Overview
I am currently undertaking a WISE CDT funded Ph.D. studentship at the Hydro-Environmental Research Centre at Cardiff University, focusing on fish responses to flow alterations in riverine systems. I am interested in the interaction between the aquatic environment and hydraulic in-stream structures such as small-scale riverine turbines and leaky barriers used for natural flood management. Using experimental techniques (e.g. flow visualisation, ADV, PIV, camera recording, motion tracking), I capture and visualise the hydrodynamics within the vicinity of these structures and link them to fish behaviour to analyse spatial preference and the impact on fish swimming kinematics.
In 2017, I graduated with an MSc in Sustainable Energy Systems and 2015 with a BSc in Environmental and Energy Process Engineering from the Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg, Germany. Alongside my master’s degree, I worked as a Scientific Assistant at the Laboratory of Fluid Dynamics and Technical Flows where I investigated the numerical simulation of the multiphase flow in a fish-friendly weir. During this time, I developed my interest in fish-friendly technologies, small-scale hydropower plants, ecohydraulics, and fish-flow interaction.
Further information: WISE CDT profile: http://wisecdt.org.uk/wise_people/stephanie-muller/
Research
Research interests
My research interests are centred around the field of ecohydraulics, including for instance fish swimming behaviour and migration, fish-flow interaction, interplay between aquatic environment and in-stream hydraulic structures such as small-scale hydropower schemes and green infrastructures.
Thesis
Fish response to flow alterations in riverine systems
Funding source
EPSRC WISE CDT
Supervisors
Publications
2023
- Sonnino Sorisio, G., Muller, S., Wilson, C. A., Ouro, P. and Cable, J. 2023. Colour as a behavioural guide for fish near hydrokinetic turbines. Heliyon 9(12), article number: E22376. (10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22376)
- Müller, S., Muhawenimana, V., Sonnino Sorisio, G., Wilson, C. A. M. E., Cable, J. and Ouro, P. 2023. Fish response to the presence of hydrokinetic turbines as a sustainable energy solution. Scientific Reports 13, article number: 7459. (10.1038/s41598-023-33000-w)
2022
- Müller, S., Follett, E. M., Ouro, P. and Wilson, C. A. M. E. 2022. Influence of channel‐spanning engineered logjam structures on channel hydrodynamics. Water Resources Research 58(12), article number: e2022WR032111. (10.1029/2022wr032111)
2021
- Muller, S. 2021. Impact of leaky barriers and hydrokinetic turbines on channel
hydrodynamics and fish movement. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. - Mueller, S., Muhawenimana, V., Wilson, C. and Ouro, P. 2021. Experimental investigation of the wake characteristics behind twin vertical axis turbines. Energy Conversion and Management 247, article number: 114768. (10.1016/j.enconman.2021.114768)
- Muller, S., Wilson, C., Ouro Barba, P. and Cable, J. 2021. Leaky barriers: leaky enough for fish to pass?. Royal Society Open Science 8(3), article number: 201843. (10.1098/rsos.201843)