My research explores human interactions with the physical environment, both how humans shape Earth's surface, and how natural processes have shaped human habitation. I've looked at sediment storage changes in Grand Canyon due to dam management strategies, anthropogenic influences on stream morphology in Puerto Rico, and lead contaminated soils in Appleton due to exterior leaded paint. Most recently I've started using UAVs (aka drones), GPS, and GIS to map changes in Earth's surface such as changes in land cover, crop phenology, and rates of bluff retreat.
Another field of interest is creating scale models that can be used to study earth surface processes and to allow us to visualize things we cannot ordinarily see. In the "flume room" we have physical models to explore river flow dynamics, sediment transport, and hill slope processes. By using a laser and high-speed camera as well as an acoustic doppler velocity meter we can visualize the flow of water over a sediment bed. We use an augmented reality sandbox to assist in interpretation of topographic maps. The flume is where we mix creativity and technology in order to study earth processes phenomena in a new way.
