Playan, E., (eds.), Numerical Modelling of Hydrodynamic Systems, pp. 155-174
- 1999, Sybsymbolic process description and forecasting using neural networks, in Navarro, P., G., and Playan, E., (eds.), Numerical Modelling of Hydrodynamic Systems, pp. 57-80
- 1999, Forecasting of river discharges in the presence of chaos and noise, in Marsalek, J., (ed.) Coping with Floods: Lessons Learned from Recent Experiences, Kluwer, Dordrecht (with Keijzer, M.)
- 1996, Hydrological Modelling in a Hydroinformatics Context, in Abbott, M.B., and Refsgaard, J.C., (eds.), Distributed Hydrological Modelling, Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 297-312 (with A.W. Minns)
- 1996, Can water resources management benefit from artificial intelligence?, in Köngeter, J., (ed.), Computation Fluid Dynamics: Bunte Bilder in der Praxis? Meinz Verlag, Aachen, Germany
- 1993, Evolutionary Algorithms as a Theme in Water Resources, in Scientific presentations AIO meeting ‘93, Delft University of Technology, pp. 21-36
- 1991, A Control and Advisory System for Real-Time Applications, in Hartong H. and Lobbrecht A. (eds.), Applications of Operations Research to Real-Time Control of Water Resources Systems, pp. 51-70
Peer-reviewed journal papers
- 2005, On Inducing Equations for Vegetation Resistance, Journal of Hydraulic Research (with Rodrigues, J., Baptist, M., Keijzer, M., Uittenbogaard, R., Mynett, A., and Verwey, A.), accepted for publication
- 2005, Wave Forecasting Model with Spatially Distributed Error Correction Scheme, Journal of Physical Oceanography (with Sannasiraj S.A., Madsen, H. and Chen, E.S.), submitted for publication
- 2005, Introducing Knowledge into Learning Based on Genetic Programming, Machine Learning (with Keijzer, M.), submitted for publication
- 2005, Real Time Wave Forecasting using Family of Local Models, Coastal Engineering, accepted for publication (with Sannasiraj S.A., and Chan, E.S.)
- 2005, Data Mining in Hydrology, Hydrological Processes, Vol 19, pp. 1-7
- 2005, Local model approximation in the real time wave forecasting, Coastal Engineering, Vol 52, pp. 221-236 (with Sannasiraj S.A., and Chan, E.S.)
- 2004, EC-SVM approach for real time hydrologic forecasting, Journal of Hydroinformatics, Vol 6, No 3, 209-223 (with Liong, S.Y. and Yu X.)
- 2004, Error Correction of a Predictive Ocean Wave Model using Local Linear Approximation, Journal of Marine Systems, Vol. 53, pp. 1– 17 (with Sannasiraj S.A., and Chan, E.S.)
- 2004, Enhancing tidal prediction accuracy in a deterministic model using chaos theory, Advances in Water Resources 27, pp. 761-772 (with Sannasiraj, Hong, Z. and Chan E.S.)
- 2003, Velocity predictions in compound channels with vegetated floodplains using genetic programming, Journal of River Basin Management, Vol. 1, No 2 (with Harris, E, and Falconer, R.)
- 2003, A Hybrid Appraoch for Modelling Wet Weather Response in Wastewater Systems, ASCE Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, (with Vojinovic Z. and Kecman V.) November 2003
- 2002, Rainfall runoff modeling based on genetic programming, Nordic Hydrology, Vo. 33, No 5, pp. 331-346 (With Keijzer, M.)
- 2002, Genetic Programming: A New Paradigm in Rainfall-Runoff Modelling, Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol 38, No. 3, pp. 705-718 (with Liong, S.Y., Gautam, R.J., Khu, S.T., Keijzer, M., and Nuttil, N.)
- 2002, Data Assimilation of Local Model Error Forecasts in a Deterministic Model, Numerical Methods in Fluids, Vol 39, pp. 1-32 (with Fuhrman, D.)
- 2002, Declarative and Preferential Bias in GP-based Scientific Discovery, Genetic Programming and Evolutionary Machines, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 41-79, (with Keijzer, M)
- 2002, Modelling of Water Supply Assets: A Data Mining Approach, Urban Water, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 404-414 (with Drecourt, J.-P., Keijzer, M., and Hansen, P. F)
- 2001, Towards hydraulics of the hydroinformatics era, Journal of Hydraulic Research, Vol. 39, No 4, pp. 339-349 (with Abbott, M.B., and Cunge J.)
- 2001, Genetic Programming and Its Application in Real-Time Runoff Forecasting, Journal of American Water Resources Association, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 439-451 (with Khu, S.T. Liong, S.Y., Madsen, H., and Nuttil, N.)
