Dr. Madison Douglas

Biography

Madison Douglas's research focuses on the physical, chemical, and biological processes that shape the surface history of the Earth, forming landscapes. She is passionate about predicting natural hazards such as flooding and debris flows, which requires a deep understanding of the physical processes in active rivers, hillslopes, and coastlines. Her work includes traveling to collect samples and measuring natural processes, as well as conducting laboratory experiments that create scaled-down versions of these processes using water and sediment. She examines landscape change over time through remote sensing and the development of novel numerical models. Douglas's research is particularly concentrated on landscapes in permafrost environments that are rapidly thawing due to climate warming, which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. California provides exceptional natural laboratories for understanding the impacts of tectonics, bedrock geology, climate change, and human activity on landscapes. Her collaborative efforts aim to understand how the Earth's surface has evolved since the expansion of life on continents, ultimately informing landscape management practices for a safe and sustainable future.

Research Interests