Research and expertise
Aquatic vegetation impedes and disrupts fluid flow. Along kilometers of rivers and coasts, this nuance multiplies to significantly effect flooding, erosion, and ecosystems. In my PhD project, I research the biomechanics which are foundational to this phenomenon; the drag forces around a flexible structure such as a plant are difficult to predict, requiring the development of new models which describe how they mechanically streamline themselves.
In the first publication of my PhD, accepted by the Journal of Fluids and Structures, the mathematical model I have developed is detailed. This work presents some novel modifications to classic multi-body dynamics theory in order to study fluid-structure interaction accurately.
For upcoming works, I am investigating the theory behind some nuances of plant morphology, which should span application from kelp to pondweed. In the summer of 2025, I will be visiting Kyoto University to perform experiments on this subject, funded by a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Current research activity
- R3 Doctoral Researcher, Structures and Materials Group – Fluid Structure Interaction
Recent Publications
- Dickinson, A. Palmeri, T. Marjoribanks, September 2023, “Nonlinear Dynamics of Complex 3D Rod Assemblies”, International Conference on Highly Flexible Slender Structures, Rijeka, Croatia
- Dickinson, T. Marjoribanks, C. Keylock, A. Palmeri, August 2025, “Modelling vegetation as complex structures in fluid–filament interaction using the elastically-articulated body method”, Journal of Fluids and Structures, Volume 136
Profile
My education has reflected my combined passions of Maths, Physics, and Computing.
In 2020, I graduated with a BSc from the University of Nottingham, having studied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence; and two years later I graduated with my MSc from Loughborough University, for Industrial Mathematical Modelling. The end of the latter culminated in a project supervised by Dr Alessandro Palmeri and Dr Tim Marjoribanks at ABCE, in which I investigated modelling the dynamics of multi-stem aquatic plants. My undergraduate dissertation in Nottingham sought to build a computer vision system for autonomous monitoring of invasive aquatic species, and the theme of tying my research to the natural world is one I would like to continue.
Outside of education, I have reasonable experience in software development, which I feel has equipped me a variety of useful skills to transfer to my academic research. The projects I have been involved with have included work on statistical models, cloud-based data pipelines, and remote-sensing devices.
Awards
- Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science