Samia Aquino da Silva
samia@austin.utexas.edu
The University of Texas at Austin
Department of Geography and the Environment
305 E. 23rd Street CLA 3.510 – A3100. Zip Code: 78712 – Austin,
TX
(512) 221-4341
Education

2008/2009. Duke University, Nicholas School of the
Environment. Post-doctoral Researcher - Grant CAPESBrazil. Research topic: Hydrogeomorphology of the Amazon
basin: integrating past and present. August 2008-May
2009.

2007. State University of Maringá-NUPELIA, Paraná,
Brazil – PhD in Sciences (Environmental Sciences).
Dissertation: Water and Sediments Transmission Models for
Channel/Floodplain interactions: Comparison between the
Araguaia and Paraná rivers.

2002. State University of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil –
MSc. in Geography. Dissertation: Hydrologic regime and
Morpho-hydraulic behavior of the Araguaia River, Brazil.

1997. Federal University of Acre, Acre, Brazil – BS.
Geography. Thesis: Hydrology and Geomorphology of the
Acre River Basin and others rivers of Southwestern
Amazon, Brazil.
Professional Appointments
Current
Laboratory Technical Supervisor II and Research Fellow,
Department
of
Geography
and
the
Environment.
The
University of Texas at Austin.
Prior Employment
2010 to 2012. Research Fellow and Lecturer, Department of
Geography and the Environment. The University of Texas at
Austin.
2008.
Adjunct
Professor,
Department
of
Geological
Sciences, East Carolina University-ECU, Greenville, NC.
2006 to 2008. Researcher, Institute of Geomorphology and
Soils, National University of La Plata - Argentina.
1998-2000.
Laboratory
technician
of
EMBRAPA
(Agrotechnology Research National Agency-Brazil). Rio BrancoAcre, Brazil.
1998.
Assistant
Professor
in
Department of Geography, Federal
Jataí Campus, Brazil.
Physical
University
Geography,
of Goias.
1996.
Administrative
Assistant,
SOS
Amazonia
(nongovernmental organization) and Zoo-botanic Park, Federal
University of Acre. Rio Branco-Acre, Brazil.
1993 to 1994. Administrative Associate, PESACRE (nongovernmental environmental organization). Rio Branco-Acre,
Brazil.
1990 to 1992. Administrative Assistant at Bank of Brazil.
Xapuri-Acre, Brazil.
Languages
Fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian.
Grants
2008-2009.
Post-doctoral
research
Grant
at
Duke
University, Nicholas School of the Environments, Durham,
NC - CAPES-Brazil (Brazilian National Organization for
Graduate Programs).
2006-2008.
Research Fellowship, Project “Land Use
Impacts on the Water Resources of the Cerrado Biome”
granted by NASA-USA, Earth Science Enterprises, 27000087.
2003-2005.
Research
Fellowship
CAPES-Brazil(Brazilian
National Organization for Graduate Programs), PhD Grant
for Environmental Sciences –Brazil
2003. Fellowship IAG – (International Association of
Geomorphology- Young Scientists Program) to participate
and to present results in the International Regional
Conference on Geomorphology - Geomorphic Hazards: Towards
the Prevention of Disasters. Mexico City - Mexico.
October 27 to November 2, 2003.
2000-2002. Fellowship/Grant of CNPq (Brazilian National
Council of Research to develop a Master degree in
Geography – State University of Maringa. Brazil
1996-1998. Fellowship/Grant PBIC/CNPq (National Brazilian
Program of Fellowships for Scientist Initiation) to
develop research on the hydro-geomorphology of the Acre
