Seminars

Dr. Michelle Driscoll is an Associate Professor and soft condensed matter experimentalist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Northwestern University.

Abstract: Why does ketchup flow better when you whack the bottle?  Why is oobleck able to transform from a flowing liquid to a solid when you squeeze it?  Complex fluids, such as ketchup and oobleck, have mesoscale structure on the scale of tens of microns, and it is local changes to this structure which lead to dramatic changes in flow properties.  In my lab, we try to understand these materials using free-surface flows such as drop impact and sheet breakup.  We use high speed imaging, and work with model systems to gain new insight into complex behavior such as solidification under stress.  In this talk, I will discuss how I have used this approach to unde stand both dynamical behavior as well to reveal the in-situ microstructure of these materials.  I will discuss two classes of complex fluids, yield stress fluids and shear-thickening fluids, and demonstrate how our measurements offer a new window into the transient behavior of these materials under high stress.

About: Professor Driscoll is a soft condensed matter experimentalist, and her research lies at the junction between soft-matter physics and fluid dynamics. The Driscoll lab focuses on understanding how structure and patterns emerge in a driven system, and how to use this structure formation as a new way to probe nonequillibrium systems. The lab studies emergent structures in a diverse array of driven systems, from the microscopic to larger-scale. By developing a deeper understanding of patterns and structures which emerge dynamically in a driven material, we can learn not only how these structures can be controlled, but also how to use them to connect macroscopic behavior to microscopic properties.  Before coming to Northwestern, Prof. Driscoll was a postdoctoral associate at New York University, working with Paul Chaikin in the Center for Soft Matter Research. She completed her PhD in 2014 with Sid Nagel at the University of Chicago.

About the Lorenz G. Straub Award: Established under the Lorenz G. Straub Memorial Fund, this award is given for the most meritorious thesis in hydraulic engineering, ecohydraulics, or related fields. The competition is international, and nominations may be made by any recognized civil and environmental engineering program in the world. Recipients are presented with a Straub Award medal and a monetary gift. Learn more about this award here.

Winner of the Straub Award: Dr. Einara Zahn

Abstact: From Simulations to Real Forests: Understanding Water and Carbon Fluxes in Nature; In this talk, I will explore the partitioning of two key components in the water and carbon cycles -- evapotranspiration (ET) and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) -- which are essential to the functioning of forests and other natural ecosystems. Specifically, I will investigate methods for separating ET and NEE into their soil-based (evaporation and respiration) and plant-based (transpiration and photosynthesis) components. Using advanced simulations called large eddy simulations, I will demonstrate how we can recreate real-world environments to study how turbulence transports CO2 and water vapor between soil and plants. By numerically investigating this transport, we can develop and test partitioning methods that could later be applied in real field experiments. These insights help refine flux quantification, enhancing our ability to predict and understand ecosystem processes. Ultimately, this research supports future studies aimed at understanding how plants respond to various environmental changes, such as increased temperature and CO2 levels, also contributing to more accurate representations of natural ecosystems in climate models.

About the winner: I am a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University working in the Thermofluids of Urban and Natural Environments Lab with Prof. Elie Bou-Zeid, where I also got my PhD in 2023. My research in the lab has centered on the transport of water vapor, CO2 , and temperature in natural and urban environments. My previous projects focused on improving flux quantification, including novel methods to partition total ecosystem fluxes of CO2  and water vapor into ground and plant contributions, as well as on investigating flux parameterization methods based on the Monin-Obukhov Similarity theory. As a postdoctoral researcher I investigate physical processes within urban canopy models with the goal of improving parameterization for more accurate weather prediction in cities. My research interests include land-atmosphere interactions and atmospheric turbulence, urban microclimate, and hydrometeorology. In addition to field measurements, my work incorporates numerical simulations across different scales using large-eddy simulations and weather prediction models.

About the Heinz G. Stefan Fellowship: This award is given to a University of Minnesota student pursuing graduate studies in later resources engineering who is studying at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory. Special consideration is given to students involved in environmental hydraulics. Learn more about this award here.

