Rachel C. Glade (CV)
Department Spotlight
Assistant Professor 
I’m broadly interested in self-organized patterns and how they can (or can’t!) provide insight into natural processes. A major thread of my research involves (slowly) learning how to make connections between geomorphology and soft matter + statistical physics in a variety of systems, including arctic hillslopes and fluvial sediment transport.

David Cúñez (website)
Research Scientist
PhD University of Campinas
Postdoc University of Rochester; RIT
I am highly motivated to understand how granular materials present in our daily lives play a role in industrial and geophysical applications. My research explores how the properties of individual grains such as shape, friction, and cohesion can govern bulk responses by bridging soft matter physics, geomorphology, and materials engineering. I approach these questions through a combination of experiments, numerical modeling, and theory.

Ren Collins
Outreach Coordinator
B.S. in Environmental Science
I am a recent environmental science graduate interested in paleoenvironments and their application to modern conservation. My current project is a digital storybook describing post-glacial geomorphology unique to Rochester and the Finger Lakes region. The goal of this project is to blend public education, engagement, and scholarship as part of a seed grant for UR’s transdisciplinary public humanities center.

Molly Maenner
PhD Student (co-advised by Tolulope Olugboji)
I am interested in using seismic techniques to study the near-surface environment. Most of my research so far has involved precipitation (such as water and snow) interaction with the crust and the effects it has on seismic wave frequencies and velocities.

Nacere Mohamed Samassi
PhD Student.
B.S. in Environmental Science; Geography, U Maryland
I have always been interested in Earth’s dynamic surface and its active processes, especially water and sediment flow. For my PhD I am studying the role of sediment cohesion in fluvial and gully dynamics.

JohnPaul Sleiman
Department Spotlight
PhD Student.
B.S. in Physics; Earth and Environmental Science, Furman U
I have always longed to learn about space and to understand the processes that shaped the Earth. For my PhD I am studying lobate patterns that form in arctic hillslopes on Earth and Mars.

Sarah Williams
Postdoctoral associate. PhD Vanderbilt.
I’m curious how we can use different perspectives to build our understanding of stochastic natural processes. My graduate work combined probabilistic theory adapted from gas mechanics and laboratory experiments to elucidate the mechanistic underpinnings of particle-scale diffusion on hillslopes and in bedload. One additional (and excitingly philosophical) outcome of these projects included demonstrating how such stochastic particle-scale behaviors introduce uncertainty across scales that our conventional formulations of transport can’t adequately capture. During my time with the DRIP lab, I aim to further delve into granular physics in an effort to better understand multi-scalar influences on sediment transport variability in a variety of settings.

Anshul Yadav
Postdoctoral Associate. PhD IIT Roorkee.
I am deeply interested in understanding how small-scale processes, such as grain-scale sediment transport, influence large-scale phenomena like river morphology and overall landscape evolution using a combination of laboratory experiments, field monitoring, and numerical modeling. During my Ph.D., I focused on grain-scale transport in gravel-bed rivers, employing painted tracers in gravel-bed rivers to estimate bed material transport and study the dispersive characteristics of sediment grains. At DRIP Lab, I aim to expand this research by investigating how grain shape affects dispersive characteristics, while also learning the numerical modeling of surface processes. The outcomes of this work will provide key insights into sediment transport, which is critical for developing accurate landscape evolution models and enhancing our understanding of Earth’s surface dynamics.

Cyrano de Bergerac (AKA Sir Nose D’VoidOfFunk)
Field Technician
I prefer a hands-on approach to geomorphology. My primary area of research focuses on the initiation and subsequent dynamics of granular avalanches and flows ranging from dry to saturated conditions (the muddier the better). I take a holistic approach, using all senses- especially taste and smell- to study material properties. I also dabble in ecology, and have developed a fondness for crunchy dried sticks and succulent spring flowers.