Research

Research Interests

Dr. Burian’s research helps to provide clean water, reduce risk from water‐related hazards and improve the performance of water systems from site to global scales. Using computer modeling, systems analysis, hydroinformatics and field studies, his research group contributes to sustainable and resilient urban water infrastructure systems, including stormwater, wastewater, and water supply. Focus areas include decentralization strategies, restorative green infrastructure design, smart water networks, climate impacts analysis, vulnerability and flood consequence assessment, adaptation engineering, and water interdependencies with energy, food security, and ecosystem services. Dr. Burian's publications are available at Google Scholar. 

Current Projects

  • U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water, funded by USAID
  • The Energy-Water-Food Nexus within the Backdrop of an Urbanized Globe: How Can GPM Help?, funded by NASA
  • IRES: Life Cycle Management and Ecosystem Services Applied to Urban Agriculture, funded by NSF
  • Prediction of Nonlinear Climate Variations Impacts on Eutrophication and Ecosystem Processes and Evaluation of Adaptation Measures in Urban and Urbanizing Watersheds, funded by EPA
  • Smart Water Data Acquisition and Analytics Technologies for Improving Efficiency of Water and Power Network Operations, funded by USTAR Utah Energy Research  Triangle
  • Climate Vulnerability Assessment of Salt Lake City's Water Systems, funded by Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities

 

Research focus areas include

  • Decentralization strategies,
  • Restorative green infrastructure design,
  • Smart water networks,
  • Climate impacts analysis,
  • Vulnerability and flood consequence assessment,
  • Adaptation engineering, and
  • Water interdependencies with energy, food security, and ecosystem services
  • Water systems analysis using Goldsim and Stella systems dynamics modeling

     

 

Dr. Burian is part of the Urban Water Research Group and a member of the Global Change and Sustainability Center (GCSC). More details of projects, students, and activities may be found at those sites.