PEOPLE
The primary intent of this website is to introduce the viewer to the research I carry out on aeolian (wind) processes, and specifically, on sediment transport in arid, semi-arid and cold regions. The site includes an up-to-date list of recent research publications, as well as a brief overview of the Trent Environmental Wind Tunnel lab (TEWT). Colleagues and prospective graduate students are invited to toggle the Current Research page for a listing of ongoing projects which form the core of my research program. This program is funded by grants from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), and Trent University.
July 2019 (left to right) Taylor Brooks, Annie Ockelford (Brighton), Joanna Bullard (Loughborough), Patrick O'Brien, Cheryl McKenna Neuman, Stacey Johnston.
Microplastics Transport Research Teams
July 2024 (left to right) Annie Dowse (Loughborough), Joanna Bullard (Loughborough), Patrick O'Brien, Cheryl McKenna Neuman, Lucrecia Alvarez-Barrantes (Loughborough), Colette Preston, Brianna Townsend.
NOW RECRUITING
Graduate Student PositionS - Microplastics Transport
Description: Funding is available to support two MSc students in investigating the dynamics of microplastic particle transport in atmospheric boundary-layer flows. Students with undergraduate training in either engineering, meteorology, climatology, geoscience, or materials science are particularly encouraged to apply, either to the ENLS or AMOD graduate programs.
Start date: January 2025
Current Graduate Students
Colette Preston, MSc 2017, PhD (In progress, 2019 - )
RECENT Alumni
Christopher Schweighofer, MSc 2021. Investigation of the dynamics of particulate transport under varying climate conditions
Gianna Saarenvirta, MSc 2023. Laboratory wind tunnel experiment on dust generation during the saltation of aggregates formed from Owens Lake playa sediments
Tamar Richards-Thomas, MSc 2014 ( Alberta), PhD 2019. Icelandic dust entrainment, emission and deposition
Pradyumn Singh, MSc 2019. High performance computing adaptation of computational fluid dynamics simulation (OPENFOAM) to an augmented reality sandbox (ARS).
Bryn Magee, MSc 2019. Comparison of air and heat flow between a conventional and enhanced entranceway design
Colette Preston, MSc 2017. Wind tunnel and field comparison of the performance of three commercial products for suppressing PM10 emission from mine tailings
Damilare Ogungbemide, MSc 2010 ( Newcastle), PhD 2017. Wind tunnel simulation and modelling of dust emission from mine tailings (nepheline syenite)
ottO Bedard, MSc 2013. A study of aeolian impact ripples in sand beds of varied texture
Steve Sanderson, MSc 2013. An investigation into the mechanics of windblown dust entrainment from nickel slag
Stephen Sutton, MSc 2007, PhD 2012. Avalanching on aeolian sand dunes: initiation, sediment redistribution and classification
Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associates
Dr. Patrick O'Brien, PhD 2018 (Trent), Postdoctoral Fellow 2019-
Project Title: PTV analysis of saltation dynamics
Dr. Bailiang Li, PhD 2010 (Texas A&M), Postdoctoral Fellow 2011-2013
Project Title: Sediment feedback on boundary layer air flow
Present Position: Lecturer, Department of Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Dr. Mark Gordon, PhD 2007 (York), Postdoctoral Fellow 2008-2010
Project Title: 1) Comparison of the physics of blown sand and snow; 2) Wind tunnel/PTV investigation of silt entrainment into boundary layer flows
Present Position: Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University
Honours Theses
Stephen Kyle Landrum, 2024. Effect of texture on dust emission: A wind tunnel study of Nepheline Syenite mine tailings
Katrina Karl, 2021. Fall column investigation of the atmospheric settling velocity of polyester microfibers
Gianna Saarenvirta, 2021. Aggregation effects on dust generation in saline playa sediments
Stacey Johnston, 2020. Influence of ventifact target angle on saltation dynamics
Jessica Kehoe, 2018. Field and lab study of dust capture on vegetation
Helen Plesko, 2017. Analysis of particle flight characteristics across wet and frozen surfaces
Christina von Bulow, 2017. Effect of roughness element shape and orientation on morphodynamic adjustment of the surrounding flow structure: A wind tunnel experiment employing Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA)
Kayla Goguen, 2017. Relation between shear stress and bedload transport for the Magpie River, Northern Ontario
Colette Preston, 2015. The effectiveness of buckwheat in controlling dust emissions from tailings ponds
Emily Nield, 2014. PTV study of the effect of particle spin on saltation trajectories (joint major with physics)
Hanna North, 2014. Wind tunnel examination of the fetch effect upon the mass transport rate and boundary layer adjustment
Lindsay Garton, 2013. Plant hormone stress response to wind loading and sediment abrasion
Bryant Vance, 2012. Susceptibility of silt rich soil to wind erosion (Ganaraska forest, SW Ontario)
David Nash, 2010. Wind tunnel simulations examining the effects of shell content on beach deflation
Research Assistants
Brianna Townsend, 2024
Stephen Kyle Landrum, 2023
Gianna Saarenvirta, 2020 (NSERC USRA)
Stacey Johnston, 2019 (NSERC USRA)
Taylor Brooks, 2018-2020
Christina von Bulow, 2018
