Dr Robert (Bobby) Houseago

PhD (University of Hull)

  • Vice-Chancellor Independent Research Fellow

Academic Career

  • 2024 – present: Vice-Chancellor Independent Research Fellow, Loughborough University
  • 2022-2024: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Durham University. NERC Funded Project: What controls the flow resistance of rough-bed rivers? Major new advances from high-resolution topography.
  • 2021-2022: Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Hull. EPSRC Supergen ORE Hub Funded Project: Physics-informed machine learning for rapid fatigue assessments in offshore wind farms.
  • 2019-2021: Research Assistant, University of Hull
  • 2016-2021: PhD, University of Hull. Thesis title: On the hydrodynamics of flexible vegetation canopies

Roles

  • 2024 – present: British Society for Geomorphology Committee for Professional Geomorphologists (Academic Rep)

Bobby is an environmental scientist specialising in fluvial and coastal environments. His research focuses on quantifying the hydrodynamics and fluid-structure interactions, including the study of turbulence in aquatic vegetation, flow around and within channel blockages, and flow resistance due to river-bed roughness. He is also interested in understanding how hydrodynamics influence the transport and trapping of sediment and pollutants, including microplastics.

Bobby employs a coupled approach, integrating field data and experimental physical modelling (flume experiments) to unravel complex processes in rivers and coastal systems. 

  • Jack Duffy (Newcastle University) - Hydrodynamic modelling to understand the role of seagrass, kelp and oyster beds in dampening wave action (Dr Heather Sugden [Lead Supervisor] and Prof Pip Moore, Newcastle University)
  • Mendrik, F.*, Houseago, R.C.*, Hackney, C.R. and Parsons, D.R. (2024). Microplastic trapping efficiency and hydrodynamics in model coral reefs: A physical experimental investigation. Environmental Pollution342, p.123094. *Joint first authors
  • Houseago, R.C., Hong, L., Cheng, S., Best, J.L., Parsons, D.R., & Chamorro, L.P. (2022). On the turbulence dynamics induced by a surrogate seagrass canopy.Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 934, A17.
  • Hong, L., Cheng, S., Houseago, R.C., Parsons, D., Best, J, & Chamorro, L. (2022). On the submerged low-Cauchy-number canopy dynamics under unidirectional flows.J Fluids Struct, 113, 103646.
  • Houseago, R.C., Mockute, A., Cross, E., et al., (2022). Rapid Assessment of Offshore Monopile Fatigue Using Machine Learning. InEuropean Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (pp. 101-112).
  • Hackney, C. R., Darby, S.E., Parsons, D.R., ... & Houseago, R.C. (2020). River bank instability from unsustainable sand mining in the lower Mekong River. Nature Sustainability3(3), 217-225.