River Basin. Federal University of Acre.
Publications
Book chapters
Stevaux, J.C., Latrubesse, E., Aquino, S., Hermann, M.L.
2010. Floods in urban areas of Brazil. In: Natural
Hazards and Human excacerbated disasters in Latin-America
(Latrubesse, E. Ed.), Elsevier p.240-256.
Fontes, L.C., Latrubesse, E., Holanda, F.S., Aquino, S.
2010. Major Hydrological Changes and Bank Erosion in the
Lower São Francisco River, Brazil, as a consequence of
dams. In: C. Garcia, M., Latrubesse, E., Perillo G.
(Eds).
RCEM
2009
River
Coastal
and
Estuarine
Morphodynamics, Vol. 1 and 2. CRC Press-Taylor Francis
Group, Netherlands, 131-136.
Latrubesse, E. M., Aquino S., Moraes, M. J. 2001. Floods
in the City of Rio Branco, Brazil: a case study on the
impacts of human activities on flood dynamic and effects.
In:
Geomorphology and Environmental Impact Assessment
(V. Rivas and M. Marchetti, Eds.), Balkema Publishers
p.163-175.
Articles in preparation for peer-reviewed journals
Aquino, S., Latrubesse, E., Bayer, M., Szupianny, R.,
Park. E. Hydrology, sediment transport and environmental
impacts in the Araguaia River, the biggest fluvial basin
of Central Brazil. Catena or Journal of Hydrology
Articles published in peer-reviewed journals
Restrepo, J., Park. E. Aquino, S., Latrubesse, E. (2015submitted). Continental fluxes into the Rosario Islands
(Colombia), a hot spot of coral reef degradation in the
Caribbean. Global and Planetary Changes
Stevaux,
J.C.,
Corradini,
F.,
Aquino,
S.
(2013).
Connectivity Processes and Riparian Vegetation of the
Upper Paraná River, Brazil. Journal of South American
Earth Sciences. Vol 43. Pages 113-121.
Aquino, S., Latrubesse, E., Amsler, M., Bayer, M. 2009.
Dynamic of bed load landforms and wash load transport in
the Araguaia River-Brazil. Latin-American Journal of
Sedimentology and Basin Analysis, 16 (2), p. 119-128.
Latrubesse, E., Amsler, M., Morais, R., Aquino S. 2009.
The geomorphologic response of a large pristine alluvial
river to tremendous deforestation in South American
tropics: The case of the Araguaia. Geomorphology, 113,
p.239-252.
Aquino. S., Souza Filho, E.E. 2009. Caracterização
hidrologica e geomorfologica dos afluentes da bacia do
Rio Araguaia. Revista Brasileira de Geomorfologia, V10
(1), p.43-54.
Aquino, S. Latrubesse, E., Souza Filho, E. E. 2008.
Relações entre o Regime Hidrológico e os Ecossistemas
Aquáticos da Planície Aluvial do Rio Araguaia.
Acta
Scientiarum, vol.30, 361-369, Brazil.
Morais. R.P., Aquino, S., Latrubesse. E, 2008. Controles
hidrogeomorfológicos
nas
unidades
vegetacionais
da
planicie alluvial do Rio Araguaia. Acta Scientiarum,
vol. 30, 411-421.
Aquino, S., Stevaux, J., Latrubesse, E. 2005. Regime
Hidrológico e Aspectos do Comportamento Morfo-hidráulico
do Rio Araguaia. Latrubesse, E. and Stevaux, J. (Eds.).
Revista Brasileira de Geomorfologia, 7 (1), 99-111.
Cendrero, A Frances, E. Latrubesse, E.M. Prado, R.
Fabbri, A. Panizza, M. Cantu, M.P., Hurtado, M. Gimenez,
J.E., Martinez, Cabral, M. Tecchi, R.A, Hamity, V.
Ferman, J.L. Quintana, C. Ceccioni, A. Recatalá, L.
Bayer, M., Aquino, S. 2002. Projeto Relesa-Elanem: Uma
Proposta Metodológica de Índices e Indicadores para
Avaliação da Qualidade Ambiental. Revista Brasileira de
Geomorfologia, Ano 3, nº1 33-47.
Latrubesse, E. M. and Aquino, S. 1998. Rios da Amazônia
Sul-Ocidental:
Podem
ser
