Michael Heisel

Dr. Michael Heisel is a Lecturer and Director of Outreach in the School of Civil Engineering at The University of Sydney. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota (2020) with a minor in Aerospace Engineering, and previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA. His research focuses on fluid mechanics in environmental and geophysical contexts, particularly boundary layer turbulence and its modeling applications. He teaches CIVL5670 (Reservoir, Stream and Coastal Engineering) and leads outreach initiatives to engage high school students in civil engineering. He serves as an associate editor for ARC Geophysical Research, advocating for open-access publishing. His research combines experimental methods (e.g., particle image velocimetry) and computational simulations (e.g., large-eddy modeling) to study turbulence dynamics in atmospheric and aquatic systems.

Research interests include the structure of turbulent boundary layers in the atmosphere, oceans, and rivers; stochastic modeling of velocity profiles; and the impact of turbulence on environmental processes like dust transport and snow particle behavior. His work bridges fundamental fluid dynamics with practical applications in climate modeling, wind energy, and infrastructure design.

Current research students are investigating atmospheric boundary layer structures, reactive particle effects on convection, and forest canopy wind dynamics. Michael has collaborated on predictive models for fluvial bedforms and hydrokinetic turbine scour, demonstrating his interdisciplinary approach to civil and environmental challenges.