Qualifications
- BSc (University of Nottingham)
- PhD / DPhil (University of Leeds)
Summary
Rob joined the Energy & Environment Institute as Senior Research Fellow in Geomorphology and Flood Risk in early 2018, becoming Lecturer in September 2022. After an undergraduate degree in Geography at the University of Nottingham, Rob spent almost two years working as a geomorphologist at the USDA-ARS-National Sedimentation Laboratory, Oxford, Mississippi, before moving back to the UK to undertake a PhD on sand-bedded braided rivers at the University of Leeds. He has since accumulated nearly 20 years' experience split between research and technical roles in the UK higher education sector and externally funded projects at the USDA-ARS.
He teaches the physical sciences elements of the MSc in Flood Risk Management.
Journal Article
Hydro-geomorphological modelling of leaky wooden dam efficacy from reach to catchment scale with CAESAR-Lisflood 1.9j
Wolstenholme, J. M., Skinner, C. J., Milan, D., Thomas, R. E., & Parsons, D. R. (2025). Hydro-geomorphological modelling of leaky wooden dam efficacy from reach to catchment scale with CAESAR-Lisflood 1.9j. Geoscientific Model Development, 18(5), 1395-1411. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-1395-2025
Automated identification of hedgerows and hedgerow gaps using deep learning Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation
Wolstenholme, J. M., Cooper, F., Thomas, R. E., Ahmed, J., Parsons, K. J., Parsons, K. J., & Parsons, D. R. (online). Automated identification of hedgerows and hedgerow gaps using deep learning Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.432
Timing is everything; operational changes at a pumping station with a gravity sluice to provide safe downstream passage for silver European eels and deliver considerable financial savings
Carter, L. J., Wright, R. M., Thomas, R. E., Reeds, J., Murphy, L. A., Collier, S. J., Evans, O., Baktoft, H., & Bolland, J. D. (2023). Timing is everything; operational changes at a pumping station with a gravity sluice to provide safe downstream passage for silver European eels and deliver considerable financial savings. Journal of environmental management, 347, Article 119143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119143
The influence of passive wedge-wire screen aperture and flow velocity on juvenile European eel exclusion, impingement and passage
Carter, L. J., Collier, S. J., Thomas, R. E., Norman, J., Wright, R. M., & Bolland, J. D. (2023). The influence of passive wedge-wire screen aperture and flow velocity on juvenile European eel exclusion, impingement and passage. Ecological engineering, 192, Article 106972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2023.106972
Mixing in density- and viscosity-stratified flows
Allen, P. A., Dorrell, R. M., Harlen, O. G., Thomas, R. E., & McCaffrey, W. D. (2022). Mixing in density- and viscosity-stratified flows. Physics of Fluids, 34(9), Article 096605. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0108337
Research interests
Rob's research interests encompass both remotely-sensed and directly-obtained field and laboratory observations coupled with numerical modelling to better understand fluvial, estuarine and colluvial systems and the interactions between biological systems and landscape dynamics. These interactions are critical for understanding of flood risk and optimising management strategies that maintain or enhance ecological value while enhancing human resilience to flooding. He has recently provided scientific leadership on Ark: National Flood Resilience Centre; the Flood Innovation Centre; the EU Interreg-funded IMMERSE project, which is concerned with identifying and testing optimal management strategies for the Humber estuary, the StReSS and ISEECC projects, which are concerned with testing new land management practices to minimise water and nutrient losses from farmers' fields, and the EEI's engagement with the Living with Water project.
Lead investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
Implementing Measures For Sustainable Estuaries
Funder
EC European Commission
Grant
£121,319.00
Started
1 October 2018
Status
Complete
Co-investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
Future of Advanced Metrology for Environmental fluid dynamics
Funder
NERC Natural Environment Research Council
Grant
£714,051.00
Started
1 February 2021
Status
Complete
Project
Differentiating between hedgerows gaps: Natural or for access?
Funder
The Tree Council
Grant
£9,950.00
Started
1 December 2021
Status
Complete