classificados
segundo
a
aplicação de equações e/ou variáveis tradicionalmente
utilizadas na geomorfologia fluvial? GEOSUL, Vol. 14, n0
17: 678-681, Brazil.
Latrubesse, E. M. and Aquino, S. 1998.
Geometria
Hidráulica em Rios da Amazônia Sul-Ocidental. GEOSUL,
Vol. 14, n0 17: 610-613, Brazil.
Aquino, S. and Latrubesse, E. M.
1996.
Hidrologia e
Clima da Bacia do Rio Acre, um típico Rio da Amazônia
Sul-Ocidental Brasileira.
Sociedade e Natureza, v. 15,
p. 378-383.
Major Non-Referred Published Reports
Aquino, S. and Latrubesse, E. 2007. Integrated Program of
research
of
the
Araguaia
basin;
application
of
geoscientific techniques and methods to assess the
environmental
impact
with
emphasize
in
sediment
transport.
In: IBAMA-Provarzea Symposium on Geo-
technologies. Manaus, Brazil, 1-8.
Latrubesse, E.M. and Aquino, S. 2006. The Araguaia River
Field Trip: Geomorphology, Hydrology and Environmental
Impacts.
In:
International
Regional
Conference
on
Geomorphology-International
Association
of
Geomorphologists, UFG. Goiania, Brazil, 28p.
Latrubesse, E., Stevaux, J., Aquino, S., Kalicki, T.
2003. The Purus River. In: Field Conference-Guide –
Amazon 2003 International Conference. (Eds. Latrubesse,
E. and
Stevaux, J.C.). Glocoph and IGCP 449. P. 36-45.
Rio Branco, Brazil
Latrubesse, E., Aquino, S., Bayer, M. 2003. Rio Branco
City: Geomorphological Risks and Environmental Quality
Applying the Elanem Methodology. In: Field ConferenceGuide
–
Amazon
2003
International
Conference.
(Latrubesse, E. and Stevaux, J., Eds.). Glocoph and IGCP
449. P. 51-62. Rio Branco-Brazil.
Aquino, S. and Latrubesse, E. 1996. Características
Hidrológicas del Rio Acre: Un Rio Típico de la Amazônia
Sudoccidental Brasileña. In: Conferencia de Campo-Paleo y
Neoclimas da Amazonía Sudoccidental. (Latrubesse, E.,
Ed.) IGCP 341/ Federal University of Acre. P. 38-53. Rio
Branco-Brazil.
Abstracts and expanded abstracts
Park, E. Latrubesse, E. Aquino S., Bayer. M. (2015)
(submitted). Post-confluence surface water and sediment
distribution patterns of the Solimoes-Amazon and Negro
rivers. 8th International Conference on Fluvial
Hydraulics (RiverFlow 2016). Saint Louis, MO, USA.
Aquino, S. Latrubesse, E., Bayer, M. (2014). Hydrology
and Sediment Transport in a Highly Impacted Large
Tropical River for Deforestation: The Araguaia, Central
Brazil. Poster presentation. American Geophysics Union
AGU-Fall Meeting, San Francisco, December 2014.
Aquino, S. Latrubesse, E., Bayer, M. (2014). Hydrology
And Sediment Transport In A Highly Impacted Large
Tropical River For Deforestation: The Araguaia, Central
Brazil. “International Conference on the Status
and
Future of the World’s Large Rivers”, July 21-25, 2014
in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
Latrubesse, E. Aquino, S. and Bayer. M. (2012) The
Geomorphologic and Hydrologic Response of a Large
Pristine Alluvial River to Tremendous Deforestation in
the South American Tropics: the Case of the Araguaia
River, Brazil, IGCP 582-Unesco Tropical Rivers, Iquitos,
Peru.
Latrubesse, E., Aquino, S. and Bayer, M. (2011).
Assessing the Hydrophysical response to deforestation of
the most impacted River of Central Brazil: The Araguaia
River- SWAAG-Association of American Geographers, Austin.
Aquino, S. Souza filho, E., Corradini, F., Stevaux, J.C.
2008. The effect of large dams on flow regime and