Winner of the Heinz G. Stefan Fellowship: Yuan Li (Advisor: Dr. Judy Yang)

Abstract: Removal of harmful algal cells through clay-algae flocculation;
Cyanobacterial blooms produce toxins that contaminate drinking water and harm aquatic ecosystems. Clay dispersal, a method that flocculates algal cells with clay particles, has been used successfully in East Asia for over 30 years to mitigate blooms but remains untested in Minnesota. This research proposes adapting clay flocculation for local lakes, leveraging preliminary data showing high removal efficiency with laponite clay. To optimize the process, an in-situ visualization system will analyze floc structure and size dynamics during aggregation. The study will also investigate how turbulence influences clay-cell floc formation, a critical factor for real-world application in Minnesota’s variable water conditions. By bridging lab-scale findings with field-relevant turbulence regimes, this work aims to develop a scalable, eco- friendly bloom control strategy. The outcomes could provide Minnesota with a cost-effective, chemically benign solution to cyanobacterial blooms, reducing reliance on algaecides and protecting water quality. This research aligns with global efforts to combat HABs while addressing region-specific challenges in freshwater systems.

About the winner: I am a Ph.D. student in Civil Engineering at the University of Minnesota, working under the guidance of Prof. Judy Yang. Prior to my doctoral studies, I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Petroleum Engineering from the China University of Petroleum (Qingdao, China). My research focuses on clay-based technologies to control and mitigate Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), a critical environmental challenge affecting water quality and ecosystem health. By investigating the interactions between clay particles and algal cells, I aim to develop efficient, eco-friendly strategies for HAB removal that minimize ecological disruption while maximizing scalability for real-world applications.

About the Charles C.S. Song Fellowship:  Established in honor of Professor Charles C.S. Song by a generous group of former graduate students, this fellowship provides monetary support for graduate students at SAFL, particularly for international students.  Learn more about this award here.

Winner of the Charles C.S. Song Fellowship: Anup Vaman Barve (Advisor: Dr. Lian Shen)

Abstract: Demystifying Fog; Fog consists of suspended water droplets or ice crystals near the Earth's surface, reducing near-surface visibility to less than 1 km. Unlike clouds, which form at higher altitudes, fog develops near the surface and is influenced by a complex interplay of dynamic, microphysical, thermodynamic, and surface processes that regulate moisture within the atmospheric boundary layer. These processes govern the formation, evolution, and dissipation of fog, collectively known as the life cycle of fog. Marine fog is a multiscale phenomenon, with length scales spanning several orders of magnitude,  reaching a ratio on the order of 10¹³. Its formation and development are influenced not only by large-scale (synoptic and mesoscale) weather systems but also by intricate small-scale interactions, including microphysical processes and aerosol behavior. Large-eddy simulation (LES) is a powerful tool for capturing small-scale processes such as turbulence, microphysics, and radiation. However, it typically does not account for or poorly represents large-scale dynamics (LSD). To address this limitation, we modify the LES governing equations by introducing additional terms that incorporate LSD effects. Furthermore, we employ both, Lagrangian cloud modeling (LCM) and a bulk cloud modeling approach to analyze the microphysical processes governing fog formation. This combined methodology is applied to simulate advection fog and stratus-lowering fog observed during the Fog and Turbulence Interactions in the Marine Atmosphere (FATIMA) MURI campaign, providing deeper insights into fog dynamics and interactions.

About the winner: I am a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, working under the guidance of Prof. Lian Shen. I also hold an M. Tech degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Madras, India. My research focuses on studying atmospheric boundary layer processes using large-eddy simulation, with a particular emphasis on cloud and fog dynamics. I am especially interested in understanding the physical mechanisms governing these phenomena and improving numerical modeling approaches to better capture their behavior. In my free time, I enjoy playing volleyball and cricket, and I also love exploring new places.

Dr. Baylor is currently a Professor of Physics and recently completed a 4-year term as Chair of Physics and Astronomy at Carleton College

Abstract: When I’ve asked potential physics majors to reflect on what it takes to be a physicist, their responses essentially write themselves out of the identity that they seem to be striving for. Their narrow definition of what it takes to be a physicist can lead students to feel as if they don’t belong. To help broaden students’ definition of who a physicist is so that they can see themselves in the field now, I have been developing the Practicing Professionalism Framework for my courses. This Framework not only helps me help students understand the course content, structures, and skills better, but it also helps motivate in a natural and compelling way that being a physicist is broader than what they assume. Although I will present this framework, its implementation and its impact on students in a physics context, throughout the talk I will help the audience consider how it can be expanded beyond physics to other STEM disciplines.

