Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology Group
Prof. Kaminski’s research focuses on stratified geophysical and environmental flows, such as those in the ocean and atmosphere. In particular, she is interested in waves and instabilities in stratified flows, and how these flows transition to turbulence and mix the background state. She uses a range of approaches to study these problems, including numerical simulations, theory, and observations from the upper ocean. More info can be found at her website.
Professor Gerlein-Safdi’s research focuses on ecohydrology and the connections between the water and the carbon cycles in natural ecosystems. Current projects include leveraging new remote sensing techniques to map out wetlands for methane emissions modeling, effects of climate warming on fog water use by vegetation along the California coast, and the development of new methods related to solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence to understand the link between water availability and photosynthesis. Website.
Variano studies flow at interfaces, which often creates or is responding to turbulence. The turbulence can have strong effects on transport of environmentally relevant substances, both at an interface and far from it. Applications include the base of the aquatic food chain, gas exchange between water and atmosphere, and sediment transport. Laboratory methods allow us to calibrate numerical and theoretical models, and field work keeps our perspective accurate.
Professor Chow is the Fred and Claire Sauer Chancellor’s Chair Professor in Environmental Engineering. Her research uses fluid mechanics to address wind energy, air pollution, weather and regional climate prediction, methane emissions, wildfire smoke transport, urban dispersion, clouds, large-eddy simulation, turbulence modeling, atmospheric boundary layer flow, and flow over complex terrain. More information can be found at her website.
Professor Stacey’s academic activities focus on coastal climate change and adaptation. His research emphasizes the interaction of environmental and anthropogenic processes in coastal regions, where he uses a range of methods (numerical, observational, theoretical) to quantify and understand interdependencies in the system. Recent work has highlighted how shoreline policies and projects interact with environmental processes, leading to regional change.
Professor Stacey teaches courses focusing on climate change adaptation broadly (undergraduate), climate resilient infrastructure (graduate), and environmental fluid mechanics (undergraduate and graduate).