Interests
Derek Fong's research in environmental and geophysical fluid dynamics focuses on understanding the fundamental transport and mixing processes in the rivers, estuaries and the coastal ocean. He employs different methods for studying such fluid processes including laboratory experiments, field experiments, and numerical modeling. His current research projects include studying the dispersion of near-bottom plumes in stratified coastal flows, the alongshore transport of freshwater in river plumes, advanced hydrodynamic measurement techniques, coherent structures in nearshore flows, and secondary circulation and mixing in curved channels.

Derek teaches a variety of classes at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Some of the classes he has offered include Mechanics of Fluids; Rivers, Streams and Canals; Transport and Mixing in Surface Waters; Introduction to Physical Oceanography; Mechanics of Stratified Fluids; and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

Prior to coming to Stanford, Derek spent five years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution studying the dynamics of freshwater plumes for his doctoral thesis. He has also served as a senior lecturer at the University of Washington, Friday Harbor Laboratories in Friday Harbor, Washington.