Water resources engineering as a socio-technical discipline.
Michael Chislett is a PhD Student in Civil Engineering (Water) at the University of Waterloo. He researches under Dr. Bruce MacVicar with the River Hydraulics Research Group. Originally from Newfoundland & Labrador and having spent many summers "on the water," Michael is passionate about exploring the intersection between fluvial systems and their impacts on (or impacts from) people and society. He previously studied water resources engineering at the University of Guelph, where he undertook research in water security, wastewater-based epidemiology, and COVID-19 through an engineering risk perspective.
Michael's current research focuses on the formation of pool-riffle morphologies in rivers, looking to address whether we can create riffles without "building" them. He aims to integrate engineering hydrology, hydraulics, and process-based restoration to define how we can induce and encourage the formation of riffles in river systems with predictable behaviour based on sediment supply and site characteristics. Connecting morphological and hydraulic processes with restoration efforts is essential for the revival of aquatic habitat, sustainable sediment transport, and protected natural systems for the benefit of near-riparian communities. Michael joins the University of Waterloo as a community-minded researcher, having previously worked in campus student affairs and university governance.
