Dr Lucrecia Alvarez Barrantes

  • Research Associate in Physical Geography
Google Scholar

Academic Career

  • 2023 onwards: Research Associate in Physical Geography, Loughborough University, UK.
  • 2019-2023: PhD. Physical Geography , University of Hull, UK.
  • 2015-2018, Msc in Hydrology, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
  • 2000-2008 BSc, Civil Engineer, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica.

Professional Career

  • 2015-2019 Engineer project coordinator, Water and sewers government institute, Costa Rica
  • 2010-2015 Hydrology- hydraulics engineer, Electricity national institute, Costa Rica

 

Lucrecia is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the NERC-funded Microplastic Entrainment, Transport and Fragmentation in Atmospheric Boundary-layer Flows project, led by Professor Joanna Bullard. The project aims to determine how the interactions between microplastics, and mineral sediments affect the entrainment and distribution of particles by wind.  It also explores the affect of transport on particle physical and chemical materials properties. The research includes extensive experimental work at Loughborough University (UK) and Trent University (Ontario, Canada). The particle entrainment dynamics, physical, and chemical characteristics are being studied using advanced technology such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA), 3D microscopy, and with a humidity-temperature controlled wind tunnel. 

Lucrecia has an extended academic and professional career, studying environmental impacts on water resources. She is a Civil Engineer, has a Masters in Hydrology, and recently finished her Ph.D. at the University of Hull, where she researched the Dynamics of Microplastic Particles in Rivers: experimental settling processes and numerical models of the transport and deposition. She has experience in hydrology, river morphodynamics, sediment transport, numerical modelling, and laboratory experiments in particle fluid dynamic. 

  • Alvarez-Barrantes, L., Modelo hidrodinámico del embalse de almacenamiento de la Planta Hidroeléctrica Aguas Zarcas (Civil Engineer, Costa Rica University, 2008).
  • Alvarez-Barrantes, L., Movimiento incipiente del sedimento de fondo de un río (Master Hydrology, Costa Rica University, 2018).
  • Alvarez-Barrantes, Murillo-Muñoz, R., (2020) A methodology to measure the threshold of the incipient motion of sediment load directly in rivers, River Flow 2020, 789-796.
  • Alvarez-Barrantes, Murillo-Muñoz, R., (2020) Incipient motion of gravel-boulder sediment particles in rivers of Costa Rica, River Flow 2020, 411-417.
  • Alvarez-Barrantes, L. (2023) Dynamics of microplastics particles in rivers: experimental settling processes and numerical models of the transport and deposition (PhD.Physical Geography, University of Hull).