Undergraduate student studying how reed canary grass contributes to streambank erosion

Aerospace engineering major is combining his passion for the outdoors and engineering

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (06/23/2025) — Through a passion for the outdoors and a lucky research opportunity, University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering undergraduate student Justin Bunting is bridging environmental science and engineering in an unexpected way.

Alongside his aerospace engineering and mechanics faculty advisor, Associate Professor Melissa Green, Bunting is using the study of fluid mechanics to investigate how reed canary grass, an aggressive invasive species native to Minnesota, contributes to streambank erosion. 

“The more I delved into it, the more I thought that this could actually be something really interesting,” said Bunting, an aerospace engineering major.

The core of the research involves modeling a streambank in a controlled lab setting in partnership with the University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL). They are using simulated vegetation to understand how the presence—or absence—of reed canary grass alters water flow and erosion patterns. With funding help from the George Oswald Research Scholarship, the team was able to bring the design to life.

 “We don’t want natural stream mechanics altered by an invasive [plant species],” he said. “Protecting these systems matters.”

This research could have significant environmental impact. Reed canary grass is spreading rapidly across North America, aided by waterborne transmission and human activity. Understanding how it interacts with stream systems could inform better conservation practices and erosion control strategies.

“I never expected my aerospace degree would put me on a project like this, but it ended up being the perfect blend,” Bunting said.

Read more about this research on the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanic’s website.