Role My current work focuses on the measurement and parameterization of flocculated suspended sediments in muddy estuarine and coastal environments as part of the NERC funded FLOCSAM project. Project partners include the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL), Liverpool.
The primary goal is the modification / development of acoustic backscatter (ABS) algorithms that can cater for the differences in acoustic backscatter between non-cohesive (non-porous) and flocculated particles. The work is split between laboratory studies (UEA), theoretical development (POL) and fieldwork undertaken by the University of Plymouth in the Tamar estuary, Devon, UK over three tidal cycles.
The fieldwork component included novel, in-situ measurements of flocs using INSSEV (In-situ Settling Velocimeter) and LabSFLOC techniques. Acoustic data were collected using 6 multi-frequency ABS units. Optical methods include 6 spatially-distributed optical backscatter units and a LISST-100. This data was augmented by physical sampling of suspended sediments at multiple heights. Hydrodynamic information included ADCP profiles and 3 x 64Hz 3D ADV measurements, which also provide acosutic scattering data.
Qualifications & background May - July 2011- Visiting Researcher, HR Wallingford Ltd, as part of the Higher Education & Innovation Fund (HEIF) funded assessment of settling velocity parameterisations of cohesive sediments. May 2009 - present- Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Coastal Processes Research Group, School of Marine Science and Engineering, University of Plymouth, UK.
NERC funded FLOCSAM project on the paramterization of suspended flocculated particles for the development fo acoustic backscatter algorthms (see 'Current Role' section), and investigation of hydrodynamic linkages.
July 2007 - April 2009- Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Canada.
NSERC funded project, in conjunction with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources: "Optimization of novel pheromone-based techniques for eradicating the invasive round goby (Neogobius
melanostomus) via the examination of
bed roughness effects on 3D scalar dispersion."
Oct 2005 - June 2007- Fluvial Geomorphologist, Parish Geomorphic Ltd., Ontario, Canada.
Oct 2001 - Sept 2005- PhD student, School of Geography University of Leeds and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK. "Three-dimensional turbulence structure around in-stream macrophytes in river channels."
Sept 1999 - Sept 2001- MSc (res), Dept. of Geography, York University, Toronto, Canada.
"Bedform morphology and turbuence structure across the ripple-dune tansition: an experiment under mobile bed conditions."
Oct 1996 - June 1999- BSC (Hons) Geography, 1st Class, Dept. of Geography, University of Durham, UK.
Dissertation: "Evolution of supra-glacial channels on Kokbreen glacier over the melt season, Svalbard,Norwegian High Arctic." Awarded Robin Mills Prize for Geomorphology.
Professional membership Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
Challenger Society for Marine Science
British Sedimentological Research Group
British Society for Geomorphology
Teaching interests
Sessional Lecturship (Canadian Geomorphology and Processes), Dept. of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto (2009-10). Declined due to other commitments.
Teaching
Demonstrator, School of Geography, University of Leeds (2001 –2005).
Teaching
Assistant, Department of Geography, York University (1999 – 2001).
MSc Tutor, Geophysics and Physical Oceanography (GLY 5103), University of Plymouth (2009- )
Research interests My primary research interests
centre around the flow properties of turbulent boundary layers. My
research can be divided into three areas.
1) The relationship
between turbulence and sediment transport, with particular emphasis on
a) bedform evolution in sand-dominated channels and b) the suspension
and modification of particles in environments dominated by cohesive
sediments.
2) The role of in-stream macrophytes in the modfication of 3D turbulence structure.
3) Near-field dispersion in fluvial and near-shore lake environments over rough boundaries.
In
addition, I am interested in the development of measurement of
techniques including acoustic (ABS, ADV) and particle imaging (PIV)
techniques for the quantification of turbulence and sediment suspensions,
and the development of signal processing techniques.
UoP Research group membership
Centre for Coastal and Ocean Science and Engineering (CCOSE) Marine Physics Research Group
Grants & contracts Higher Education & Innovation Fund (HEIF) funded collaboration with HR Wallingford Ltd. for the development and testing of new model routines for the estimation of settling fluxes in cohesive-dominated flow environments (£10,331; May-July 2011).
Named post-doctoral research fellow & co-author of COHBED, a NERC-funded Standard Grant aimed at investigating the influence of mixed cohesive and non-cohesive sdiments on bedforms and suspended sediment transport in near-shore waters ($220,000; project start date Dec 2011).
Conferences organised Organising Committee, British
Sedimentological Research Group Annual General Meeting, University of Leeds, UK
(December 2003).
Event
coordinator, British Hydrological Society Postgraduate Symposium, University of Leeds, (May 2003).
Links Marine Physics Research Group, University fo Plymouth:
