About us

The NERC-recognised Sorby Lab Suite (SLS) forms a set of laboratory spaces and equipment in the School of Earth and Environment, which support fluid dynamics and particulate character research and teaching across a diverse range of environmental, engineering and biological research areas. The SLS is a key component of the EPSRC funded Centre for Doctoral Training in Fluid Dynamics and is an important facility for the Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics (LIFD).

The SLS facilities enable the interdisciplinary community to experiment upon a range of simulated natural processes, from flow-sediment transport links in alluvial channels, through the dispersal of sediments and pollutants in the deep oceans, to particulate transport through pipes and rig vessels.

The SLS has existing world-leading capabilities in two facilities:
i) the quantification of complex geophysical flows using Particle Imaging Velocity (PIV) techniques and the design and measurement of sediment-laden gravity current experiments in the Sorby Laboratory Facility
ii) the high resolution analysis of particle character (shape and size) in the Sediment, Soil and Pollutant Analysis Laboratory (SSPAL).

We are responsible for creating our laboratory culture, and as such have created a Code of Conduct, which we expect all of our laboratory users to abide by.

Who we are

Prof Dave Hodgson

Prof Dave Hodgson is the SLS Lab Director, along with being Deputy Directory of NERC funded Yorkshire iCASP, Deputy Director of Research (Impact) for SEE, Professor of Stratigraphy and Sedimentology, Editor in chief of Frontiers in Earth Science: Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Diagenesis and PI for Lobe 3 and Shallow Marine Research Groups.

Dr Gareth Keevil

Dr Gareth Keevil is the SLS Experimental Officer, along with being the Laser Safety Officer for School of Earth & Environment and teaching part of the CDT Fluid Dynamics 'Foundations of Fluids' module.

Helena Brown

Helena Brown is the Technical Specialist for SSPAL and the Sorby Lab Suite.

Current PGRs and Post Docs

Dominykas Buta

Emailmn16db@leeds.ac.uk

Abhimanyu Gaur

Emailscab@leeds.ac.uk

Yan Li

eeyli@leeds.ac.uk

Previous PGRs and Postdocs

Caroline Marshall

Trainee Medical Physicist

Edward Keavney

Thesis title: Spilling into confinement: submarine slope valleys as pollutant and carbon sinks.

Georgina Williams

Senior Fire Engineer, completed the experimental work for her PhD in the Fluid Dynamics Laboratory

Isabel de Cala

Completed the experimental work for her PhD in the Density Currents Laboratory and SSPAL.

Charlie Lloyd

Researcher, PhD Project TitleShark Biomimetics: The Role of Denticles and Riblets on the Turbulent Boundary Layer

Rory Hetherington

Completed the experimental work for his PhD in the Fluid Dynamics Laboratory

Luan Ho

Completed the experimental work for his PhD in the Density Current Laboratory and is now undertaking an EPSRC funded post doc at University of Sheffield looking at turbulent mixing in pipes.

Hugh P. Rice

Completed the experimental work for his PhD in the Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and has undertaken numerous post doc roles at University of Leeds in the Faculty of Engineering since graduation.

Partnerships

The Sorby Laboratory Suite has been a NERC-recognised facility since 2007.

Sorby Laboratory Suite staff work closely with Sellafield Ltd. and staff from the School of Chemical and Process Engineering to research the flows of particulate suspensions through pipe systems.

The Sorby Laboratory Suite is in partnership with Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics.

The Sorby Laboratory Suite is in partnership with the EPSRC funded CDT Fluid Dynamics. The labs host the teaching for the Foundation of Fluids lab work module and numerous PhD projects.