Anshul Yadav: Postdoctoral Associate
Position/What you do at URochester?
I am a Postdoctoral Associate in the DRIP (Dirt, Rivers, Ice, and Particles) Lab, working with Prof. Rachel Glade. My research focuses on sediment transport, with an emphasis on grain-scale dynamics analyzed through the lens of statistical mechanics, and on using these mechanics to understand river and landscape evolution.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Shikohabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
What got you interested in Earth and Environmental Sciences?
I became interested in Earth and Environmental Sciences through my curiosity about how small-scale physical processes shape large-scale features of the Earth’s surface. Studying sediment transport revealed how the motion of individual grains can collectively influence river morphology and long-term landscape evolution. During my Ph.D., working on grain-scale transport in gravel-bed rivers through field experiments and tracer studies deepened my appreciation for the complexity and importance of Earth surface processes. This interest has continued to grow through my work at the DRIP Lab, where I combine laboratory experiments, field observations, and numerical modeling to better understand sediment transport and its role in shaping landscapes.
What do you enjoy most about URochester?
I really enjoy the collaborative and close-knit campus environment at U of R. The community has been very welcoming, and I appreciate being part of a research group where people are genuinely excited about learning and discovery. I especially value interacting with students and colleagues across the department, as their curiosity and engagement create a stimulating and supportive academic atmosphere.
What is your favorite book?
One of my favorite books is Godaan, a Hindi novel by Munshi Premchand that vividly portrays rural India. I am currently reading Gunahon Ka Devta by Dharamvir Bharati, which similarly explores different facets and social complexities of Indian culture.
Which historical figure would you most like to meet?
I would most like to meet Albert Einstein to discuss his unconventional insights and analogies that bridge classical mechanics, fluid dynamics, and statistical physics, and how they could potentially reshape the way we understand particle motion in natural flows.