ecohydrologic connectivity processes in the floodplain of
the Upper Parana river, Brazil. In: American Geophysical
Union-AGU, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #H43B-0998.
Latrubesse, E., Coe, M., Amsler, M., Aquino S. 2008. The
geomorphologic and hydrologic response of a large
pristinte alluvial river to tremendous deforestation in
the South American tropics: the case of the Araguaia
River. In: American Geophysical Union-AGU, Fall Meeting
2008, abstract #H43B-0999.
Aquino, S. and Latrubesse, E. 2003. Flow Regime and Flood
Transmission of the Araguaia River, Brazil. In: Regional
Geomorphology Conference–Geomorphic Hazards: Towards the
Prevention of Disasters, v. 1, p. 28-28. Mexico City –
Mexico.
Aquino, S., Stevaux, J.C., Latrubesse, E. 2002. Regime
Hidrológico e Comportamento Morfo-hidráulico do Rio
Araguaia.
In:
Abstracts-IV
National
Symposium
of
Geomorfology. V.1 P.93-94. Maranhão, Brazil.
Latrubesse, E.,
Amsler, M. 2002.
of the Araguaia
International
Palaeohydrology.
Stevaux, J.C., Aquino, S., Bayer, M.,
Geomorphology and human induced changes
Fluvial Basin. In: GLOCOPH-2002 – Fifth
Meeting
on
Global
Continental
Pune, India (December 2 to 7, 2002).
Aquino, S. 2001. Caracterização Hidro-Geomorfológica da
Bacia do Rio Araguaia. In: Abstracts-VIII Congress:
Brazilian Association of Quaternary Studies. Itambé-RS.
Brazil.
Aquino, S. 2001. Dinâmica Morfohidráulica no Canal do Rio
Araguaia. In: Abstracts-IX Symposium of Applied Physical
Geography. Recife-PE. Brazil.
Latrubesse, E. , Prado, R., Bayer, M., Aquino, S.,
Guedes, H., Ranzy, A. 2001. Riscos Geomorfológicos e
Qualidade Ambiental na Cidade de Rio Branco, Acre-Brasil.
In: Abstracts – III National Meeting of Environmental
Geology of Mercosur. P. A4. Mar Del Plata-Argentina.
Aquino, S., Stevaux, J. C. and Latrubesse, E. 2000. A
morfo hidráulica do rio Araguaia.
In: Abstracts- III
National Symposium of Geomorphology. Campinas-SP. Brazil.
Latrubesse, E. M., Aquino, S., Guedes, H., Ranzi, A.,
Prado, R. and Bayer, M. 2000.
Riscos Geomorfológicos e
Qualidade Ambiental na Cidade de Rio Branco, Acre,
Brasil. In: Abstracts - III National Symposium of
Geomorphology. Campinas-SP. Brazil.
Latrubesse, E. M. and Aquino, S. 1997. Parámetros
Geomorfologicos
Fluviales
Actuales
y
Estudios
de
Paleohidrologia en la Amazonia.
Abstracts and short
papers. In: Annual Reunion of IGCP 341 – Southern
Hemisphere Paleo and Neoclimates, p. 4-5.
Filadélfia –
Paraguai.
Latrubesse, E. M. and Aquino, S. 1997. Estudio de
Parámetros Geomorfologicos actuales en rios da Amazonia
Sudoccidental
Brasileña:
Base
para
Estudios
de
Paleohidrologia. In: Expanded Abstracts - VI Congress of
Brazilian Association of Quaternary Studies and Meeting
of Quaternary of the South America, p. 449-450. Curitiba
– PR. Brazil.
Aquino, S. and Latrubesse, E. M. 1996. Hydrology and
Climate in the Acre River Basin: in the Southwest Amazon
Region of Brazil.
In: Abstracts and short papers.
Annual Reunion of IGCP 341 – Southern Hemisphere Paleo
and Neoclimates, p. 7. Tarija – Bolivia.
Aquino, S. and Latrubesse, E. M.
1996. Caracteristicas
Hidrologicas del Rio Acre: Un Rio Tipico de la Amazonia
Sudoccidental Brasileña. In: Abstracts and short papers.
Annual Meeting of IGCP 341 – Southern Hemisphere Paleo
and Neoclimates, p. 6. Tarija – Bolivia.
Participation Funded Research Projects

