The CC Geomorphology research group studies how rivers in mountainous areas respond to perturbations, including climate, tectonics, humans, landslides, and dams.
If you are interested in doing a research project in Geomorphology, example projects currently ready to go in Summer 2026 are listed below. If you have a research idea of your own you want to pursue, please reach out to see if we can make it happen! Since many student grant opportunities close in late February, I encourage you to reach out to me in January. At the latest, please contact me before Fall Preregistration (mid B7) so we can set up your thesis blocks.
Upcoming 2026 projects
How do bedrock rivers maintain their form? (~2 students)
This work is guided by an NSF grant that investigates how bedrock rivers keep sinuous forms. Unlike alluvial channels, where sediment supplied from cut bank erosion can create new inner banks, bedrock rivers tend to be supply-limited and lack the material to form an inner bank. In the absence of sediment, how do bedrock rivers maintain a stable channel width as they migrate? Why do some bedrock rivers cycle through meander and braided forms while others remain meandering? How do bedrock-like systems (such as permafrost banks) meander?
In Summer 2026, I’m looking for ~2 students to work on this topic. Specific research topics can vary, but have the opportunity to make use of remote sensing via GIS, numerical modeling, and local field work. These projects would be fully funded for up to 9 weeks.
How is sediment stored and mobilized in alpine regions, particularly post-glaciation? (~2 students)
Recent modeling work (Schanz and Yanites, 2024) shows that glacial sediment damps bedrock river erosion downstream and lowers overall landscape erosion rates to pre-glacial levels. The size of the sediment, in particular, can impact the longevity of post-glacial impacts.
Research questions could include:
- what is the evolution of peri/paraglacial ice and sediment features such as rock glaciers and alpine permafrost?
- how is sediment mobilized and transported into headwater streams?
- what role does snowpack and avalanche characteristics have on sediment mobilization and hillslope/channel morphology?