Aline J Cotel

Aline J Cotel is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering. She is also affiliated with the Program in the Environment and serves as a faculty member at the African Studies Center. Her research and teaching are deeply rooted in environmental fluid mechanics, with a focus on turbulence, stratified flows, and ecological engineering.

Her research interests span environmental fluid dynamics, fish-flow interactions, turbulent mixing, and ecological restoration. She investigates how turbulence affects fish behavior, swimming performance, and habitat selection, particularly for species like sea lamprey and lake sturgeon. Her work combines advanced experimental techniques such as Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) with numerical modeling to understand complex flow phenomena in both natural and engineered systems. Applications include fish passage design, biofuel spill dynamics, and thermal plume dispersion.

The recent publications highlight a strong focus on fish passage hydrodynamics, invasive species control, and low-cost environmental monitoring tools. Many studies center on improving sea lamprey trapping in the Great Lakes, assessing fishway impacts on larvae, and developing rugged field PIV systems. There is also a consistent thread in engineering education and diversity, particularly through initiatives supporting women in fluids and international capacity building in Ghana.

• Arthur F. Thurnau Professor

Cotel leads funded research projects, including an NSF CAREER award on fish responses to turbulence. She mentors students and contributes to international educational programs, such as the Coastal Ocean Environment Summer School in Ghana and leadership camps for Liberian women in engineering. Her work bridges engineering, ecology, and education, with a strong emphasis on practical solutions for environmental challenges.

She is actively involved in interdisciplinary teams and research centers at the University of Michigan, including efforts related to the Great Lakes Initiative. Her lab develops and deploys innovative measurement systems for field and laboratory use, contributing to both fundamental science and applied environmental engineering.