Peter Ashmore

Professor Peter Ashmore is a leading scholar in fluvial geomorphology at Western University's Department of Geography and Environment. His research focuses on sediment transport, urban river systems, and socio-geomorphological interactions, particularly in the Toronto region. He has supervised over 30 graduate students since 1990, advancing understanding of braided river dynamics, river restoration, and the impacts of urbanization.

Teaching includes courses such as GEO 1300 (Physical Environment), GEO 2330 (Geomorphology & Hydrology), and GEO 3334 (River Channel Geomorphology). His work bridges field studies, experimental modeling, and computational tools, including the development of the Stream Power Index for Networks (SPIN) for urban watershed decision-making. Notable contributions include the 2019 Water Resources Research award-winning study on semi-alluvial river bedload transport under urbanization.

Research interests span gravel-bed river morphodynamics, semi-alluvial channel processes, and socio-environmental dimensions of river management. Recent projects address river restoration design through geomorphic form variation metrics and synthetic digital modeling. His collaborative efforts integrate engineering, ecology, and policy to address urban river challenges.