Sea sponge inspires super strong compressible material

Inspired by the humble deep-sea sponge, RMIT University engineers have developed a new material with remarkable compressive strength and stiffness that could improve architectural and product designs.

RMIT University

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The team's double lattice structure (left) outperforms the standard re-entrant honeycomb design (right). Credit: RMIT University

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Credit: RMIT University

Inspired by the humble deep-sea sponge, RMIT University engineers have developed a new material with remarkable compressive strength and stiffness that could improve architectural and product designs.

The double lattice design was inspired by the intricate skeleton of a deep-sea sponge known as Venus' flower basket, which lives in the Pacific Ocean.

Lead author of the latest RMIT study into the structure, Dr Jiaming Ma, said extensive testing and optimisation revealed the pattern's impressive combination of stiffness and strength, mixed with an ability to contract when compressed.

It’s this last aspect – known as auxetic behaviour – that opens a whole range of possibilities to apply the design across structural engineering and other applications.

“While most materials get thinner when stretched or fatter when squashed, like rubber, auxetics do the opposite,” Ma said.

“Auxetics can absorb and distribute impact energy effectively, making them extremely useful.”

Natural auxetic materials include tendons and cat skin, while synthetic ones are used to make heart and vascular stents that expand and contract as required.

But while auxetic materials have useful properties, their low stiffness and limited energy absorption capacity limits their applications. The team’s nature-inspired double lattice design is significant because it overcomes these main drawbacks.

“Each lattice on its own has traditional deformation behaviour, but if you combine them as nature does in the deep-sea sponge, then it regulates itself and holds its form and outperforms similar materials by quite a significant margin,” Ma said.

Results published in Composite Structures show with the same amount of material usage, the lattice is 13 times stiffer than existing auxetic materials, which are based on re-entrant honeycomb designs.

It can also absorb 10% more energy while maintaining its auxetic behaviour with a 60% greater strain range compared to existing designs.

Dr Ngoc San Ha said the unique combination of these properties opened several exciting applications for their new material.

“This bioinspired auxetic lattice provides the most solid foundation yet for us to develop next generation sustainable building,” he said.

“Our auxetic metamaterial with high stiffness and energy absorption could offer significant benefits across multiple sectors, from construction materials to protective equipment and sports gear or medical applications,” he said.

The bioinspired lattice structure could work as a steel building frame, for example, allowing less steel and concrete to be used to achieve similar results as a traditional frame.

The structure could also form the basis of lightweight sports protective equipment, bullet proof vests or medical implants.

Honorary Professor Mike Xie said the project highlighted the value in taking inspiration from nature.

"Not only does biomimicry create beautiful and elegant designs like this one, but it also creates smart designs that have been optimised through millions of years of evolution that we can learn from,” Xie said.

Next steps

The team at RMIT’s Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials has tested the design using computer simulations and lab testing on a 3D printed sample made from thermoplastic polyurethane.

They now plan to produce steel versions of the design to use along with concrete and rammed earth structures – a construction technique using compacted natural raw materials.

“While this design could have promising applications in sports equipment, PPE and medical applications, our main focus is on the building and construction aspect,” Ma said.

“We’re developing a more sustainable building material by using our design’s unique combination of outstanding auxeticity, stiffness, and energy absorption to reduce steel and cement usage in construction.

“Its auxetic and energy-absorbing features could also help dampen vibrations during earthquakes.”

The team is also planning to integrate this design with machine learning algorithms for further optimisation and to create programmable materials.

‘Auxetic behavior and energy absorption characteristics of a lattice structure inspired by deep-sea sponge’ is published in Composite Structures (DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2024.118835)

The team's double lattice stru [VIDEO] | 

Dr Jiaming Ma holds a 3D-printed model of the team's double lattice design. Credit: RMIT University

Credit

RMIT University.