- 2001, Neural networks as a routine for error correction of numerical models, ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, Vol. 127, No. 3, pp. 181-193 (with Jensen, H.R., Klinting, A.K. and Canizares, R.T.)
- 2000, Translating data to knowledge: A case study in sediment transport, Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Vol 15, No.1, pp. 1-7
- 2000, Genetic programming as a model induction engine, Journal of Hydroinformatics, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 35-60 (with Keijzer, M.)
- 1999, Hydroinfomatics: Forum Article, ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, Vol. 125. No 4, pp. 324-327
- 1997, The evolution of equation from hydraulic data, Part II: Applications, Journal of Hydraulic Research, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 411- 430, (with M.B. Abbott)
- 1997, The evolution of equation from hydraulic data, Part I: Theory, Journal of Hydraulic Research, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 397 – 410 (with M.B. Abbott)
Selected peer-reviewed conference contributions
- 2005, Computer-Aided Knowledge Discovery: A Case Study in Vegetation Induced Resistance Coefficient, in Proceedings of Asia Oceania Geosciences Society's 2nd Annual Meeting, Singapore (with Baptist, M. and Keijzer, M.)
- 2005, Chaos Theory in Data Assimilation, in in Proceedings of Asia Oceania Geosciences Society's 2nd Annual Meeting, Singapore (with Mynett, A.)
- 2005, Man against Machine: Experiments in Vegetation Induced Resistance, in Proceedings of the XXXI Congress of International Association for Hydraulic Research, Seoul, (with Baptist, M. and Mynett, A.)
- 2004, Data Assimilation Scheme for a Wave Forecast Model Using Ensemble Error Covariances, in Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Singapore
- 2004, Data Mining Technologies in the Sea Temperature Prediction, in Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Singapore
- 2002, Introducing Knowledge into Learning Based on Genetic Programming, in Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Cardiff, UK
- 2002, Data Assimilaton using local Models, in Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Cardiff, UK (with Fuhrman, D.)
- 2002, Hydrologic Forecasting with Chaotic Approach and Support Vector Machine, in Proceedings of the XIII IAHR-APD Congress (with Yu, X and Liong, S. Y.)
- 2001, An evolutionary approach to knowledge induction: Genetic programming in hydraulic engineering., in Phelps, D. and Sehlke, G. (Eds), Proceedings of the World Water and Environmental Resources Congress, volume 111, ASCE, 20-24 May 2001. with (Harington, Aguilera and Keijzer)
- 2001, Adaptive Logic Programming, in Proceedings of the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference GECCO 2001, San Francisco, July, 2001
- 2001, Ripple Crossover in Genetic Programming, in Proceedings of the European Genetic Programming Conference (with Keijzer, M., O’Neil, C., Ryan, C., and Catolico, M.,)
- 2000, Data Mining Approach to Pipe Burst Risk Assesment, in Savic, D., (ed.), CWS 2000 — Water Network Modelling for Optimal Design and Management (with Drecourt, J.-P.)
- 2000, Genetic Programming within a Framework of Computer-Aided Discovery of Scientific Knowledge, in Proceedings of the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference GECCO 2000,, Las Vegas, July, 2000
- 2000, Evolutionary algorithms approach to induction of differential equations, in Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Iowa City, USA (with Keijzer, M.)
- 2000, Optimal Embedding using Evolutionary Algorithms, in Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Iowa City, USA (with Keijzer, M., and Gustafsson, M.)
- 2000, From global to local modelling: A case study in error correction of deterministic models, in Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Iowa City, USA (with Keijzer, M., and Bundzel, M.)
- 2000, Real-Time Current Forecasts for Tunnel Element Towing in Øresund, Denmark, in Proceedings of the Øresund Link Immersed Tunnel Conference (with Jensen H. R. and Rasmussen, E.B.)
- 2000, Genetic programming and the bias/variance dilemma, in Proceedings of the European Genetic Programming Conference (with Keijzer, M.)
- 2000, Analysis of long term morphological changes – A data mining aproach , (with Jørgensen ,K., Elfrink, B., Keijzer, M.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Coastal Engineering, Australia
- 1999, Forecast of water levels in Venice lagoon based on chaos theory, Proceedings of the Modelli complessi e metodi computazionali intensivi per la stima e la previsione Conference, Venice, (with Keijzer, M.)
- 1999, Dimensionally aware genetic programming, Proceedings of the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference, in Banzhaf, W., Daida, J., Eiben, A. E., Garzon, M. H., Honavar, V., Jakiela, M., & Smith, R. E. (eds.). GECCO-99: Proceedings of the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference, July 13-17, 1999, Orlando, Florida, USA, Morgan Kaufmann, pp.1069-1076 (with Keijzer, M.)
- 1999, Data to knowledge — The new scientific paradigm, in Savic, D., Walters, G., (eds.), Water Industry Systems, Exeter, United Kingdom, pp. 3-14 (with Keijzer, M.)
