Research Scientists
- William Bennett, Fish Ecology
- William Fleenor, Engineering/Fluids
- Joan Florsheim, Fluvial Geomorphology
- Josue Medellin-Azuara, Hydro-economic Modeling
- Joshua H. Viers, Ecology
William Bennett
Fish Ecology
Associate Researcher, John Muir Institute of the Environment
Bill Bennett's research involves the ecology of fishes, primarily in estuarine and marine systems. His has focused primarily on understanding the population dynamics of fishes in the San Francisco Estuary and the near-shore marine environments in California. This work involves statistical analyses of historical data, and field investigations to understand the influences of exotic species, hydrodynamics, exposure to pollutants, and climate change on fish year-class success and population abundance. He has worked extensively with the Interagency Ecological Program and CALFED to investigate the delta smelt and striped bass populations in the San Francisco Estuary, the Pacific Estuarine Ecosystem Indicator Research Consortium focusing on tidal-marsh goby populations, as well as working to understand the relative influences of fishing intensity and climate change on the near-shore rockfish fishery.
William Fleenor
Engineering/Fluids
Web site: http://edl.engineering.ucdavis.edu/
Professional Research Engineer, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Bill Fleenor supervises the Environmental Dynamics Laboratory in Civil Engineering. His principal research interest is quantifying interactions between fluid transport and mixing processes to better understand water quality in natural and engineered systems through field experimentation, tracer studies, detailed laboratory studies, and numerical modeling. His work with the Watershed Center has included hydraulic modeling of North Delta flood flows, investigation of the hydrologic constraints on restoration of the McCormack-Williamson Tract, advising on installation of a remote sensing network on the Cosumnes floodplain and supervision of data collection and analysis for the study of depleted oxygen and fluvial dynamics in the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel.
Joan Florsheim
Fluvial Geomorphology
Web site: http://geology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/florsheim.html
Associate Research Geologist, Department of Geology
Joan Florsheim's primary research is in geomorphology and earth surface processes. Her current research focuses on restoration, geomorphic processes in riparian buffers, floodplain depositional processes in both high-energy and lowland river systems, geomorphic effects of Quaternary and modern climate variation and change, and the influence of anthropogenic disturbances on fluvial and tidal processes, sediment budgets, and habitat. With the Watershed Center's Cosumnes project she conducted field investigations documenting the dynamics of topography created by sand (crevasse) splay and channel complexes on the seasonally inundated floodplain; documented paleo and modern changes in floodplain sedimentation processes; and developed a quantitative geomorphic monitoring and adaptive assessment strategy and model applicable to lowland floodplain-river restoration. Studies in the Mokelumne system included: pre- and post-dam removal geomorphic investigations on Murphy Creek and an assessment of floodplain restoration potential of the lower Mokelumne River. She is a member of the hydrologic sciences graduate group faculty, is an affiliated researcher of the Tahoe Environmental Research Center and the John Muir Institute of the Environment, has participated in development of the California Watershed Assessment Manual, and has served on scientific and technical advisory and review committees for river conservation organizations and agencies. Her recent teaching includes Fluvial Geomorphology to adults through UC Extension, to high school students for COSMOS, and to undergraduates and graduates for the UC Davis Geology Department.
Josue Medellin-Azuara
Hydro-economic Modeling
Web site: http://cee.engr.ucdavis.edu/Medellin
Research Scientist, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Josué Medellín is interested hydro-economic modeling of regional water resources systems, adaptation to climate change and economic representation of water demands. His professional experience includes environmental management positions for industry, and consulting for non-governmental organizations such as the Natural Heritage Institute, El Colegio de Mexico and the World Bank. He has led hydro-economic studies on adaptation to climate change in California, water management in the US Mexico border having developed Baja CALVIN in collaboration the University of Baja California. Josué has collaborated with Professor Jay R. Lund as a senior modeler for CALVIN for in numerous applications including climate change, adaptation and economic costs of salinity in California. With Professor Howitt, Josué has updated and extended applications of the Statewide Agricultural Production Model (SWAP), including water markets, water quality and policy studies in California and other regions of the world.
Joshua H. Viers
Ecology
Web site: http://ice.ucdavis.edu/people/jhviers
Assistant Research Ecologist, Department of Environmental Science and Policy
Josh Viers' research interests and projects investigate the spatial relationships of ecological phenomena. These applied research analyses include: predictive modeling for non point source pollutants in watersheds; the spatial effects of land use activities on riparian and aquatic habitat integrity; the integration of high-spatial resolution, hyperspectral data into resource inventories; and supporting state and federal agencies with applied decision support systems. He is currently directing research in several of California's watersheds (Scott, Shasta, Pit, and Cosumnes), teaching watershed analysis classes through University Extension, and promoting better communication of scientific research to the public through videography.