Journal

Composite Structures

DOI

10.1016/j.compstruct.2024.118835 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Auxetic behavior and energy absorption characteristics of a lattice structure inspired by deep-sea sponge

 

Investigating human interaction: When we are in sync

For the first time, a research group from the University of Trento in collaboration with Singapore has combined artificial intelligence techniques and neuroimaging measurements on two people simultaneously. The results of their work were the subject of a

Università di Trento

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Bringing research from the lab to the home, from a controlled environment to real life. A way to understand human interaction. With the continuous evolution of technology, its potential grows, driving both scientific exploration and real-world applications. In this sense, the authors of this study have made a step forward to understand what happens at the brain level when two people come into contact and interact with each other, such as during a conversation, when giving each other a gift, or in other situations of cooperation.
The methodology and results are described in an article, "Emotional Content and Semantic Structure of Dialogues are associated with Interpersonal Neural Synchrony in the Prefrontal Cortex", which has recently been published in the scientific journal NeuroImage.
The paper was authored by Alessandro Carollo and Gianluca Esposito (corresponding authors), Massimo Stella and Andrea Bizzego of the University of Trento (Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science) as part of an international collaboration with Mengyu Lim of the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore.
Their work has shed new light on the association between the way in which people communicate, in terms of emotions and language, and their brain activity.
"For the first time, we have combined AI techniques to neuroimaging measurements obtained on two people at the same time. We have worked in a laboratory setting, but we tried to create less controlled situations than usual, so that each participating couple was free to invent a dialogue as well as to imagine giving each other a gift and being surprised to receive it," says Alessandro Carollo, first author of the study.
The research, which was conducted in the laboratories of the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science of the University of Trento in Rovereto, involved 42 pairs of participants (84 individuals), aged between 18 and 35 years old.
"We combined artificial intelligence techniques with the most advanced brain imaging technology to study how emotions and the structure of language influence brain activity in interactions. This study reveals that, when two people interact, their brain activity is synchronized, especially in the prefrontal cortex. Emotional content and the structure of language are connected to this neural synchrony," explains Gianluca Esposito.
The dialogues were transcribed by hand, then artificial intelligence techniques were used to encode the transcriptions and obtain emotional and syntactic/semantic indexes of the conversations.
For neuroimaging measurements, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used.
This technique is similar to an electroencephalogram, but is less invasive than magnetic resonance imaging and other methods, and is capable of recording the dynamics of hemoglobin, the molecule that carries oxygen in the blood, in different brain areas. With a light source, which emits beams of photons, and a photodetector placed on a helmet, the amount of light absorbed by hemoglobin is measured and brain activity is thus evaluated.
Alessandro Carollo explains: "It is an easy-to-carry and lightweight technique: it only takes a small box with a pair of caps and their cables. Then you plug it into a laptop computer and that is all you need to study human interactions."
He continues: "The goal is to bring research from the lab to the home, from the controlled environment to real life, where people are free to talk to each other and interact."
The contribution of the research team is promising.
Gianluca Esposito states: "The best approach seems to be the transdisciplinary one, which integrates emotional content and semantic/syntactic information. The results obtained on neuronal synchronization have a number of interesting implications. The study shows that emotions and language structure influence our conversations and the neural processes that then guide how we interact with each other. This opens up new avenues for research into human interactions. We think of interactions between parent and child, between partners, friends, or simply two strangers who find themselves interacting by chance."

About the article
"Emotional Content and Semantic Structure of Dialogues are associated with Interpersonal Neural Synchrony in the Prefrontal Cortex" (DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121087) has been published by the open access scientific journal NeuroImage.
The corresponding authors are Alessandro Carollo (who is also the first author) and Gianluca Esposito. The other authors are Massimo Stella and Andrea Bizzego, of UniTrento, and Mengyu Lim of the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore.

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Journal

NeuroImage

DOI

10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121087 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Emotional Content and Semantic Structure of Dialogues are associated with Interpersonal Neural Synchrony in the Prefrontal Cortex

Article Publication Date

26-Feb-2025

 

Staying one step ahead of cyberattackers

Mizzou researchers have developed a proactive approach using artificial intelligence to address evolving threats against smart grids.

