Alumni

Assistant Professor

School of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering
North China Electric Power University

tangcaihong@ncepu.edu.cn

My study focused on the effects of submerged vegetation on sediment resuspension under waves. The plant-generated turbulence was shown to promote sediment resuspension, changing the velocity threshold for resuspension.

Visiting Scholar

Professor, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul

janzen (at) mit.edu

My research is in the broad area of Environmental Fluid Mechanics. I am particularly interested in (1) the influence of floating treatment inlands (FTIs) on the mass retention and sedimentation, (2) the influence of vegetation on groyne fields, (3) the evolution of vegetation in channels, and (4) the hyporheic exchange in stream restoration.

Associate Professor

Now: Sichuan University, Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction

yuqi_shan (at) qq.com

In my first project, I characterized the drag forces on individual mangrove trees in random and in-line tree distributions. I also studied the effect of floating aquatic vegetation on the velocity field and mass removal from a channel. Finally, I created an experiment to measure sediment transport inside regions of clustered vegetation.

Graduate Student

Assistant Professor in University of Minnesota (Sept 2020)

qjyang (at) mit.edu

Personal Website

At MIT my researched focused on the sediment transport inside a vegetation patch. Vegetation is a basic component of most natural water environments and has been widely used in river restoration, yet few practical models exist to predict the incipient motion and rate of sediment transport in a canopy. Using a LDV, a high-speed camera and a sediment-recirculating flume, I quantitatively connect the sediment motion with the flow characteristics inside vegetation canopies.

Visiting Graduate Student Nanjing Inst. of Geography and Limnology

Now at Liaocheng University

chinayinghao (at) 126.com

At MIT I studied the effect of submerged vegetation on wave-induced sediment resuspension. Previous studies suggest that the near-bed turbulence level is correlated with sediment resuspension. My experiment measured velocity and sediment concentration simultaneously, to determine the threshold level of turbulence needed for resuspension. In addition, I developed models to predict the level of near-bed turbulence associated with stem-wake turbulence generation.

MEng 2016-2017

danpas (at) mit.edu

Mangrove forests are an integral part of coastal ecosystems — they store carbon, provide habitat, and serve as a natural barrier to wave forces. My research quantified the degree to which mangrove forests dissipate tidal energy at varying growth densities and arrangements.

International Visiting Student 2016-2107

mavier (at) mit.edu

At MIT I used numerical experiments to explore how different configurations of floating treatment island impacted pollutant removal in a detention pond.

Visiting Graduate Student (2015-2016)

Current Position: State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

hzh.scu (at) q.com

At MIT I studied the flow and deposition around a model patch of vegetation with different degrees of submergence and different blade lengths. The deposition of fine material, rich in nutrients and organic matter, is considered a precursor to growth, so the ability to predict the regions of fine-particle deposition will allow us to predict the future growth patterns in vegetated landscape.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Now at EPFL

razmia (at) eth.ch

My research uses a combination of numerical simulations (LES), lab experiments, and analytical tools to tackle a wide range of environmental problems, including pollution and sediment dispersion in aquatic vegetations, coastal protection against extreme climatic events, and aerosol transport above the terrestrial vegetations.

Graduate Student (Ph.D. 2016)

Now: Postdoctoral Fellow at Cardiff University, Wales, UK (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship)

efm (at) alum.mit.edu

In some situations, vegetation and other porous structures are able to dampen wave energy and slow the progress of floodwaters, providing protection from increased rainfall and storm intensity. I seek to connect the flow and sediment transport through porous obstructions with environmental management and restoration efforts, increasing the efficiency and success of management interventions. At Cardiff University, I am working with Dr. Catherine Wilson to quantify the effect of engineered logjam installations on sediment storage and flow resistance.