Co-Pi
of
the
project
“The
Pampean
Desert:
Reconstructing the Largest Quaternary Sand Sea in South
America. National Geographic Society. 2015-2016.

Member of the National Science Foundation (Senior
Researcher) -NSF-FESD Type I: The Dynamics of Mountains,
Landscapes and Climate in the Distribution and Generation
of Biodiversity of the Amazon/Andean rainforest. 2013-217.

Co-principal investigator of the project Exploring a
soon
to
be
lost
Amazon
world:
a
geomorphologic,
paleontologic
and geo-archaeologic expedition to the
Madeira River-Brazil, National Geographic Society. 20112012.

Member of the project “Land Use Impacts on the Water
Resources of the Cerrado Biome”. Supported by NASA-USA,
Earth Science Entreprises, 2700-0087, 2005 – 2009.

Member of the project “Abiotic Control of Wetlands:
Comparison and Assessment of Methods and Techniques of
Mapping
and
Monitoring
of
Vegetation
Units-CABAH
network”. CYTED (Program of Science and Technology for
the Development in Ibero-American Countries), 2003 –
2007.

Member of the project “Indicators and Indices of
Environmental Quality. Euro-Latin American Network for
environmental Assessment and Monitoring” (ELANEM)/INCO
Program.
Financial Organization: European Commission,
INCO Program, 1999 - 2003.

Co-PI project “Risks Associated Thalweg Shift in the
Araguaia
(Brazil)
and
Parana
(Argentina)
Rivers:
Importance
for
Fluvial
Engineering
and
Bi-national
Programs of Integration”. Financial Organization: VITAE
Foundation. Federal University of Goiás, Maringa State
University (Brazil) and Universidad Nacional del LitoralSanta Fé (Argentina). Duration: 2000 - 2001.

Member of the project “Present day Morpho-dynamic
and Quaternary Evolution of the Araguaia Alluvial Plain:
Environmental Implications”. CNPq (National Council of
Research, Brazil) - PRPPG/3400004. Federal University of
Goiás. 1998 – 2001.

Member of the project “Quaternary of Southwestern
Amazonia”. Federal University of Acre, 1996 – 1997.

Member of the project “Environmental Problems and
Planning
in
Extractive
Reserves
in
Acre
State,
Southwestern Amazon, Brazil”. Technologic Foundation of
Acre State-FUNTAC, 1996.
Participation in Scientific Congress/Conferences

American Geophysics Union AGU-Fall Meeting, San
Francisco, December 2014.

International Conference on the Status and
Future of
the World’s Large Rivers, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. July
21-25, 2014

SWAAG-Association
November 1-12, 2011.
of
American
Geographers,
Austin,

Brazilian Center-LLILAS-UT The Amazon: Facing Global
Climate Change. UT-Austin, TX. November 10, 2010.

American Geophysical
December 14-19, 2008.
Union,
AGU,
San
Francisco,

Workshop
Applied
Geotechnologies
to
Amazonian
wetlands Areas. Pró-várzea/IBAMA. Manaus, Brazil, July 17
– 18, 2007.

International Regional Conference on GeomorphologyInternational Association of Geomorphologists, Goiania,
Brazil, September 6-11, 2006.

First International Meeting on Climatic Changes. La
Paz – Bolivia, October, 10 – 13, 2005.

III Symposium of Hydric Resources of Central-West
Brazil. Goiania – Brazil, May 20 – 22, 2004.

Regional
Geomorphology
Conference
–
Geomorphic
Hazards: Towards the Prevention of Disasters, Mexico City
– Mexico, October 27 to November 2, 2003.

IV National Symposium of Geomorphology. Maranhão Brazil, October 29 to November 7, 2002.

VII National Symposium of Erosion Control.
Brazil, May 3 – 6, 2001.
Goiania,

First Symposium on Riparian Vegetation of Parana,
Maringá-PR, Brazil, November 20 – 24, 2000.

