Nola Reporter

Catherine Russell, a  British geologist who earned a doctorate in fluvial sedimentology, has  been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship by the US-UK Fulbright Commission  to broaden her studies at the University of New Orleans.

Russell, who has lectured in sedimentology and Earth surface  processes, is interested in human impacts on rivers and their  landscapes, including plastic pollution. She will work with Robert  Mahon, a geologist and assistant professor of earth and environmental  sciences at UNO. Russell also will give several guest lectures in the  earth and environmental sciences department, as well as in civil  engineering, said Mark Kulp, earth and environmental sciences professor  and department chair.

“Dr. Russell and Dr. Mahon will conduct field and experimental work  on the fate of microplastics as they are incorporated into the  sedimentary record and build models to predict how these environmental  contaminants will be transported through reservoirs and rivers,” Kulp  said.

During her yearlong study as a Fulbright-Lloyd Visiting Scholar,  Russell seeks to learn the deeper impacts of the human-modified  landscape on day-to-day living in New Orleans. The key focus of her  research will be investigating the novelties of Anthropocene rivers when  compared to natural systems and particularly the consequences of human  activities on reservoir water quality.

Anthropocene — the age of humans — refers to the new geologic era of human impact on the natural world.

Russell established the Anthropocene Sediment Network in 2020, an  international, interdisciplinary group that seek to understand and share  the impact of accelerating change to Earth via research and school  curricula.  

Russell said the Fulbright Scholarship gives her the opportunity to  build bridges and new connections in her research, as well as to  undertake fieldwork in a new environment.

As part of the global Fulbright Program, the US-UK Fulbright  Commission works to further intercultural understanding between the  United States and England through educational exchange. Scholars are  chosen based on academic excellence, ambassadorial qualities and  demonstrated leadership or impact.  Fulbright alumni include Pulitzer  and Nobel Prize winners.

Original source can be found here.