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Professor Robert Dorrell

Biography 1) 08/2022-date Director of the EPSRC-NERC Centre for Doctoral Training in Offshore Wind Energy and the Environment.
2) 02/2021-07/2023 Reader in Environmental Fluid Dynamics, Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull.
3) 01/2020-12/2024 NERC Independent Research Fellow.
4) 01/2018-09/2022 Visiting Researcher, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds.
5) 01/2018-09/2020 Visiting Researcher, School of Mathematics University of Leeds.
7) 08/2017-12/2019 Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, Energy & Environment Institute, University of Hull.
8) 08/2013-08/2017 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Earth and Environment, University of Leeds.
9) 01/2011-08/2013 Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Geography, University of Southampton.
10) 05/2010-09/2010 NERC Scientific Advisor, UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.
11) 09/2006-09/2010 Ph.D. Mathematics, University of Bristol
12) 09/2002-06/2006 M.Sci. I (Hons), Mathematics, University of Bristol.
Research Interests My research is, as an applied mathematician, studying the behaviour of flows of fluids (fluid dynamics) that shape the world the around us. My interests lie in using fluid dynamics-based research to addresses key societal challenges, as outlined by UN Sustainable Development Goals. These challenges include sustainable use of natural resources, including delivery of offshore renewables; managing hazards, including those arising from environmental change; and optimising industrial flow processes.

Of particular interest are highly energetic ‘turbulent’ flows. Examples of which are: turbidity currents, forming the largest sedimentary landforms on the planet; microplastic and pollution transport in rivers; and the deployment of offshore renewables in coastal shelf sea settings.

Inherent to all these environments, is the transport of scalars such as particulates, solutes and temperature that means flows are inherently density stratified. Turbulent mixing of stratified fluids yields unexpected, yet poorly understood, emergence of order from chaotic fluid motion.

As a principle control on physical environmental processes, turbulent mixing of stratified fluids is a common theme linking across my research. To advance understanding requires developing and integrating new theoretical, computational and experimental methods. To ensure impact I work to place such fundamental research within the needs and drivers of regional, national and international industry and policy.
Teaching and Learning I am Director of the EPSRC-NERC funded Aura Center for Doctoral Training in Offshore Wind Energy and the Environment, https://auracdt.hull.ac.uk, a partnership between the Universities of Hull, Durham, Sheffield and Newcastle with the offshore wind sector. The Aura CDT is an enabler for innovation in the offshore wind sector, unique in its cross-disciplinary engagement of engineering and environmental scientists, industry and policy makers.

The centre provides training and opportunities for postgraduate students to develop and integrate practical examples via taught courses across the first year with industry-led and challenge-led projects, followed by three years of focused doctoral research.
Scopus Author ID 35572968700
arXiv ID http://arxiv.org/a/dorrell_r_1
PhD Supervision Availability Yes
PhD Topics PhD Students
1) 01/2023- Collins, C. Uni. of Hull Scholarship; Supervisors: Bolland, J., Haenfling. B. & Dorrell, R.M.
2) 09/2022- Dhar, N.; ORE Catapult & Aura CDT Scholarship; Supervisors: Dorrell, R.M. & McLelland, S.J.
3) 09/2022- Goodfellow, E.; ORE Catapult & Aura CDT Scholarship; Supervisors: McLelland, S.J., Dorrell, R.M.
4) 09/2021- Morgan-Clague, O.; Siemens Gamesa & Aura CDT Scholarship; Supervisors: Gilbert, J.M. & Dorrell, R.M.
5) 09/2021- Bradbury, M.; HR Wallingford & Aura CDT Scholarship; Supervisors: McLelland, S.J. & Dorrell, R.M.
6) 09/2021- Pickett, B.; ORE Catapult & Aura CDT Scholarship; Supervisors: Dorrell, R.M., Dean J.R. & Parsons, D.R.
7) 09/2021- Besonova, V.; ORE Catapult & Aura CDT Scholarship; Supervisors: Dorrell, R.M., & Dethlefs, N.
8) 09/2019- Alvarez, L.; Uni. of Hull Scholarship; Supervisors: Dorrell, R.M., A. Baar, R. Fernandez, R.
9) 01/2019- Fukuda, S.; Turbidites JIS; Supervisors: Dorrell, R.M., Skevington, E.W., & McCaffrey, W.D.
10) 09/2018-11/2022 de Vet, M.; Turbidites JIS; Supervisors: Dorrell, R.M., Fernandez, R. & McCaffrey, W.D.
11) 06/2018-02/2023 Adekanye, D.; EPSRC Fluids CDT; Supervisors: A. Khan, Dorrell, R.M. & McCaffrey, W.D.
12) 06/2018-03/2019 Ohata, K.; JSPS Fellow; Supervisors: Naruse, H. & Dorrell, R.M.,
13) 06/2018-07/2022 Crisostomo, A.; CONACYT; Supervisors: McArthur, A., Dorrell, R.M. & McCaffrey, W.D.
14) 09/2016-03/2021 de Cala, I.; Leeds Academic Research Scholar; Supervisors: Dorrell, R.M., Patacci, M. & McCaffrey, W.D.
15) 06/2016-04/2021 Hetherington, R.; EPSRC Fluids CDT; Supervisors: Nikitas, N., Peakall, J. & Dorrell, R.M.
16) 06/2016-04/2021 Marshall, C.; EPSRC Fluids CDT; Supervisors: Keevil, G.M. Dorrell, R.M., Peakall, J. & Tobias, S.E.
17) 06/2016-11/2020 Allen, P.; EPSRC Fluids CDT; Supervisors: Harlen, O.G., Dorrell, R.M. & McCaffrey, W.D.
18) 06/2016-02/2020 Lloyd, C.; EPSRC Fluids CDT; Supervisors: Peakall, J., Dorrell, R.M., Keevil, G.M. & Burns, A.D.
19) 01/2016-11/2019 Barrett, B.; SMRG Phase 1; Supervisors: Hodgson, D.M., Collier, R.E.L. & Dorrell, R.M.
20) 06/2015-11/2018 Kelly, R.; EPSRC Fluids CDT; Supervisors: Dorrell, R.M., Burns, A.D. & McCaffrey, W.D.
21) 09/2014-11/2017 Ho, V.L.; TRG Phase 7; Supervisors: Dorrell, R.M., Keevil, G.M., & McCaffrey, W.D.
22) 01/2013-03/2016 Arfaie, A.; TRG Phase 7; Supervisors: Burns, A.D., Dorrell, R.M., & McCaffrey, W.D.

Postdoctoral Research Assistants
1) 04/2022- Rizaev, I. EPSRC NHP-WEC.
2) 06/2021-06/2023 Skevington, E.W. TRG Phase 9.
3) 04/2021-11/2022 Bastianon, E. TRG Phase 9.
4) 02/2020-02/2022 Lloyd, C.J. ORE-Catapult.
5) 06/2019-10/2020 Mockutė, A. Greenport Hull Visiting Fellow, HEIF & ORE-Catapult.
6-9) 01/2019-03/2019 Sanchez, A., Lopez, R., Dutta, S. & Patra, A. Greenport Hull Visiting Fellow.
10) 12/2018-02/2022 Tapoglou, E. Greenport Hull LoSSGO & HEIF.
11-13) 06/2018-03/2019 Sato, T., Nishida, N. & Yamaguchi, N. UUKi Rutherford Fellow.
14) 06/2015-12/2017 Yan, N., Nexen.