University of Missouri-Columbia

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By Theo Schwinke

Researchers at the University of Missouri’s College of Engineering are taking on a critical challenge: protecting power grids from the rising threat of cyberattacks. These attacks have the potential to plunge millions into darkness, jeopardizing security and even lives.

While utilities have made strides in defense after numerous past attacks, cybercriminals are constantly evolving their tactics. That’s why Mizzou is stepping up, aiming to stay ahead in this high-stakes digital arms race.

“Current grid operators rely on outdated security measures like firewalls and antivirus software, which are ineffective against sophisticated, modern attacks,” Prasad Calyam, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, said. “What’s needed is a cybersecurity framework that uses real-time knowledge to predict and detect targeted attacks, along with active defense strategies that mitigate cyberattacks effectively.”

Calyam, the director of the Mizzou Cyber Education, Research and Infrastructure (CERI) Center, led a team to develop this system. The researchers focused their attention on inverter-based resources (IBRs), systems that connect renewable energy sources to the electric grid. Because they are connected to the internet for information sharing and network control purposes, IBRs are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks, which could disrupt the grid, damage equipment or steal data.

“IBRs’ exposure to the internet creates more attack surfaces,” Calyam said. “They have different layers — network, communication and hardware — which can each be targeted in various ways.”

Predicting cyberattacks with accuracy

The system Calyam and his colleagues developed to improve the cybersecurity of IBRs is called “CIBR-Fort.” It employs advanced technology like large language models (LLMs) and knowledge graphs to spot unusual behavior, detect risks and act quickly.

CIBER-Fort can predict cyberattacks with 91.88% accuracy and its knowledge base is designed to continue growing by adding new types of attacks. This helps ensure future evolving threats can be predicted and mitigated.

“The system, which is based on a cloud platform, can quickly respond to threats in real-time, with an average response time of 40 milliseconds per data flow,” said Roshan Lal Neupane, a cyberinfrastructure engineer at CERI and co-author on the paper.

CIBR-Fort not only helps to detect cyberattacks but also has capabilities to defend against them by redirecting attack traffic, using decoys and analyzing the attacker’s actions to find ways to stop them.

“Interactive systems respond to the attacker’s actions — opening files or folders that seem real — effectively tricking attackers and wasting their time,” said Vamsi Pusapati, one of the paper’s co-authors and a graduate student pursuing his master’s in computer science at Mizzou.

The innovative and constantly evolving CIBR-Fort system enables scalable security for power grids of the future.

The team will present their findings at the 2025 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers/International Federation for Information Processing Network Operations and Management Symposium.

 MODEL FOR EXPANSION OF UNDERGRAD RESEARCH

Program’s expansion boosts student research opportunities

UTA undergraduate research program helps students present their work at academic conferences

University of Texas at Arlington

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“At the conference, I presented my work on rotating detonating engine nozzles to students from other universities, professors and other AIAA members,” said Wilson, who along with his partner, Khushi Piparava, presented their work and won second place among student presenters. “I got to see the research and work done by my peers at other universities, and it solidified my plans to stay on at UTA and pursue my Ph.D. in aerospace engineering.”

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Credit: UTA

Aerospace engineering senior Philip Wilson attended an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) conference. Rohit Raut, a senior physics major, presented his work at a nuclear research symposium, and senior biology major Jaden Rankin had the opportunity to feature her research at an entomology conference.

These and other University of Texas at Arlington students were able to showcase their original research at major symposiums thanks to UTA’s expansion of its popular undergraduate research program that provides funding for select students to present at academic conferences.

“At the conference, I presented my work on rotating detonating engine nozzles to students from other universities, professors and other AIAA members,” said Wilson, who along with his partner, Khushi Piparava, presented their work and won second place among student presenters. “I got to see the research and work done by my peers at other universities, and it solidified my plans to stay on at UTA and pursue my Ph.D. in aerospace engineering.”

The initial expansion of this program supported eight students, each receiving up to $1,000 based on the costs of attending a symposium.