About: Dr. Baylor is originally from Columbia, Maryland. She completed her BA in physics at Kenyon College, OH in 1998. That said, she has more undergraduate credits in Chinese and studied abroad at Nanjing University. After Kenyon, Dr. Baylor spent 2 years teaching middle and high school physics and astronomy at the Maret School in Washington, DC. Then she spent 2 years at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as an optical engineer designing telescopes to study the aurora on Jupiter and optical test beds to study MEMs mirrors and shutters for use in the Near Infrared Spectrometer in the James Webb Space Telescope. She completed her PhD in physics in 2007 at the University of Colorado at Boulder where her thesis was "Analog Optoelectronic Independent Component Analysis for Radio Frequency Signals". She was funded through the NSF IGERT Program. As part of that funding, she was able to do an internship for Hans Laser in Shenzhen China working with high power lasers for engraving applications. After completing her PhD, Dr. Baylor took a year off and was a visiting professor at Carleton College for 7 months and vacationed for 4 months (traveled to China, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, went whitewater rafting, etc.). She did a 2-year postdoc in the Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering department at University of Colorado at Boulder where she collaborated with the Chemical and Biological Engineering department to make integrated optofluidic devices in photosensitive polymers. Dr. Baylor is currently a Professor of Physics and recently completed a 4-year stint as Chair of Physics and Astronomy at Carleton College. She was awarded an APS Innovation Fund grant in 2021 to develop the APS EDI Fellows Program to support physics educators who want to address EDI issues in their classrooms, but do not feel prepared to do so. She served as a member of the APS Committee on Education from 2019-2021, serving as chair during 2020. Currently, Dr. Baylor is a member of APS Panel on Public Affairs (POPA). She is an avid whitewater rafter having rafted across the US and in Italy, Scotland, and India. She builds a LEGO kit with her husband each Christmas. This past Christmas they spent 3 days  building the Titanic! She adores her husband Bryan and cat Juliet.

Dr. Maša Prodanović is Frank W. Jessen Professor and Associate Department Chair in Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin.

Abstract: Foams are dispersions of gas bubbles within a liquid. They often generate in porous and fractured media during co-injection of gas and liquid in the presence of surfactants that stabilize foam bubbles. Since foam viscosity is much higher than the constituent gas and liquid phases, they are used for diverting fluid to less permeable subsurface formations in applications such as enhanced oil recovery or carbon dioxide storage. Pore geometry, thermodynamic conditions, molecular structure and behavior of stabilizing agents such as surfactants or nanoparticles near fluid/fluid or fluid/solid interfaces are some important factors affecting stability and regeneration of foam during its transport in porous media. The transport behavior of foam at pore scale in the porous media has thus far been mostly studied using micromodels (i.e. experimentally) and pore-scale numerical models have lagged behind. The work I will present is mostly developed by PhD student Xuesong (Cedar) Ma as well as Bernard Chang in my research group. We have developed and validated a new 2D and 3D model for foam propagation that incorporates fundamental mechanisms within the detailed geometry of a porous medium. The foam propagation is modeled using a lattice Boltzmann model that couples the momentum equation for liquid flow and the advection-diffusion equation for gas diffusion. To our knowledge, this is the first model with the foam flow driven by pressure gradient in a fractured / porous medium, gas diffusion through liquid phase and the interface changes as a result due to both of those mechanisms at pore scale. The model is validated against microfluidic experiments from the literature. We quantify, for the first time, detailed pressure and velocity spatial changes that lead to foam bubbles splitting or wiggling while moving through the complex pore scale geometry. Depending on the injection conditions, we correctly capture foam bubble wiggling or splitting (into multiple bubbles) through pore throats. We describe individual bubble behavior in parametric space and ultimately derive foam rheology in porous media from the first principles. The foam apparent viscosity is inversely related to the capillary number and we fit the data to a power law. Some results we will show are published , and some are very recent (publication is in
review).

About: Maša Prodanović is Frank W. Jessen Professor and Associate Department Chair in Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin. She has expertise in direct simulation of flow and particulate transport in porous and fractured media, porous media characterization especially based on 2D and 3D images of rock microstructure, unconventional resources and data curation. Notably, she manages open data repository Digital Rocks Portal (https://www.digitalrocksportal.org/).  She is a recipient of multiple awards such as SPE Regional Data Science and Engineering Analytics Award in 2024, InterPore Medal for Porous Media Research in 2022, SPE Distinguished Member Award in 2021 and EAGE Alfred Wegener Award in 2021 among others. Most recently, she was elected Interpore Society Council member, SIAM Geosciences Program Director 2021-22,  SIAM Geosciences Chair 2023-24 and Gordon Conference on Flow and Transport in Permeable Media Co-Chair 2024-26.

