Julia Cisneros

I am a sedimentologist and geomorphologist who bridges the processes of bedform formation and dynamics across environments and in ancient and inaccessible worlds. To do this, I implement robust bedform analysis techniques to reveal bedform morphology and movement. I use fieldwork, experimental methods, and modeling to investigate modern settings to both understand contemporary landscapes and the records of past environments. The goal of my research centers on identifying and quantifying the links between flow, sediment transport, and bedform morphodynamics. A better understanding of these various interactions will allow us to better leverage records of ancient environments, utilize modern bedforms more effectively to characterize conditions of Earth and planetary systems, and improve how contemporary environments are managed in the face of climate change, for example through flood risk management.

Research areas:
Geomorphology
Sedimentology
Sediment Transport
Morphodynamics

Education:
PhD, Geology, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 2021
BS, Geology, Texas A&M University, 2015

Links:
Website: https://juliacisneros.com/
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=beH9wIAAAAAJ&hl=en

Selected Honors and Awards:
2026 Doris M. Curtis Outstanding Woman in Science Award (GSA)
2025 Inclusive Geoscience Education and Research Award (IAGD)

Recent works:
"Increased Hydraulic Roughness in Alluvial Rivers Created by Sand‐Mining Sculpted Bed Features"
"Controls on the Leeside Angle of Dunes in Shallow Unidirectional Flows”
"The influence of dune lee side shape on time-averaged velocities and turbulence”