Education

  • Ph.D. Geography and Geographic Information Science, University of Illinois—Urbana, 2017
  • M.S. Geography, University of Illinois, 2014
  • B.S. Geography, University of Wisconsin—La Crosse, 2011

Bio

Brown ground near a river
Floodwaters reveal a new channel forming through a farm field along the East Fork White River near Sparksville, Indiana. Photo credit Quinn Lewis.

Quinn Lewis is a fluvial geomorphologist researching the processes and landforms associated with flowing water on the surface of the earth. His research interests are centered on advancement of fluvial geomorphology and water resources through innovative fieldwork and geospatial methods such as remote sensing and GIS , with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches to complex problems. Quinn researches how landscapes change due to flowing water, and how rivers and land might be affected by climate and environmental changes.

Research

A riverbank that is eroding, showing bare soil
A riverbank erodes along a bend in the White River near Worthington, Indiana.

Quinn’s current research uses a new, technologically advanced drone to image rivers and hillslopes in unprecedented detail and focuses specifically on two of Indiana’s most important rivers, the White River and the East Fork White River. This work allows for improved understanding of how flowing water shapes the landscape. These rivers drain water from much of Indiana, so understanding how these rivers interact with the landscape, and how that interaction might change in the future, is critical for improving the environmental resilience of the state.