- 1999, Computer supported knowledge discovery – A case study in flow resistance induced by vegetation, Proceedings of the XXVIII Congress of International Association for Hydraulic Research, Graz, (with Keijzer, M.)
- 1998, Mining sediment transport data with genetic programming, in Proceedings of the First International Conference on New Information Technologies for Decision Making in Civil Engineering, Montreal, Canada, pp. 875-886,
- 1998, A data mining approach to time series modelling and forecasting, in Proceeding of the Third International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 1998, Sediment transport data — Large knowledge mine, in Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Hydroscience and Engineering, Cottbus, Germany
- 1997, Generic environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures, in Proceedings of the MAFF conference (with A.G. Hooper)
- 1997, Intelligent agent based models as answer to challenges of ecological modelling, Proceedings of the XXVII Congress of International Association for Hydraulic Research, San Francisco
- 1997, An application of artificial neural networks in computational hydraulics, Proceedings of the XXVII Congress of International Association for Hydraulic Research, San Francisco (with N. Bartoli)
- 1997, On the Modelling and Forecasting of Non-linear Systems, in Refsgaard, J.C. and Karalis, E.A. (eds.), Operational Water Management, Balkema, Rotterdam, pp. 195-202
- 1996, Individual-based modelling of aquatic populations, in Müller, A., (ed.), Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Zürich, Switzerland, pp. 771- 778 (with J. Baretta)
- 1995, Data Mining for Hydroinformaticians, Proceedings of the Hydroinformatics Workshop, Wallingford, UK
- 1995, Genetic Model Induction Based on Experimental Data, Proceedings of the XXVI Congress of International Association for Hydraulic Research, Hydra 2000, London 1995
- 1994, Modelling Ecosystems with Intelligent Agents, in Proceedings of the First International Conference on Hydroinformatics, pp. 179-186 (with M.B. Abbott., L.K. Amdisen, J. Baretta. and J. Dørge)
- 1994, Use of Computational Adaptive Methodologies in Hydroinformatics, in Proceedings of the First International Conference on Hydroinformatics, pp. 201-210 (with A.W. Minns)
- 1994, Calibrating Hydrodynamic Models by Means of Simulated Evolution, in Proceedings of the First International Conference on Hydroinformatics, pp. 193-200 (L.C. Larsen and Z.Wu)
- 1991, Fault Diagnosis in Real-Time Operation of Sewer Systems, in Proceedings XXIV Congress IAHR, Madrid, pp. D403-D409 (with S. Lindberg and L.K. Amdisen)
Books
- 1996, Emergence, Evolution, Intelligence; Hydroinformatics, Balkema Publishers, Rotterdam
Proceedings
- 2004, Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Singapore, June 2004 (editor with Liong, S.Y., and Phoon, K.)
- 1998, Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 1998, Balkema Publishers, Rotterdam (editor with Larsen, Lars Chr.)
- 1994, Proceedings of the First International Conference on Hydroinformatics, Delft, The Netherlands, September 1994, Balkema Publishers, Rotterdam (editor with with Verwey A., Minns A.W., & Maksimovic C.)
- 2001, Data Assimilation and Error Prediction Using Local Models, D2K Technical Report 0401-2 (with Fuhrman, D.)
- 2001, Data Mining Based Runoff Forecasting, D2K Technical Report 0401-1 (with Bojkov, V.)
- 2000, Modelling or Water supply Assets: A Data Mining Approach, D2K Technical Report 1000-1 (with Drecourt, J.-P., Keijzer, M., and Hansen, P.F.)
- 2000, Error Correction in Venice Lagoon using Neural Networks, Support Vector Machines and Local Linear Models, D2K Technical Report 0500-1 (with Keijzer, M., and Bundzel, M.)
- 2000, Leakage Risk Assessment of Water Supply Network, D2K Technical Report 0400-2 (with Wu. Q. and Keijzer, M.)
- 2000, Multivariate Time Series Analysis of Chaotic Systems, D2K Technical Report 0400-1 (with Yu. X.)
- 2000, Reinforcement Learning Applied to Reservoir Operation, D2K Technical Report 0300-1 (with Morales, Y. and Hollenbaeck K.-J)
- 2000, Chaos Theory, Optimal Emebbding and Evolutionary Algorithms, D2K Rechnical Report 0100-1 (with Keijzer, M., and Gustafsson, M.)
- 1999, Seabed Recognition using Neural Networks, D2K Technical Report 0399-1 (with Gopakumar, R.)
- 1999, Analysis and Prediction of Chaotic Time Series, D2K Technical Report 0399-2 (with Rahman, M.)
- 1991, Applied Hydroinformatics: A control and advisory system for real-time applications, IHE Report Series 26, Delft, The Netherlands

