Research Fellow
Overview
Dr. Robert Armstrong is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan,(B Sc, M Sc, Ph D), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Prior to his 3 year fixed term appointment as Research Officer at QAAFI he recieved an NSERC Visiting Fellowship award with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) from 2011 - 2014. During this period he was the lead researcher on projects involving the integration of a digital elevation model analysis tool that could aid in identifying flood hazards as part of a land and infrastructure resiliency assessment project, and also contintental scale spatial and statistical climatological analysis related to resiliency enhancement of agro-ecological production zones in Canada.
Some of Dr. Armstrong's earlier roles have included: project coordination and research assistance with the University of Saskatchewan (2003 - 2005) for a climate change and water use project focused on the South Saskatchewan River Basin; working as a summer student technical assistant with the University of Saskatchewan, Department of Agriculture, Crop Development Centre; and various roles relating to spatial and statistical analysis for applied hydrological, meteorological, and GIS applications. Dr. Armstrong has received awards across various disciplinces related to his geospatial modelling and analysis research, including: Olav Slaymaker award, Geological Association of Canada (best student poster); Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Canada, GIS scholarship (Ph D); and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (NSERC postdoctoral visiting fellowship award).
Dr. Armstrong's specialty research areas include, quantitative geospatial and statistical analysis using geographical information systems (GIS), analysis of remote sensed aerial imagery; development of geospatial and imagery analytical tools using the R statistical and graphical programming language; climate impacts and risks related to agricultural production; agro-ecological and environmental modelling using big data analytics; hydrological and flood hazard analysis of complex Canadian Prairie environments; and scaling impacts on terrain analysis, land surface and hydrological parameterisation and evaporation modelling.
Research Interests
-
Agro-Ecological Risk of LMA in Wheat
My current research is focused on developing a predictive risk model for late maturity Alpha Amylase (LMA), in wheat crops, across varying spatial scales for the wheat producing shires of Australia. This will be achieved through an integrated modelling approach that includes, regional scale and experimental site scale information, historical weather data, and biophysical crop development. -
Developing Geospatial and Statistical Analytical Tools
My other areas of research interest also include the development of geospatial analytical tools applicable to high resolution remote sensing imagery captured from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and proximal sensing platforms; and geospatial environmental and statistical modelling related to ecohydrology, agro-meteorology, climate change risks, digital terrain model development and analysis, land surface parameterisation, and flood hazard analysis of complex post-glacial environments.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Saskatchewan
Publications
-
Other Outputs: Field trial raw and processed datasets for 2020 winter field season
Armstrong, Robert, Potgieter, Andries, Hammer, Graeme, Mortlock, Miranda, Biddulph, Ben, Curry, Jeremy, Height, Nathan, McCallum, Melissa, Porker, Kenton, Harris, Felicity, Bathgate, Jordan, Simpson, Jess, Clarke, Genevieve, Giblot-Ducray, Danièle, Fairlie, William, Hughes, David and Cullis, Brian (2023). Field trial raw and processed datasets for 2020 winter field season. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/721f2e2
-
Other Outputs: LMA Risk maps at Shire scale
Armstrong, Robert, Potgieter, Andries, Brider, Jason and Hammer, Graeme (2023). LMA Risk maps at Shire scale. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/1774e6f
-
Other Outputs: Late Maturity alpha-Amylase winter wheat data from field trials conducted at six locations in Australia
Armstrong, Robert, Potgieter, Andries, Hammer, Graeme, Mortlock, Miranda, Biddulph, Ben, Curry, Jeremy, Height, Nathan, McCallum, Melissa, Porker, Kenton, Harris, Felicity, Bathgate, Jordan, Simpson, Jess, Clarke, Genevieve, Giblot-Ducray, Danièle, Fairlie, William, Hughes, David and Cullis, Brian (2023). Late Maturity alpha-Amylase winter wheat data from field trials conducted at six locations in Australia. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/6769356
Grants
-
Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI)
(2023–2027) Grains Research & Development Corporation
-
LMA Project C: An improved model of Late Maturity Alpha-Amylase (LMA) field risk in Australian wheat
(2020–2023) Grains Research & Development Corporation
-
(2015–2019) Grains Research & Development Corporation
Publications
Book
-
Appendix C: Re-Assessment of 1996 Census Population, Livestock and Water Use Information
Armstrong, Robert (2007). Appendix C: Re-Assessment of 1996 Census Population, Livestock and Water Use Information.