Dr. Virginia Smith is an Associate Professor of Water Resources in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Villanova University

Abstract: Rivers and their adjacent floodplains play a critical role in shaping landscapes and have historically been the center of human civilization, but their dynamic nature poses signifcant challenges for societies. Effective planning and management depend on a profound understanding of long-term geomorphological behavior on centennial or millennial timescales. River hydrographs, which both describe hydrologic regimes and play a critical role in Earth surface processes, are typically based on limited recorded discharge series that span only a few decades, making it difficult to simulate river dynamics over longer timescales. The absence of robust methodologies for generating representative long-term hydrographs is a fundamental challenge for understanding the impact of climate on river dynamics. Further, geomorphologic processes within fluvial systems result from complex interactions among hydrologic regimes, bed materials, topography, land cover, and basin properties. While physics-based models provide a robust framework for reach-scale simulations, their high computational demands limit simulation length and spatial accuracy. In response to these challenges, this study presents 1) a novel approach for constructing multi-century hydrographs that conserve the statistical and stochastic characteristics of observed data, and 2) new techniques to enhance computational efficiency, leveraging deep learning to capture complex hydrodynamics and morphodynamic processes. These advancements enable rapid, continuous spatiotemporal predictions of water depth, flow velocity, and bed change responses to flood events. Ultimately, this creates a powerful geomorphological framework that represents a paradigm shift in long-term hydrologic and morphological modeling, paving the way for forecasting river and floodplain responses to climate change over multi-century timescales.

About: Dr. Smith is an Associate Professor of Water Resources in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Villanova University. Her research has focused on fluvial morphology, urban hydrology, and sediment transport dynamics, leveraging tools including physics-based computational models, artificial intelligence, and remote sensing. Dr. Smith has overseen and worked on a diverse collection of water and natural resource projects across the US and around the world, including projects in Asia, Africa, the South Pacific, and Afghanistan, and is a participant in the National Academy of Sciences’ Frontiers Program. She has leveraged her experiences in her research to work across disciplines to address major challenges facing the management of surface water. She received her PhD in Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin (UT), and she received a master’s and bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering from UT and Georgia Institute of Technology. She is the winner the of the Early Career Award from the University Council on Water Resources (2020), the Villanova College of Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award (2021), the ASCE Excellence in Engineering Education Award (2021), the Meyer Award for Innovation (2023), and the Villanova University Award for Meritorious Teaching and Mentorship (2024).

Dr. Kamini Singha is a University Distinguished Professor and the Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Affairs Earth and Society Programs at the Colorado School of Mines

Abstract: “Non-local” mathematics—which describe longer-range dependencies in time or space than classical, local mathematics—are important in a broad range of scientific disciplines. In groundwater hydrology, for example, one prediction challenge described by non-local mathematics is “anomalous” solute-transport behavior, defined by characteristics such as concentration rebound, solute retention, early solute breakthrough, and long breakthrough tailing. These behaviors lead to consequences like poor 1) pump-and-treat efficiency, 2) descriptions of mixing or spreading, and 3) prediction of biogeochemical storage, release, and transformation processes. These phenomena have been observed in diverse geologic settings. Observational challenges and the complexity of subsurface systems lead to severe prediction challenges with standard measurement techniques. Here, I explore the role of electrical geophysics in determine parameters controlling anomalous solute transport behavior and its applications in a variety of hydrologic settings.

About: Dr. Kamini Singha is a University Distinguished Professor and the Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Affairs Earth and Society Programs at the Colorado School of Mines. Her research interests are focused on groundwater hydrology and hydrogeophysics. Dr. Singha is an award-winning teacher, the recipient of numerous awards including a Fulbright, and is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America. She served as the U.S. National Groundwater Association's Darcy Lecturer in 2017 and was the AGU Witherspoon Lecturer in 2022. She earned her B.S. in geophysics from the University of Connecticut and her Ph.D., in hydrogeology, from Stanford University.

