Riley is a geomorphologist specializing in fluvial geomorphology. He integrates field observations, geospatial analysis, and statistical/hydraulic modeling to understand river behavior. He earned a B.S. in Earth Science and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing from Indiana University, where he studied land-cover change and floodplain disturbance caused by upstream‐migrating river avulsions in tropical rainforests. He then completed an M.S. at the University of Montana, where he studied fluvial geomorphic resilience in alluvial mountain rivers to large floods. Riley is passionate about understanding river processes and their environmental impacts across varying spatiotemporal scales. Outside of work, he enjoys attending Mass, hiking, climbing, skiing, and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Education: M.S. Geosciences, with a concentration in Fluvial Geomorphology; B.S. Earth Science with a Minor in Mathematics