-
Determining Water Use in the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB)
Martz, Lawrence, Armstrong, Robert and Rolfe, Terry (2007). Determining Water Use in the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB).
Book Chapter
-
Pomeroy, John W., MacDonald, Matthew K., Dornes, Pablo F. and Armstrong, Robert (2016). Water budgets in ecosystems. A biogeoscience approach to ecosystems. (pp. 88-131) edited by Edward A. Johnson and Yvonne E. Martin. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
-
Using the wetland DEM ponding model as a diagnostic tool for prairie flood hazard assessment
Armstrong, Robert, Kayter, Cameron, Shook, Kevin and Hill, Harvey (2013). Using the wetland DEM ponding model as a diagnostic tool for prairie flood hazard assessment. Putting prediction in ungauged basins into practice. (pp. 255-270) edited by John W. Pomeroy, Christopher Spence and Paul H. Whitfield. Toronto, Canada: Canadian Water Resources Association.
-
Thorne, Robin, Armstrong, Robert N., Woo, Ming-ko and Martz, Lawrence W. (2008). Lessons from macroscale hydrologic modeling: experience with the hydrologic model SLURP in the Mackenzie Basin. Cold Region Atmospheric and Hydrologic Studies. The Mackenzie GEWEX Experience: Volume 2: Hydrologic Processes. (pp. 397-410) edited by Ming-ko Woo. Berlin, Germany: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-75136-6_21
-
Re-scaling river flow direction data from local to continental scales
Martz, Lawrence W., Pietroniro, Alain, Shaw, Dean A., Armstrong, Robert N., Laing, Boyd and Lacroix, Martin (2008). Re-scaling river flow direction data from local to continental scales. Cold Region Atmospheric and Hydrologic Studies. The Mackenzie GEWEX Experience: Volume 2: Hydrologic Processes. (pp. 371-396) edited by Ming-ko Woo. Berlin, Germany: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-75136-6_20
Journal Article
-
Pomeroy, J.W., Brown, T., Fang, X., Shook, K.R., Pradhananga, D., Armstrong, R., Harder, P., Marsh, C., Costa, D., Krogh, S.A., Aubry-Wake, C., Annand, H., Lawford, P., He, Z., Kompanizare, M. and Lopez Moreno, J.I. (2022). The cold regions hydrological modelling platform for hydrological diagnosis and prediction based on process understanding. Journal of Hydrology, 615 128711, 1-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128711
-
Armstrong, Robert N., Potgieter, Andries B., Mares, Daryl J., Mrva, Kolumbina, Brider, Jason and Hammer, Graeme L. (2019). An integrated framework for predicting the risk of experiencing temperature conditions that may trigger late-maturity alpha-amylase in wheat across Australia. Crop and Pasture Science, 71 (1), 1-11. doi: 10.1071/cp19005
-
Armstrong, Robert N., Pomeroy, John W. and Martz, Lawrence W. (2019). Spatial variability of mean daily estimates of actual evaporation from remotely sensed imagery and surface reference data. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 23 (12), 4891-4907. doi: 10.5194/hess-23-4891-2019
-
Variability in evaporation across the Canadian Prairie region during drought and non-drought periods
Armstrong, R. N., Pomeroy, J. W. and Martz, L. W. (2015). Variability in evaporation across the Canadian Prairie region during drought and non-drought periods. Journal of Hydrology, 521, 182-195. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2014.11.070
-
Estimating evaporation in a prairie landscape under drought conditions
