Research avenues of RCSE faculty, both active and to be hired in the next few years as part of the initial growth phase of the department, will broadly fit within the seven disciplinary arenas outlined below. Given the interdisciplinary nature of RCSE both topically and spatially, faculty ideally will be conversant in several of these arenas to provide flexibility in interdisciplinary research team building.
Civil engineering – the utilization and impact (including modeling) of man-made structures in rivers and along coastlines, with lesser focus on issues such as construction methods and materials. Environmental engineering – optimization of engineered structures for human health and at- risk ecosystems.
Hydrology and Hydrodynamics – surface and subsurface movement of water through river- coastal systems including dissolved and particulate substances and water quality issues.
Geomorphology and Sediment Dynamics – the river-coastal processes that shape sediment-rich and sediment-starved (hard rock) settings on the Earth’s surface.
Ecology and Ecosystem Services – the science of organism relationships in the river-coastal realm and promoting biodiversity to provide services such as provisioning (food, water, medicine), regulating climate, disease and pests, and cultural support.
Climate – Water cycling and human impacts to the climate and water cycle specific to river- coastal settings
Environmental Restoration – the emergent science of using engineering (hard and green infrastructure) to protect and restore rivers, deltas and coasts.
