Graduate Opportunities in Physical Geography

Research Interests
Fluvial geomorphology, sediment transport

Current Research
I have active, NSERC-funded, fluvial geomorphology research projects on:
- gravel-bed river morpho-dynamics, sediment transport and sedimentology, including braided rivers
- historical response of rivers to urbanization, and dynamics of urbanized rivers; especially in Toronto and region
- river restoration, sustainability and socio-geomorphic systems

Projects can be designed for both Masters and PhD theses. The research involves physical model experiments in the large river-modeling flume at Western, and field work in the Canadian Rockies and southern Ontario. Current collaborations involve researchers at University of Calgary, Utah State University and colleagues in France, Italy and U.K.

Teaching Interests
Physical Geography; Geomorphology & Hydrology; Geomorphology of River Channels

Research Interests
Watersheds, forests, hydrology, biochemistry, GIS and remote sensing

Current Research
I am looking for highly motivated Masters and PhD students looking for opportunities in remote sensing and GIS spatial analysis with an interest is natural land and water systems. My work focuses on understanding the hydrological and biogeochemical links between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems under both natural and disturbed conditions across multiples research sites in Canada and abroad. Candidates will have access to well-equipped chemistry and computer labs with up-to-date remote sensing and GIS software, and to extensive spatial datasets including field data and large volumes of radar and optical satellite imagery. Candidates should be willing to travel for field work.

Research Interests
Paleolimnology, climate change, paleoecology, quaternary environments, water quantity and quality, limnology

Current Research
My research is focused on using records of water quality and quantity preserved in lake sediments to determine past climate change and its impacts. I recently established the Lakes and Reservoirs Systems Research Facility at the University of Western Ontario, which is a state-of-the-art facility for paleolimnological research. Much of my research has focused on northern and alpine areas, but I am presently starting a new project in southern Ontario, which is focused on looking at the impacts of climate and landscape change on lake systems. I am looking for 1-2 graduate students to work on this project.

Teaching Interests
Paleolimnology and Global Environmental Change; Paleolimnology (Graduate)

Research Interests
Hydrology and geomorphology

Current Research
Environmental monitoring requires strategic and adaption if it is to provide useful, affordable data for environmental management. My research focuses on integrating contemporary hydrological monitoring technologies into appropriate spatial and temporal measurement schemes. A particular interest is in the use of inexpensive surrogate monitoring techniques that efficiently highlight particular sites and times of contamination. This work is undertaken in an urban-rural setting as well as on green rood installations. Work is also continuing on the hydrology and geomorphology of maximal glacial conditions. Most of our understanding of glaciers is based on receding or residual ice masses that lack the dynamics of advanced glaciers. Equilibrium mass balance modeling indicates that water erosion is likely to far exceed ice erosion through much of the glacier regime. Glacier ice regulates the effect of water erosion through pressurization of basal water flow and variation in the base level of tributary valleys.

Research Interests
Urban climatology

Current Research
The overall objective of my research is to better understand urban thermal anisotropy (the directional variation in remotely observed surface temperature over urban areas) and develop models that will allow correction for thermal anisotropy at a range of scales for urban areas. The outcomes of this work are important to our ability to provide representative urban surface temperatures. These temperatures are a key variable to the air temperature of cities, heat loading on urban residents, energy use by buildings, providing input to weather forecast and pollutant dispersion models and for assessing urban heat mitigation strategies such as cool surfaces.

I am seeking interested graduate students with backgrounds in one or more of: micro or boundary layer meteorology/climatology (vegetated or urban areas), remote sensing (especially thermal remote sensing and/or remote sensing of vegetation in urban areas), computer science, or engineering who are interested in measurement, modeling or applications of urban surface temperature.

Possible thesis topics include:
- observations of urban thermal anisotrophy over vegetated urban areas;
- evaluation of models of urban thermal anisotropy;
- development of urban energy balance models that include vegetation for use in predicting urban thermal
  anisotropy;
- assessment of urban thermal anisotropy from satellite observations;
- development of parameterizations of urban thermal anisotropy;
- links between urban thermal anisotropy and assessment of the urban surface heat island;
- the use of thermal remote sensing to estimate urban sensible heat flux

Teaching Interests
Physical Geography; Weather and Climate; Micrometeorology

Research Interests
Remote sensing and GIS

Current Research
My research interests are in remote sensing. Current projects include: a) 2D and 3D urban feature extraction from high resolution optical and LiDAR remote sensing images and its applications in hazard studies; b) Development of object-based classification algorithms for man-made and natural feature extraction; c) Polarimetry SAR data analysis for land use and land cover mapping and feature extraction; d) Hyperspectral data analysis for urban and wetland vegetation change detection and applications; Remote sensing applications in urban, mountainous and wetland areas.

Teaching Interests
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS); Remote Sensing; Advanced Topics in Remote Sensing; Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (Graduate); Remote Sensing Digital Image Analysis (Graduate)