Dr. Christopher Wellen (PI)

Dr. Wellen is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Ryerson University. Chris is an environmental scientist whose work focuses on the intersection of hydrology and biogeochemistry in human dominated environments. His work has focused on agricultural, urban, and surface mined areas, but the essential questions are typically: How do natural processes and human modifications to a watershed interact to transport water and materials? What are the effects on instream and downstream ecosystems, and how are these effects likely to change in the future?

Dr. Wellen received a PhD from the University of Toronto in 2013 focusing on comparing the phosphorus export dynamics of urban and agricultural watersheds. His postdoctoral work at McMaster University focused on the role of surface mining in affecting selenium release from watersheds. His subsequent postdoctoral work at the University of Waterloo focused on improving the numerical analysis of watershed data from agricultural systems. Dr. Wellen received an MSc in GIScience from McGill University and a BSc in Water Environments and Ecosystems from McGill University’s School of the Environment.

Lab Alumni

​Mahnoor Riaz
MITACS Globalink Intern

​Manan Modi
MITACS Globalink Intern

Wukai Jiang
Masters of Spatial Analysis

Alexander Pardy
Masters of Spatial Analysis

Mallory Carpenter
Masters of Spatial Analysis
Currently GIS Specialist with Ducks Unlimited Canada

Jung Lee
Research Technician
Currently Supply Chain Analyst at OECM

Hannah Burdett
Masters of Spatial Analysis
Currently PhD Student at the University of Waterloo

Larissa Gospodyn
Masters of Environmental Applied Science and Managament
Currently PhD Student at University of Waterloo

Dr. Sohom Mandal
Postdoctoral Fellow
Currently Lead Data Scientist at Canadian National Rail

Dr. Clare Nelligan
Postdoctoral Fellow
Currently Biologist at Minnow Consulting

Bryant Serre
Research Assistant
Currently PhD Student at Toronto Metropolitan University

Dr. Cody Ross
Postdoctoral Fellow
Currently Assistant Professor at University of Toronto

​Dr. Kelly Biagi
Postdoctoral Fellow
Currently Assistant Professor at Brock University

Larissa Gospodyn
MASc Student
Currently PhD Candidate at University of Waterloo

Noah Wang
MASc Student
Currently Geoscientist with MTE Consultants

Dr. Anna Phillips
Postdoctoral Fellow
Currently Physical Scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada

Rhiannon Pinkerton
MASc Student
Currently Policy Analyst with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks

Dr. Jody Scott
Postdoctoral Fellow
Currently Engineer with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Wyatt Weatherson
Research Assistant
Currently PhD Student at Toronto Metropolitan University

Mir Jafar Sadegh Safari
Research Associate

Jafar joined the lab in September, 2024. He brings a wealth of knowledge related to the use of machine learning to predict water quality in streams and lakes. His work in the group is focused on better understanding the drivers and effects of chloride pollution in  Lake Simcoe using machine learning and process based approaches.   

Camilla Negri
Postdoctoral Fellow

Camilla joined the lab in February, 2025. Her work focuses on tailoring agricultural Beneficial Management Practices to specific types of landscape in Southern Ontario, and improving the representation of soil nutrient cycles in watershed models. ​

​Bhaswati Mazumder
PhD Student
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​Bhaswati joined the team after completing MSA at Ryerson. Her research focuses on chloride pathways in watersheds due to road salt applications. Current research interests include legacy chloride due to long term road salting in urban and urbanizing catchments, chloride retention in soil, and water quality modelling.

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Laya Ahmadi 
PhD Student

Laya joined the lab in September, 2021. Her work focuses on data driven assessments of the water quality benefits of agricultural beneficial management practices. She is doing so by combining mathematical modelling with environmental data science.

Sheryl Dias
MASc Student

Sheryl joined the lab in September, 2023. Her work focuses on assessing costs and benefits associated with beneficial management practices for water quality.

Aamina Shafi
MASc Student

Aamina joined the lab in September, 2025. Her work focuses on understanding the role of soil runoff in the urban water cycle.

Srijan Nath
MASc Student

Srijan joined the lab in September, 2025. His work focuses on using tracer aided modelling approaches to better understand the urban water cycle at a catchment scale in Black Creek, Toronto.