The University of Exeter - Department of Geography

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Rolf Aalto
PhD and MSc, Geological Sciences (University of Washington), Dual BA, Geology and Applied Mathematics (UC Berkeley)

Associate Professor in Physical Geography

Room: Amory 421
Email: Rolf.Aalto@exeter.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 1392 263344
Fax: +44 (0) 1392 263342

Director of Physical Geography Research
Associate Professor (Affiliate), University of Washington (Seattle)
LEG (Licensed Engineering Geologist), Washington
LG (Licensed Geologist), Washington

Broad research specialisms:

River basin processes in fluvial and hillslope geomorphology, especially: sediment and biogeochemical fluxes within fluvial dispersal systems, tropical rivers and their floodplains, sediment-associated carbon cycling, and refining experimental techniques for dating, tracing, and characterizing the production and movement of fine sediment.

Biography

Rolf obtained his undergraduate degrees from UC Berkeley, where he was inspired to study fluvial processes in a module taught by Prof. William Dietrich (at that time working in Papua New Guinea), completing an honors thesis studying floodplain sedimentation in a specially designed flume. He completed a MSc degree at the University of Washington (Seattle), working with Prof. Thomas Dunne as a Research Assistant to calculate sediment fluxes along the Amazon River and writing a thesis on ”Discordance between suspended sediment diffusion theory and observed sediment concentration profiles in rivers.” While developing ideas for his PhD and seeking funding to pursue his research ambitions on tropical rivers, Rolf was awarded a NASA Earth System Science Fellowship. A 1998 scouting campaign to collect samples along rivers in Bolivia laid the framework for Rolf to write a major NSF research grant, culminating in his dissertation “Geomorphic Form and Process of Sediment Flux within an Active Orogen,” advised by Professors Dunne, David Montgomery, Charles Nittrouer, and Alan Gilespie.

Rolf next worked as a Post Doc at UC Berkeley, returning full circle to study fluvial processes in PNG with Prof. Dietrich. He was simultaneously hired as Research Associate Faculty at Washington (funded by a NASA SRTM grant that he wrote and a CALFED project on the Sacramento River) and then quickly promoted to Assistant Professor at the University of Washington (where he currently remains an Affiliate Associate Professor). While at UW, he developed a laboratory and graduate program, wrote four successful NSF research proposals, and researched new projects in Amazonia, Romania, California, PNG, Venezuela, Greenland, and SE Asia. Rolf also has consulted professionally since 1995 on a range of topics related to geomorphic hazards and river restoration (as a Licensed Engineering Geologist).

In 2007 Rolf accepted an opportunity to move his research program to the University of Exeter, to join Exeter’s internationally acclaimed River Basin Science group (as group leader). Rolf’s prior research projects are still active and now benefitting from Exeter’s well established leadership and world class analytical facilities for tracing and dating sediment movement throughout a wide range of fluvial dispersal systems. Rolf has additionally begun a number of recently funded projects, including a new Critical Zone Observatory in Pennsylvania, a project studying fluvial and biogeochemical processes in PNG, and a project studying the evolution of the Sacramento River system.

Rolf’s teaching focuses on geological aspects of Physical Geography and the application of GIS and laboratory methods to solving problems in River Basin Science. He is delighted to lead 2nd year field trips to Washington State, New Zealand, and South Africa. Administrative duties for the School of Geography include Director of Physical Geography Research, representative to the Academic Senate, and ASA representative on the University’s Internationalization task and finish group.