Dale P. Hess

Assistant Professor

Geomorphologist with an interest in: the landform record representative of Laurentide Ice Sheet glaciodynamics, applications of optically stimulated luminescence and cosmogenic exposure dating in Quaternary settings,   hydrodynamic and aerodynamic coupling in the Niagara River Gorge, geospatial analysis.

Biography

Career History

• 2009–present:  Lecturer, Brock University.
• 2008–2009: Fulbright Scholar, Brock University.
• 2005–2008: National Science Foundation IGERT Fellow in Geographic Information Science.
• 2003–2005: Teaching/Research Assistant, University at Buffalo.
• 1996–2003: Project Engineer, Graham Corporation.

Qualifications

• M.S. University at Buffalo, 2005
• B.S. University at Buffalo, 2002

Visiting Appointments

• Visiting Researcher, The University Centre in Svalbard, Norway (June–August 2008).
• Visiting Researcher, The University Centre in Svalbard, Norway (February–April 2007)

Teaching

• ERSC 1F01 Planet Earth
• ERSC 3P25 Quaternary Geology
• ERSC 3P36 Fluvial Geomorphology
• ERSC 3P97 Quaternary Geochronology
• ERSC 4P26 Advanced Fluvial Geomorphology
• ERSC 4P61 Hydrology

Research

Dale studies the behavior of the Laurentide Ice Sheet as it retreated from the landscape of North America.  He uses the morphometry of subglacial bedforms, modern chronological techniques, glacial sedimentology/micromorphology, and numerical modeling to better understand Laurentide withdrawl and collapse.  Dale also has a continuing interest in river hydraulics and characterization of associated turbulent flow.

Specific research interests and activities include

• Subglacial bedform morphometry and sedimentology in the  New York Drumlin Field.
• Micromorphology of drumlinized glacial sediments.
• Optically stimulated luminescence dating in the Oneida Valley, New York State
• Proxy evidence of ice stream erosion, Baffin Island
• Numerical modeling of valley glaciers and comparison to drumlin morphometry
• Spatial analysis of microfabric within glacial sediments
• Niagara River hydrodynamics and numerical modeling

Publications

Research Articles

• Hess, D.P., Menzies, J., Briner, J.P.  (in prep).  Comparing till macrofabric and microfabric using sequential imaging and automated feature extraction.  Target Journal – Boreas.
• Hess, D.P., Menzies, J., Briner, J.P.  (submitted).  Microstructural analysis of shear indicators in drumlinized glaciogenic sediments.  Sedimentary Geology – Proceedings of the VIII International Drumlin Symposium.
• Hess, D.P., Briner, J.P.  (2009).  Geospatial analysis of controls on subglacial bedform morphometry in the New York drumlin field – Implications for Laurentide ice sheet dynamics.  Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 34: 1126–1135.
• Briner, J.P., Miller, G.H., Finkel, R., and Hess, D.P. (2008).  Glacial erosion at the fjord onset zone and implications for the organization of ice flow.  Geomorphology 97: 126–134.

Recent talks and published conference abstracts

• Hess, D.P., Briner, J.P., Menzies, J., 2009.  Evidence of progressive sediment deformation within subglacial bedforms, central New York State, USA.  VII International Drumlin Symposium, Westport, Ireland.
• Hess, D.P., Briner, J.P., Menzies, J., 2008.  Evaluating subglacial bedform internal composition as a control on elongation – a case study from the southern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet.  American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
• Shufelt, N., Hess, D.P., Briner, J.P., 2008.  Evidence of bidirectional ice flow from drumlin morphometry and till fabric analysis: A case study from the New York drumlin field. Northeastern Section – Geological Society of America 43rd Annual Meeting, Buffalo, NY.
• Hess, D.P., Briner, J.P., 2008.  Investigating controls on subglacial bedform morphometry in the New York drumlin field – implications for Laurentide ice sheet paleodynamics. Northeastern Section – Geological Society of America 43rd Annual Meeting, Buffalo, NY.
• Hess, D.P., Briner, J.P., 2007.  Using digital elevation data to analyze glacial landscape features – an example from New York State. 34th Annual Fall Scientific Paper Session of the Rochester Academy of Science, Geneseo, NY.
• Hess, D.P., Briner, J.P., 2007.  Indication of fast ice flow in the New York drumlin field.  Canadian Quaternary Association, Ottawa, Canada.
• Hess, D.P., Briner, J.P., 2007.  Spatial distribution of subglacial landform elongation in the New York drumlin field.  European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.
• Hess, D.P., Bursik, M.I., 2006.  Analysis of hydrodynamic and aerodynamic coupling at Niagara Falls.  Great Lakes Program Earth Day Colloquium, Buffalo, NY.
• Hess, D.P., Briner J.P., Kessler, M.A., 2006.  Application of a two-dimensional numerical ice dynamics model to the Finger Lakes region of New York State.  Northeastern Section – Geological Society of America 41st Annual Meeting, Harrisburg, PA.
• Tsai, C.W., Kuai, K., Bursik, M.I., Hess, D.P., 2005.  Applicability and experimental verification of a dam-break flood and sediment transport model.  World Water and Environmental Resources Congress, Anchorage, AK.