Dr. Mohammad Rahman is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Abstract: Urbanization and climate change are profoundly altering our landscapes, intensifying urban heat islands, increasing flash flood risks, and exacerbating air pollution. Urban greening,
particularly tree planting, has emerged as a key strategy to mitigate these challenges. However, uncertainty persists regarding the optimal composition, configuration, and species selection of urban forests for maximizing ecosystem services. This seminar synthesizes empirical studies and global meta-analyses to explore how greenspaces optimize cooling benefits while balancing synergies and trade-offs with other ecosystem services, such as runoff reduction, under varying climatic conditions at local and city scales. Empirical studies conducted in Würzburg, Germany (2018–2020) revealed a stark increase in extreme heat with higher impervious surface cover, including nine days above the critical wet-bulb globe temperature of 35°C in treeless city centers compared to none in suburban sites with tree cover. Microscale analyses of two contrasting tree species Tilia cordata and Robinia pseudoacacia in Munich demonstrated that shading was the primary cooling mechanism, particularly under high atmospheric aridity. Further investigations in Munich (temperate climate) and Beer Sheva, Israel (arid climate) analyzed sensible and latent heat fluxes under tree shades across varying urban settings. Findings showed that transpirational cooling was limited in arid climates due to higher tree hydraulic resistance, even with irrigation. A global meta-analysis corroborated these findings, showing that transpiration- induced cooling is more pronounced in temperate and oceanic climates with lower soil aridity. In temperate climates with adequate soil moisture, lighter-shaded tree canopies enhanced grass evapotranspiration, suggesting dense canopies are preferable over built surfaces, while lighter canopies are better suited for grassed areas. Another meta-analysis revealed functional trade offs in rainfall partitioning: conifers offered superior annual interception and transpiration, while broadleaved species enhanced infiltration. LiDAR-based studies also demonstrated that mult layered vegetation amplifies cooling benefits over single-layered vegetation. This seminar derscores the critical role of enhancing vegetation complexity—both horizontal and vertical—in opt mizing shading and transpirational cooling across varying climatic conditions while simultaneously supporting other benefits. However, trade-offs exist, such as between carbon gain and transpiration or tree density and wind flow, this seminar highlights the need for integrative urban design strategies to balance ecosystem services effectively.

About: Dr. Mohammad Rahman holds a PhD in Plant Sciences from the University of Manchester, UK, and subsequently held a Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. Leading nine national and international projects, his research primarily focuses on optimizing ecosystem services, particularly cooling, runoff reduction, and carbon sequestration, in urban environments. Additionally, he actively investigates effective strategies for planning, establishing, and managing urban greenspaces. His research has made substantial contributions to enhancing urban livability, promoting environmental sustainability, and fostering community engagement, particularly in the context of climate change.

Dr. Katherine B. Lininger is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Colorado Boulder. 

Abstract: Rivers and floodplains influence the global carbon cycle by acting as sites of carbon transport, transformation, and storage. In this seminar, I present two examples highlighting how ecogeomorphic processes control the spatial distribution of organic carbon (OC) in river corridors (channels and floodplains). I focus on OC in the form of downed large wood and sediment-associated OC. First, I present results from field-based studies and physical experiments that shed light on floodplain wood and organic matter dynamics. Floodplain wood influences floodplain hydraulics, patterns of sedimentation, OC storage, and habitat for biota. However, we lack understanding of how geomorphic and riparian forest characteristics influence wood transport, deposition, and storage on floodplains. Our field data from the Colorado Front Range demonstrate that reach-scale slope, forest stand characteristics, and watershed disturbance history influence the amount of wood and organic matter stored. Using the field sites as prototypes, we conducted physical experiments to assess how variations in flood magnitude, forest stand density, and the amount of wood in transport influence floodplain wood deposition. My second example of ecogeomorphic controls on OC partitioning in river corridors demonstrates that beaver promote high sediment-associated OC accretion rates within the river corridor. Beaver enhance physical complexity, channel-floodplain connectivity, sedimentation, and OC storage, but we have limited data on sedimentation and OC accrual rates. We coupled field surveys of beaver ponds with historical aerial imagery and radiometric dating to determine sedimentation and OC accrual rates at multiple sites in Colorado, finding that the valley context influences these rates. The examples presented in this seminar highlight that physical processes and the geomorphic template modify OC fluxes and storage. This work informs efforts to constrain carbon budgets and contributes important information to support river restoration efforts aimed at increasing carbon storage on the landscape.