“We’re allowing a select group of students to showcase their original research at international conferences, which allows students to network with future collaborators, talk to possible employers and experience firsthand what it’s like to be an established researcher,” said Kayunta Johnson-Winters, director of undergraduate research at UTA and an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry. “The response from the students and their faculty advisors has been so encouraging.”

The program enabled Raut, an aspiring physicist, to attend a meeting at CERN, the European Organization of Nuclear Research.

“As a physicist and a researcher, it’s always exciting to be at CERN,” Raut said. “You never know if the person standing next to you in the lunch line is the physicist who inspired you to pursue physics.”

Raut will graduate in the spring and is applying to doctoral programs to study high-energy physics, particularly in neutrino and dark sector research, which explores the fundamental particles and forces that shape the universe.

Rankin said her experience in the program has strengthened her commitment to pursuing graduate studies in biology.

“Attending Entomology 2024 last November allowed me to learn more about the field of insect research,” she said. “It was my first major research symposium, and it was so incredibly exciting to meet people at all levels of education.

“I plan to pursue a Ph.D. and possibly work in a national park after I finish my studies.”

Ken Perry presented research on the connection between high-fat meals and cardiovascular health—conducted with his faculty mentor, R. Matthew Brothers—at the American Physiological Society meeting. He received two awards for his presentation.

“The first award was given to about 100 people, but the second was more of a competition meant to honor the top 10 undergraduates at the entire conference, which had over 20,000 people,” Perry said. “It was really a huge honor for me.”

Ben Gervasi, a senior art history major, attended the Midwest Art History Society Conference, calling it an “amazing opportunity to network with experts in the field.”

After earning his degree this spring, Gervasi plans to attend graduate school to further his study of late-19th-century French art. Eventually, he hopes to teach at the university level.

“Research is not confined to the papers you write,” Gervasi said. “The events you attend and the places you explore naturally inspire your research and keep it fresh.”

Program participants:

• Lucine Devejian, Fort Worth (Nolan Catholic High School)
  Attended American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, San Antonio
   
• Ben Gervasi, Arlington, (Martin High School)
  Attended Midwest Art History Society Conference, Chicago
   
• Ken Perry, Arlington (Arlington High School)
  Attended American Physiological Society Summit, Long Beach, California
   
• Ravi Ramkissoon, Mansfield (Timberview High School)
  Attended American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, San Antonio
  Attended American Chemical Society, Youth Challenge, Singapore, February 2025
   
• Jaden Rankin, Terrell (North Forney High School)
  Attended Entomology 2024, Phoenix
   
• Rohit Raut, Jhapa, Nepal (Dhulabari Secondary School)
  Attended DUNE Collaboration Meeting and DUNE LArTPC Analysis Workshop, Geneva, Switzerland
   
• Philip Wilson, Mansfield (Mansfield High School)
  Attended AIAA Region IV Student Conference of 2024, Stillwater, Oklahoma
   
• Carson Wright, Waxahachie (Waxahachie Global High School)
  Attending Symposium for the Communication of Complex Information in March 2025, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Learn more about UTA’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities on its website or email the office.

Jaden Rankin said her experience in the program has strengthened her commitment to pursuing graduate studies in biology.

“Attending Entomology 2024 last November allowed me to learn more about the field of insect research,” she said. “It was my first major research symposium, and it was so incredibly exciting to meet people at all levels of education.

The program enabled Raut, an aspiring physicist, to attend a meeting at CERN, the European Organization of Nuclear Research. “As a physicist and a researcher, it’s always exciting to be at CERN,” Raut said. “You never know if the person standing next to you in the lunch line is the physicist who inspired you to pursue physics.”

Ben Gervasi, a senior art history major, attended the Midwest Art History Society Conference, calling it an “amazing opportunity to network with experts in the field.” 

After earning his degree this spring, Gervasi plans to attend graduate school to further his study of late-19th-century French art. Eventually, he hopes to teach at the university level.

