MSCA-IF: Joint application at the University of Granada. Department of Mechanics of Structures and Hydraulic Engineering Centre/Institute

Professor Agustín Millares Valenzuela, from the Department of Mechanics of Structures and Hydraulic Engineering Centre/Institute at the University of Granada, welcomes postdoctoral candidates interested in applying for a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (MSCA-IF) in 2019 at this University. Please note that applicants must comply with the Mobility Rule (more information: http://sl.ugr.es/09Qg).

Brief description of the institution:

The University of Granada (UGR), founded in 1531, is one of the largest and most important universities in Spain. It serves more than 60000 students per year, including many foreign students, as UGR is the leader host institution in the Erasmus program. UGR, featuring 3650 professors and more than 2000 auxiliary personnel, offers a total of 75 degrees through its 112 departments and 28 centers.

UGR is also a leading institution in research, located in the top 5/10 of Spanish universities by a variety of ranking criteria, such as national R&D projects, fellowships awarded, publications, or international funding. UGR is one of the few Spanish Universities listed in the Shanghai Top 500 ranking (http://www.arwu.org/), and it is also well recognized for its web presence (http://www.4icu.org/top200/).

Internationally, we bet decidedly by our participation in the calls of H2020, both at partner and coordination. For the duration of the Seventh Framework Programme, the UGR has obtained a total of 66 projects, with total funding of 17.97 million euros, and for H2020, until 2015, more than 25 projects with total funding of more than 6 million euros. Our more than 3,000 researchers are grouped into 365 research groups covering all scientific fields and disciplines.

Brief description of the Centre/Research Group

The Environmental Fluid Dynamics Research Group is experienced for more than 20 years in the research of watershed modelling, water resources management, river dynamics, coastal processes and atmospheric interaction with basins, oceanic and coastal environments, focusing on risk analysis, uncertainty and reliability. The Group enjoys an international position in terms of coordination of research contracts (more than 90), coordination and participation in projects supported by national and international authorities (more than 40), publications in indexed journals (more than 100), participation in international congresses (more than 180 presentations). The Group staff is made of 7 teachers (3 full professors and 4 assistant professors), 10 researchers (post-doc and PhD candidates) and several students participating in Erasmus, Erasmus+ and other exchange programs. The work methodologies includes 1) the development of numerical models of hydrological, hydraulic and coastal processes, 2) laboratory tests and 3) measurements of variables in basins, rivers and coastal areas. The developed patents include the WiM-Med model (Watershed Integrated Management in Mediterranean Environments), a physically-based, distributed hydrological model and HEMMINGS model (Hillslope Erosion Modeling Including Gullying Assessment). The research Group counts with 15 years of erosion and sediment monitoring and modelling works within projects such as AQUACLEW: Advancing QUAlity of CLimate (European Commission), CCAMICEM: Morphological and Systemic Response Of Ephemeral Channels to Climate Change (Ministerio de Industria, Economía y Competitividad) or NOVIWAM: Novel Integrated water management system for southern European regions (European Commission. Seventh Framework Programme).

Project description

Research line: Stochastic quantification of soil loss and downstream sedimentary processes in semi-arid mountain basins. Modeling global change scenarios and adaptation strategies.

Project description: Erosion and sediment transport processes are serious environmental problems that causes damages on several services such as loss of water quality and availability, harms on agricultural and forest productivity and significant effects on terrestrial ecosystems. The analysis and forecast of their impacts downstream and their vulnerability under future climate scenarios is key to develop effective adaptation strategies.

Tasks involved and related topics: Identification of dominant erosive processes and their relationship with the forcing agents. Detailed analysis of erosion processes using drones, terrestrial LIDAR and satellite images. Stochastic generation of climate scenarios and evaluation of erosion processes through numerical hydrological model. Proposal and assessment of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for soil loss protection services.

Research background excerpt:

• A. Millares, M. Díez-Minguito, A. Moñino, 2019. Evaluating gullying effects on modeling erosive responses at basin scale. Environmental Modelling & Software, 111, 61-71.
• A. Millares, A. Moñino, 2018. Sediment yield and transport process assessment from reservoir monitoring in a semi‐arid mountainous river. Hydrological Processes, 32, 19.
• A. Millares, M.J. Polo, A. Moñino, J. Herrero, M.A. Losada. 2013. Bedload dynamics and associated snowmelt influence in mountainous and semi-arid alluvial rivers. Geomorphology, 206, 330-342.
• A. Millares, Z. Gulliver, M.J., Polo, 2012. Scale effects on the estimation of erosion thresholds through a distributed and physically-based hydrological model, Geomorphology, 153–154, 115-126.

Research Area

Environmental Sciences and Chemistry (ENV-CHE)

Information Science and Engineering (ENG)

For a correct evaluation of your candidature, please send the documents below to Professor Agustín Millares Valenzuela (mivalag@ugr.es):

• CV
• Letter of recommendation (optional)