Waterloo graduate student Thiruni Thirimanne a PhD candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been awarded the Water Institute’s 2026 John Parish Memorial Graduate Scholarship, recognizing excellence in research on river systems and fluvial geomorphology.
Established in 2022 by friends and family in John Parish’s memory, the scholarship honours one of the pioneers of fluvial geomorphology. Parish (BES ’85) was internationally respected for advancing the study of river processes and how they shape surrounding landscapes. His work helped inform watershed management policies and implementation guidelines across Southern Ontario and he was a strong advocate for natural river restoration throughout Canada.
Thiruni’s path to river science began during her undergraduate studies in Civil Engineering at the University of Waterloo, where she specialized in Water Resources. Initially drawn to Waterloo for its strong reputation in engineering and research, she soon discovered a deeper interest in understanding how water systems function.
“From my first co-op experience, I realized I was particularly interested in addressing water-related challenges and understanding how water systems function, whether in urban infrastructure or in rivers and watersheds, and that motivated me to shape my coursework toward hydrology and river processes.”
Through coursework in fluvial geomorphology and hydrogeology, Thiruni developed a strong interest in river systems and watershed processes, leading her to pursue graduate research at Waterloo focused on urban waterways. Her research aims to improve predictions of erosion risk and channel response in rapidly developing watersheds.
During her master’s degree, Thiruni developed SPINpy 2, an open-source, watershed-scale erosion risk assessment tool that quantifies how urbanization affects sediment transport, channel stability and river morphology. In her doctoral research, she is expanding and validating this tool using field observations and erosion-damage classification, building on John Parish’s Rapid Geomorphic Assessment framework with modern geospatial data.
By linking field observations with predictive modelling, Thiruni’s work provides a practical and scientifically rigorous approach to urban river management. She hopes her research will support more resilient waterways while balancing ecological and social needs.
Thiruni credits her supervisor, Professor Bruce MacVicar, professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, for his invaluable mentorship and is also collaborating with him on a Living Lab initiative at Waterloo. After completing her PhD, she plans to remain in academia, continuing research and teaching in river science and management.
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering congratulates Thiruni on receiving the John Parish Memorial Graduate Scholarship.
To read the full story, please visit John Parish Memorial Scholarship awarded to PhD student studying urban river erosion.
Photo: Thiruni Thirimanne winner of the 2026 John Parish Memorial Scholarship.