About: As a fluvial geomorphologist in the Department of Geography at the University of Colorado Boulder, Dr. Lininger's research focuses on the interactions between geomorphic and ecological processes in rivers and floodplains. She is particularly interested in the influence of geomorphic processes on the flux and storage of organic carbon, the interactions between downed wood, vegetation, and geomorphic processes, geomorphic response to disturbance, and floodplain dynamics. Katherine completed her PhD in the Department of Geosciences at Colorado State University in 2018 and her masters in Geography at the University of Texas at Austin in 2013. Prior to graduate school, she also worked as a research assistant at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a science-based advocacy group.

Join us!

Join us in celebrating our Fall 2024 Student Award Winners! Our Dec. 3rd ceremony will honor the winners of the Roger E.A. Arndt Fellowship, the Edward Silberman Fellowship, and the Alvin G. Anderson Award. The program will include short presentations by student winners, remarks from their faculty advisors, and a delicious reception. 

About the awards:

Roger E.A. Arndt Fellowship: 

This fellowship rewards academically outstanding SAFL students studying fluid mechanics while honoring the contributions and legacy of Professor Roger E.A. Arndt. The Arndt Fellowship provides a monetary award to support the graduate student. Read more about this award here

Roger E.A. Arndt

Edward Silberman Fellowship: 

This fellowship rewards academically outstanding students who perform their research at SAFL and honors the contribution Professor Edward Silberman has made to the Laboratory's academic environment. The Silberman Fellowship provides a monetary award to support the graduate student. Read more about this award here.

Edward Silberman

Alvin G. Anderson Award:  

This award is given to a University of Minnesota student pursuing graduate studies in water resources. Special consideration is given to students involved in the sediment transportation field, which was Dr. Anderson's specialty. The Anderson Award is presented in the form of books relating to the recipient's study interests.  Read more about this award here.

Alvin G. Anderson Award
 

Viviana Maggioni is  an Associate Professor of Environmental and Water Resources Engineering and the Director of Undergraduate Affairs in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering at George Mason University.

Abstract: Investigating how hydrologic variables change in space and time is crucial for sustainable water resources management, for characterizing extremes and their socioeconomic impacts, and for policymaking. This seminar presents the challenges and opportunities of satellite-based observations for studying hydrologic patterns and trends. Satellites offer a unique perspective to look at water quantity and distribution globally everywhere anytime. Nevertheless, in order to efficiently use satellite-based observations, we need to improve the inherent coarse resolution of satellite-based observations down to finer scales and their accuracy. To address the first limitation, the seminar will present novel approaches to downscale atmospheric and hydrological variables. The gain of this shift is both practical and conceptual: not only the wealth of information generated at the finer scale vastly benefits decision-making processes, but it also allows for the study of physical processes that remain invisible at coarser scales. Estimating hydrologic variables such as precipitation can be complicated by several factors, including complex orography and lack of ground references, among others. Therefore, evaluating the quality and reliability of hydrologic data, before analyzing their trends and patterns, is fundamental. As an example, the seminar will present a comprehensive assessment of high- resolution satellite-based and model reanalysis precipitation estimates conducted in some of the most complex regions in the world such as High Mountain Asia and West Africa.

About: Viviana Maggioni, PhD. is Associate Professor of Environmental and Water Resources Engineering the Director of Undergraduate Affairs in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. Dr. Maggioni received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Environmental Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy, in 2003 and 2006 respectively, and her Ph.D. degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, in 2012. Her research interests lie at the intersection of hydrology and remote sensing. In particular, she is interested in the application of satellite remote sensing techniques to estimate and monitor hydrological variables at the local to global scale. Her work has direct applications in water resources management, weather and climate prediction, as well as agriculture and irrigation practices. Since 2010, she has published more than 70 peer-reviewed scientific articles, 5 book chapters, 3 scientific reports, and co-edited a book on Extreme Hydroclimatic Events and Multivariate Hazards in a Changing Climate (Elsevier, 2019). She currently serves as Editor in Chief of the Journal of Hydrometeorology (American Meteorological Society Publications) and as Associate Editor of Frontier in Climate – Climate Services. She has served as one of the two co-chairs of the International Precipitation Working Group (IPWG) and the Chair of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Technical Committee on Precipitation.