Dr. Andrew Tranmer will visit the University within the framework of the Fullbright Specialist Program, managed by Dr. Diego Caamaño, academic from the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.
By Javier Martínez G.- Santísima Concepción Catholic University
Obtaining the design of an experimental set-up to investigate morphological changes in fluvial systems as a result of different magnitudes and frequencies of flows, in addition to conducting seminars for undergraduate and postgraduate students, is the objective of the visit to the Catholic University of the Santísima Concepción on Dr. Andrew Tranmer, from the Center for Ecohydraulic Research at the University of Idaho, United States.
The research stay corresponds to a proposal presented in March of this year by Dr. Diego Caamaño, an academic from the Faculty of Engineering from UCSC, and awarded by the Fullbright Specialist Program of the United States Embassy in Chile.
Caamaño commented that Tranmer’s specialty is fluvial morphology, a discipline that began in the 1970s and that studies changes in the shape of rivers, whether due to anthropogenic impacts or natural causes. “A river is a dynamic entity that is constantly adapting its shape to the different regional or local situations that occur in the basin, generating various consequences on the infrastructure and ecosystem,” he exemplified.
Changes
In addition, he stressed that important changes are taking place in different river systems in the country, for example, connectivity with the flood plains is being lost, there are significant erosion processes in several rivers, in addition to a significant advance in vegetation, especially in introduced species. Therefore, it is necessary to study these changes in order to quantify cause-effect relationships and develop tools for the comprehensive management of the country’s river systems.
Therefore, he stressed that the presence of Dr. Tranmer, who will be working at UCSC for a month, will result in talks to undergraduate students, who will be introduced to the concept of fluvial morphology, in order for them to incorporate it into their professional work. In addition to postgraduate talks focused on the development of research on the subject.
In turn, Dr. Andrew Tranmer indicated that river systems are being impacted globally by the combined effects of climate change and human interventions, which often occur in a complex way, and the rivers and floodplains in Chile they are particularly susceptible.
In that sense, he added that fluvial morphology seeks to explain and quantify the physical changes that occur within fluvial systems. “Rivers are not static features of a watershed, but rather evolve over time, and these physical changes need to be studied from many perspectives, since they correspond to areas of development for many professions, including engineering design, ecosystem function, habitat management, the interpretation of geological deposits, as well as the processing of nutrients and pollution throughout the river system and the basin”, he explained.
Generation
That’s why he believes the next generation of UCSC students working in fields of study that intersect with river systems need to be aware of how rivers change and how their decisions can initiate a strong evolutionary response in the river system.
“For example, engineers who must design structures or works located in the bed or banks of rivers must consider the dynamism of the fluvial systems in the construction and operation stages of the works. Students who can integrate knowledge from various fields of study will have a comparative advantage, as the scientific and engineering challenges we face become more complex and interdisciplinary under future climate change,” he concluded.
