Many environmental challenges, such as coastal erosion and sediment-associated pollution, involve complex interactions among fluids, sediments, and biota (microbes and vegetation) across multiple scales. For example, sediment transport at the channel scale can vary by several orders of magnitude due to micro-scale processes like aggregation and biofilm formation. Similarly, predicting the fate and transport of sediment-associated pathogens requires understanding sediment-fluid-microbe interactions from micro- to macro-scales. However, experimental studies that bridge these scales remain limited.

In this talk, Dr. Judy Yang will describe how my group integrates microfluidic and flume experiments to investigate biofilm dynamics, sediment transport, and hyporheic exchange. Our work reveals how microbes and vegetation influence sediment stability, geomorphic evolution, and pollutant transport. These findings provide insights relevant to erosion control, water quality, and ecosystem health.

Dr. Judy Yang
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering
University of Minnesota
See her profile here