“Research is not confined to the papers you write,” Gervasi said. “The events you attend and the places you explore naturally inspire your research and keep it fresh.”

Credit

UTA

About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)

Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive teaching, research, and public service institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through scholarship and creative work. With an enrollment of approximately 41,000 students, UT Arlington is the second-largest institution in the UT System. UTA’s combination of outstanding academics and innovative research contributes to its designation as a Carnegie R-1 “Very High Research Activity” institution, a significant milestone of excellence. The University is designated as a Hispanic Serving-Institution and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education and has earned the Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to accelerating Latino student success. The University ranks in the top five nationally for veterans and their families (Military Times, 2024), is No. 4 in Texas for advancing social mobility (U.S. News & World Report, 2025), and is No. 6 in the United States for its undergraduate ethnic diversity (U.S. News & World Report, 2025). UT Arlington’s approximately 270,000 alumni occupy leadership positions at many of the 21 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in North Texas and contribute to the University’s $28.8 billion annual economic impact on Texas

 

Research reveals hidden risks from plastic-coated fertilizers in soil

A study by University of Missouri researchers focuses on the microplastic pollution generated by polymer-coated, control-release fertilizers, highlighting the need for biodegradable alternatives.

University of Missouri-Columbia

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Maryam Salehi, right, works with graduate student Anandu Gopakumar Nair in her Lafferre Hall lab at the University of Missouri.

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Credit: Zac Anderson/University of Missouri

Farmers are always looking for smarter ways to boost crop health, and one of the industry’s latest game-changers is polymer-coated, controlled-release fertilizers (PC-CRFs). These high-tech soil enhancers deliver nutrients gradually, ensuring plants get exactly what they need when they need it without the waste of traditional methods.

While PC-CRFs can boost crop efficiency, a new study from University of Missouri researcher Maryam Salehi and collaborators uncovers a downside — microplastic pollution. As the polymer coatings break down in the soil, they release tiny plastic particles into the environment.

“In PC-CRFs, the plant nutrients are enclosed within a microcapsule,” said Salehi, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Mizzou’s College of Engineering. “This microcapsule is designed to slowly release the fertilizers into the farmland over time. The non-biodegradable coatings left over after this process is complete can be considered microplastics.”

For Salehi and colleagues, this raises concerns about the long-term impact of this microplastic pollution to the health of people and animals.

Since previous studies have detected microplastics in farmland, Salehi’s team is focused on two bigger questions: how much is being released, and what kinds of plastics are involved?

Until researchers can answer these questions, Salehi suggests farmers use more sustainable alternatives such as biodegradable coatings. But if PC-CRFs must be used, she urges farmers to implement effective stormwater management to prevent these microplastics from running off into nearby water sources.

Salehi said more research is needed to fully understand the consequences of PC-CRFs on the environment.

“Various soil environments, moisture conditions and soil organisms can impact the disintegration of the microcapsule differently,” she said. “Also, PC-CRFs may use different types of plastics, so further research is needed to determine the variations between them.” “Mechanisms of microplastic generation from polymer-coated controlled-release fertilizers (PC-CRFs

 

Sediment transport restored after demolition of the Olloki dam

A study by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) shows that the demolition of a dam on the river Leitzaran has increased the mobilisation of pebbles in terms of number and distance

University of the Basque Country

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Askoa Ibisate in the laboratory of the University of the Basque Country ( UPV/EHU)

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Credit: Nuria González. UPV/EHU

Thanks to the momentum of European Union policies, disused dams are being removed for the purpose of restoring rivers. One example of this is the Olloki dam (Gipuzkoa), which was the subject of a study by fluvial geomorphology geographers from the Fluvial Functioning research group. The dam used to be located in Leitzaran and was demolished, above all, to improve the habitat of the salmon. In fact, for the river to function properly and for the habitats to be in a good condition, the geomorphology of the river has to function correctly. Among other things, it is very important to renew the riverbed and, to do this, the transport of sediments and water flows must be adequate: “Rivers are a transport system and if they are to fulfil their ecological function, they need to move water, sediments, nutrients and living beings. But it is the dams themselves that create obstacles. We say they are like blood clots that form in veins,” explained the researcher Askoa Ibisate.

