Anne Lightbody

Anne Lightbody is an Associate Professor at the University of New Hampshire, with dual affiliations in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department and Earth Sciences. She serves as the Earth Sciences Graduate Coordinator and teaches courses in hydrology, environmental data analysis, and geology.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. and M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from MIT
  • M.S. and B.S. in Biology from Yale University

Her research explores the intersection of hydrology, fluid mechanics, and ecology, focusing on small-scale processes in turbulent boundary layers and aquatic canopies to improve large-scale environmental modeling. Key applications include stream restoration, wetland design, and sediment pollution control. Her work spans rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and salt marshes, integrating disciplines like biogeochemistry, geomorphology, and oceanography.

The selected publications highlight her expertise in vegetation-hydrology interactions, sediment transport mechanics, and wetland hydrodynamics. Keywords across her work include environmental fluid mechanics, riparian ecology, and morphodynamic response to disturbances. Notably, her 2019 study on experimental streams reveals flood-vegetation-sediment coupling, while her 2006 models of salt marsh dispersion advanced coastal hydrodynamic understanding.

As an educator, she teaches foundational and advanced courses in hydrology, environmental transport processes, and applied mathematics, reflecting her cross-disciplinary role in the Integrated Applied Mathematics program.