VII
Seminar
of
Scientific
Initiation.
University of Acre, Brazil, July 29 – 30, 1998.
Federal

VI Congress of Brazilian Association of Quaternary
and Quaternary of South America. Curitiba – Paraná,
Brazil, July 27 to August 03, 1997.

VI
Seminar
of
Scientific
Initiation.
University of Acre, Brazil, July 01 – 07, 1997.
Federal

V
Seminar
of
Scientific
Initiation.
University of Acre, Brazil, July 23 – 24, 1996.
Federal

Symposium of Geomorphology, Federal University of
Uberlandia - Minas Gerais, Brazil, November 25 – 28,
1996.

Field
Conference-Project
IGCP
341:
Paleo
and
Neoclimes of Southwestern Amazonia.
Federal University
of Acre, Rio Branco, Brazil, October 15 - 21, 1996.
Training, Specialization and scientific visits

Course:
MS
Access
Software
Training
Course”.
Department of Statistics and Data Science- UT Austin.
February 2015.

Short duration scientific visit in Wood Hole
Institute-Woods Hole, MA research related to the project
Land Use Impacts on the Water Resources of the Cerrado
Biome. NASA-USA, Earth Science Enterprises, 2700-0087,
February 2008.

Training
in
GIS-Geographic
Information
System:
Applications of GIS in Environmental Analysis. National
University of La Plata, Institute of Geomorphology and
Soils. September 17-21, 2007. La Plata, Argentina

Long duration scientific visit CABAH-project on
Wetlands. Ibero-American Program of Cooperation-CYTED,
Institute of Geomorphology and Soils, February to July
2005, La Plata. Argentina.

International Course on Climatic Change, UMSA-CYTEDIbero-American Program on Science and Technology, La Paz,
October 10 - 13, 2005. Bolivia.

Visiting researcher, Indicators and Indices of
Environmental Quality. RELESA/ELANEM Project - INCO
Program of the European Commission. May 2004, Santander,
Spain.

Course:
Remote
Sensing:
Applications
of
MODIS
Products to Environmental Monitoring, Federal University
of Goias, October, 10 – 13, 2002, Goias, Brazil.

Course on Laboratory Techniques and Sedimentology
Analysis in Physical Geography, Federal University of
Goias, August 20 - 27, 2002. Goias – Brazil.

Visiting Researcher, Indicators and Indices of
Environmental Quality. RELESA/ELANEM Project - INCO
Program of the European Commission. January, 2002. Baja
California, Mexico.

Course:
Diagnostic,
Prognosis
and
control
of
Erosion. VII Brazilian National Symposium on Control of
Erosion. May 03 -06, 2001, Goiania – Brazil.

Course: Quantitative Indicators and Indices of
Environmental
Quality,
University
of
Modena,
from
February 27 to March 26, 2001. Modena, Italy

International Course on Indicators and Indices of
Environmental Quality. RELESA/ELANEM Project - INCO
Program of the European Commission. October 29 to
November 09, 2001, Goias Velho City - Brazil.

Course:
Theory
on
Regional
Development,
State
University of Maringa. August 28 to September 01, 2000.
Maringa – Brazil.

Specialization course on Sedimentology Techniques,
Geology and Physical Geography Laboratory of the Federal
University of Goias. May 30 to June 25, 2000. Goiania,
Brazil.

Course on Sedimentometrical techniques, FURNASElectric Centrals of Brazil. May 22 – 26, 2000. Goiania,
Brazil.

Short Course: Geomorphology and Quaternary. Federal
University of Uberlandia. November 25 – 28, 1996. Minas
Gerais – Brazil.

Course: Laboratory Techniques and Sedimentology
Analysis. Federal University of Acre. June 1996. Acre,
Brazil.

Course: The Use of compass in
research. Federal University of Acre.
1995. Acre, Brazil.
geographic field
October 16 – 20,
Consultancies and Other Reports
2002. Consultant, State of Goias in environmental
problems related to urban projects in Goias Velho City,
Brazil
2001. Consultant, Environmental Agency of the Goias
State, environmental assessment related to the AraguaiaTocantins waterway, Brazil.