Civil and Environmental Engineering
Biography
Brandon Sansom is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Missouri. His research focuses on integrating traditional environmental engineering methodologies into ecosystem-based studies to advance the management and restoration of water resources. His current research projects include: 1) characterizing and quantifying pallid sturgeon, an endangered fish endemic to the Missouri River, age-0 drift and dispersal, 2) quantifying environmental DNA transport rates in small- to mid-sized rivers, 3) biophysical interactions between native, freshwater mussels and their near-bed hydrodynamics, and 4) a habitat-based restoration framework to guide native mussel conservation efforts. Sansom integrates a complimentary approach of laboratory experimentation in hydraulic flumes, field-based experiments and data collection, and computational fluid dynamic modeling to investigate important and decision-relevant issues related to aquatic habitats and species of concern. Prior to joining MU, he worked as a research civil engineer/research hydrologist at the U.S. Geological Survey – Columbia Environmental Research Center conducting research on transport phenomena and biophysical interactions between organisms and aquatic habitats in riverine ecosystems.
Education
PhD from SUNY Buffalo
MS from University of Oklahoma
BA from Washington and Jefferson College
Technical Focus
Website