Dr Virginia Stovin

Senior Lecturer
Address:
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
Sir Frederick Mappin Building
Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD
Telephone: +44 (0) 114 222 5051
Fax: +44 (0) 114 222 5700
Email: v.stovin@sheffield.ac.uk
Qualifications
PhD, University of Sheffield; BSc, University of Manchester
Profile
Dr Virginia Stovin was appointed a lecturer in 1995, after spending the previous three years as a research assistant in the Department. Originally a Geography graduate from the University of Manchester, her main research interests are in the fields of urban drainage, SUDS and green roofs.
Ongoing work focuses on the use of computational fluid dynamics to optimise the design of combined sewer overflows and other sewer ancillary structures. This requires both the flow field and pollutant transport (sediment or solute) to be accurately modelled, increasingly in three-dimensions and in response to time-dependent inputs.
More recently her research has focused on sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS), in which the retention of rainfall at source may assist in the control of urban flooding and sewer discharges. She is leading work in the UK on the potential to retrofit SUD systems into existing catchments, and is part of the Sheffield-based Green Roof Centre.
She has been involved in the supervision of 8 PhD students and her research has resulted in the publication of 19 refereed journal papers. She is responsible for the introduction of two 'environmental awareness' modules into the Department's core undergraduate teaching programme, and has previously taught hydrology, construction planning and risk assessment.
Activities and Distinctions
- Strong industrial links through contracts for the Environment Agency, the BOC Foundation, The Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum For Environmental Research, water utilities and European companies. Collaborative links with CIRIA, DEFRA and several local councils.
- Active in UK sustainable drainage research and a core member of the Sheffield-based European-funded Green Roof Centre.
- External examiner (Built and Natural Environment modules) University of Abertay Dundee.
Selected Publications
- Stovin VR, Guymer I and Lau STD (2010) A Dimensionless Method to Characterize the Mixing Effects of Surcharged Manholes. ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 136 (5), pp 318-327. ISSN 0733-9429. DOI 10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000183
- Stovin VR (2010) The potential of green roofs to manage Urban Stormwater. Water and Environment Journal, 24 (3), pp 192-199. ISSN 1747-6585. DOI 10.1111/j.1747-6593.2009.00174.x
- Stovin VR, Grimm JP and Lau STD (2008) Solute transport modelling for urban drainage structures. ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering, 134 (8), pp 640-650. ISSN 0733-9372. DOI 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2008)134:8(640)
- Stovin VR and Swan AD (2007) Retrofit SUDS – Cost estimates and decision-support tools. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Water Management, 160 (4), December, pp 207-214. ISSN 1741-7589. DOI 10.1680/wama.2007.160.4.207
- Lau STD, Stovin VR and Guymer I (2007) Scaling the solute transport characteristics of a surcharged manhole. Urban Water Journal, 4, ISSN 1573-062X.
- Adamsson A, Stovin VR and Bergdahl L (2003) Bed shear stress boundary condition for storage tank sedimentation. ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering, 129 (7), July, pp 651-658. ISSN 0733-9372. DOI 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2003)129:7(651)
Grants
- 2009-2013: "Green Roof Systems [230636]" funded by EU FP7 Marie Curie Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways (IAPP). Investigators: N Dunnett and VR Stovin. Value: €1.19M.
- 2008-2011: "URSULA: Urban River Corridors and Sustainable Living Agendas" funded by EPSRC. Investigators: DN Lerner, P Armsworth, S Connelly, P Bibby, S Molyneux-Hodgson, DM Romano, P Warren, L Maltby, S Sharples, JB Davison, JM Henneberry, RM Ashley, SN Lane, VR Stovin, JB Boxall, KJ Gaston, E Sharp and E Lange. Value: £2,584,763.
- 2006-2010: "PLATFORM: Pennine Water Group: Developing Knowledge and Tools for Sustainable Urban Water Services in the 21st Century" funded by EPSRC. Investigators: RM Ashley, AJ Edyvean, AJ Saul, W Zimmerman, KV Horoshenkov, SJ Tait, VR Stovin, LA Lewis, JB Boxall, C Biggs and E Sharp. Value: £371,961.
- 2006-2008: "Lower Irwell Integrated Urban Drainage Pilot (under subcontract to United Utilities)" funded by Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Investigator: VR Stovin. Value: £55,000.
- 2005-2007: "River Quality Enhancement Using Retrofit SUDS" funded by Environment Agency and the BOC Foundation. Investigator: VR Stovin. Value: £60,000.
Teaching
- Staff Member Responsible (SMR) for Level 1 'Introduction to Sustainable Civil Engineering' module
- SMR for Level 3 Hydraulic Design module
- Lecturer on Level M SUDS and Wetlands module
