Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology

Within the Environmental Fluid Mechanics & Hydrology Program, the focus is on the movement of surface and groundwater and, jointly with Environmental Engineering and Science, atmospheric related topics (discussed below). With respect to water, attention is given to the environmental and economic factors important in planning water resources. Environmental fluid mechanics courses address fluid and sediment transport and mixing processes, turbulence and its modeling, the fluid mechanics of stratified flows, natural flows in coastal waters, estuaries, lakes and open channels, atmospheric flows and experimental methods. Hydrology courses consider stochastic methods in both surface and subsurface hydrology, watershed hydrology and modeling, and flow and transport in porous media. Planning courses highlight issues related to sustainable water resources development, both in the U.S. and in developing countries. Degree programs can be developed by combining environmental fluid mechanics and hydrology classes with courses from programs and departments which both complement and supplement the Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology Program offerings. Some examples include Environmental Engineering and Science, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Earth Sciences, Computer Science, Petroleum Engineering, Biological Sciences and Statistics.

The EFMH Program has opportunities for students interested in pursuing Ph.D. level research concerned with environmental policy design and implementation with respect to water, air, and land. These research activities are summarized in the section entitled "Environmental Planning and Management", in the Facilities section.

Joint EES, EFMH Subprogram on Atmospheric Topics
Jointly, EES and EFMH offer coursework and research opportunities on atmospheric topics, including indoor air pollution, outdoor urban air pollution, global air pollution, weather, and climate. Depending on the topic, the students in the program often take courses in atmospheric chemistry, meteorology, atmospheric physics, fluid dynamics, statistics, radiative transfer, and/or computer programming. Students are also encouraged to develop collaborations with and take courses in other programs where complimentary courses are offered, such as in Applied Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Statistics. Seminars on atmospheric related topics are offered in the EWS program and in other departments throughout the University. Atmospheric research may focus on laboratory experimentation, computational analysis, or field measurements.