John A. Gillies

Dr. John A. Gillies holds the academic rank of Research Professor in Geography at the Desert Research Institute (DRI), affiliated with the Division of Atmospheric Sciences. He previously served as Interim Executive Director of the DRI's Atmospheric Sciences Division (2010–2011). His expertise lies in aeolian processes, dust emissions, and boundary-layer flow dynamics across diverse environments, including Antarctic polar deserts and Martian surfaces. Gillies earned his Ph.D., M.S., and B.A. in Physical Geography from the University of Guelph, Ontario.

His research focuses on mitigating environmental impacts of aeolian sediment transport through engineered roughness and vegetation management. Key projects include dust emission studies at the Oceano Dunes and development of field wind tunnels and monitoring systems for particulate measurements. Collaborative work explores dust resuspension from volcanic ash and military activities.

Publications emphasize innovative mitigation strategies, shear stress partitioning, and high-resolution modeling. Gillies has contributed to patents on engineered roughness elements and advised on dust control for sensitive ecosystems like the Salton Sea and Keeler Dunes.