In this context, to demonstrate the true effectiveness of the removal of the dam, the work by the UPV/EHU analysed how the demolition has affected the transport of sediments throughout the whole process: “We knew the river would recover, but we didn't know how. Nor in what way different points of the river would be affected. So we measured the movement of the pebbles in three specific locations, before, during and after the demolition of the dam. The results show a significant increase in the volumes of sediment transported, especially along the stretches under the influence of the dam, and that the stones have travelled longer distances than expected,” Ibisate explained.

In terms of the amount of sediment mobilised, the study indicates that the number of displaced stones has increased, especially after the dam was completely demolished, although Ibisate was keen to clarify that this occurred gradually. In other words, these movements did not occur suddenly: “When it comes to demolishing dams, one of the fears is that the sediment accumulated over the years will suddenly be displaced like a wave and, as a result, the uses and infrastructure located on the flood plain downstream will be damaged. What we have in fact seen is that the process is regulated and the stones are transported gradually.”

It was stressed that the study provides information that is of great help to the authorities when planning dam demolitions. Although in each case the specific characteristics of the streams need to be looked at, the research makes it possible to better understand the functioning of rivers and the sediment flow regime; that way, the geomorphological responses to the demolition of the dams can be predicted, and a specific strategy designed.

The UPV/EHU researcher also highlighted the displacement of the stones: “There are stones that travelled 8.8 kilometres in one year, and that's a lot. We didn't think the sediments would move so much, and the other experts in the field were also surprised.”

1,800 stones monitored over 7 years

To obtain the results, during the seven years that the research was in progress, 1,800 stones (300 each year) were released at three points in the river: in two areas affected by the dam (one upstream, one downstream) and at a control site beyond its influence. “The control point enabled us to discover that the changes in the transport of sediments caused by the demolition of the dam were actually due to the demolition itself and not to other factors, such as, for example, a significant increase,” Ibisate said.

The stones distributed around Leitzaran had a code embedded inside them. So to find out how much sediment had moved, they inspected the river using a detector (similar to a metal detector): “When the device detects a code, it informs us which stone it is and gives us the GPS coordinates. So we know where we released it, where it has appeared and, therefore, how far it has travelled,” explained Ibisate.

The researchers said it was a monumental task, as the river had to be scanned, metre by metre, over a distance of 11 kilometres from bank to bank, and because it was monitored over a seven-year period. However, the fact that it has been working for so long is precisely what has made the UPV/EHU research so valuable: “Normally, due to lack of funding, monitoring is carried out for 1-2 years, before and shortly after the dam has been demolished. By contrast, we deposited the first stones in 2016, and over the following six years we were able to see how far they had got. Meanwhile, during the summers of 2018 and 2019, the wall was demolished in two phases and, subsequently, we monitored the movement of the sediments until 2022. So we had the opportunity to collect information for three full years after the entire dam had been demolished. It is a very long period of time and, so, the results are significant,” Ibisate added. What is more, in recent years there have been a whole range of hydrological conditions, which makes the information gathered even more enriching. In fact, after the demolition of the dam it was also possible to measure the influence of the flow rates on the transport of sediments.

Further information

Askoa Ibisate is a researcher in the Physical Geography area of the department of Geography, Prehistory and Archaeology. She belongs to the subgroup that focuses on fluvial geomorphology within the Fluvial Functioning research group. The study of the Olloki dam is part of the LIFE IREKIBA project, which was conducted in collaboration with the IGME and the Universities of Santiago de Compostela and Zaragoza.

Askoa Ibisate is also a lecturer on the Degree course in Geography and Land Management and on the Master's course in Biodiversity, Ecosystem Functioning and Management.

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Journal

Geomorphology

DOI

10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109542 

Article Title

Bedload response to dam removal: Results from a 6-year particle tracking survey in the Leitzaran River (Basque Country)