Armstrong, Robert N., Pomeroy, John W. and Martz, Lawrence W. (2010). Estimating evaporation in a prairie landscape under drought conditions. Canadian Water Resources Journal, 35 (2), 173-186. doi: 10.4296/cwrj3502173
-
Effects of reduced land cover detail on hydrological model response
Armstrong, Robert N. and Martz, Lawrence W. (2008). Effects of reduced land cover detail on hydrological model response. Hydrological Processes, 22 (14), 2395-2409. doi: 10.1002/hyp.6830
-
Evaluation of three evaporation estimation methods in a Canadian prairie landscape
Armstrong, Robert N., Pomeroy, John W. and Martz, Lawrence W. (2008). Evaluation of three evaporation estimation methods in a Canadian prairie landscape. Hydrological Processes, 22 (15), 2801-2815. doi: 10.1002/hyp.7054
-
Topographic parameterization in continental hydrology: a study in scale
Armstrong, Robert N. and Martz, Lawrence W. (2003). Topographic parameterization in continental hydrology: a study in scale. Hydrological Processes, 17 (18), 3763-3781. doi: 10.1002/hyp.1352
Conference Publication
-
Armstrong, Robert, Hammer, Graeme and Potgieter, Andries (2022). Frequency analysis of environment types associated with late-maturity alpha-amylase for Australian wheat under current and future climates. 20th Australian Agronomy Conference , Toowoomba, QLD Australia, 19-22 September 2022. Australian Society of Agronomy.
Other Outputs
-
Field trial raw and processed datasets for 2020 winter field season
Armstrong, Robert, Potgieter, Andries, Hammer, Graeme, Mortlock, Miranda, Biddulph, Ben, Curry, Jeremy, Height, Nathan, McCallum, Melissa, Porker, Kenton, Harris, Felicity, Bathgate, Jordan, Simpson, Jess, Clarke, Genevieve, Giblot-Ducray, Danièle, Fairlie, William, Hughes, David and Cullis, Brian (2023). Field trial raw and processed datasets for 2020 winter field season. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/721f2e2
-
Armstrong, Robert, Potgieter, Andries, Brider, Jason and Hammer, Graeme (2023). LMA Risk maps at Shire scale. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/1774e6f
-
Armstrong, Robert, Potgieter, Andries, Hammer, Graeme, Mortlock, Miranda, Biddulph, Ben, Curry, Jeremy, Height, Nathan, McCallum, Melissa, Porker, Kenton, Harris, Felicity, Bathgate, Jordan, Simpson, Jess, Clarke, Genevieve, Giblot-Ducray, Danièle, Fairlie, William, Hughes, David and Cullis, Brian (2023). Late Maturity alpha-Amylase winter wheat data from field trials conducted at six locations in Australia. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/6769356
-
Armstrong, Robert (2011). Summary of Potential Evaporation and Temperature and Rainfall Variability for Relative Risk Assessment of Agricultural Production Zones. Summary report prepared for AAFC contract #3000440573..
-
Martz, Lawrence, Armstrong, Robert and Pietroniro, Elise (2007). The South Saskatchewan River Basin: Physical Geography. In 'Climate Change and Water SSRB Final Technical Report'.
-
Estimated water use in the South Saskatchewan River Basin
Armstrong, Robert, Pietroniro, Elise, Rolfe, J. Terry and Wagner, Angela (2007). Estimated water use in the South Saskatchewan River Basin.
Grants (Administered at UQ)
-
Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI)
(2023–2027) Grains Research & Development Corporation
-
LMA Project C: An improved model of Late Maturity Alpha-Amylase (LMA) field risk in Australian wheat
(2020–2023) Grains Research & Development Corporation
-
(2015–2019) Grains Research & Development Corporation
