�鶹ӳ����ý civil engineering students sailed to the top of the Concrete Canoe Competition at this year’s American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Southeast Student Symposium. �鶹ӳ����ý’s ASCE student chapter clinched first place, defeating a field of 13 teams that included Georgia Tech and the University of Florida, which has placed first for 13 of the past 14 years.

The victory qualifies �鶹ӳ����ý to compete at the ASCE Civil Engineering Student Championships in June in West Virginia where nearly 20 teams from North America will compete for the top crown.

“Many of the other schools were chanting ‘U-C-F’ with us when we won because of how significant the moment was.” — Edward Collazo Borges, �鶹ӳ����ý ASCE chapter president

“Winning first place in the Concrete Canoe Competition was exciting, but doing it in such a competitive region and against a program like UF — which has such a strong history in the event — made it even more meaningful,” says Edward Collazo Borges, the president of the �鶹ӳ����ý ASCE chapter. “From the outside, it may not seem like a lot, but this was huge — not just for �鶹ӳ����ý, but for every school in our region. During the awards ceremony, many of the other schools were chanting ‘U-C-F’ with us when we won because of how significant the moment was.”

History of the Competition

ASCE is recognized as America’s oldest national engineering society and sponsors student chapters in all 50 states and internationally. �鶹ӳ����ý’s chapter was established in 1972 and is the largest engineering organization on campus.

ASCE’s Concrete Canoe Competition was first officially held in 1988, but the history of Concrete Canoe goes back to the 1960s, when a small number of ASCE Student Chapters began holding intramural concrete canoe races.

This elite competition — known as The America’s Cup of Civil Engineering — combines engineering excellence, hydrodynamic design and racing technique as students are tasked with building a canoe from concrete and racing it against their competitors. Students are judged on the final product, race performance, technical design paper and oral presentation.

A Breakthrough Year

Jacob Quinones, the �鶹ӳ����ý ASCE vice president and project manager for the Concrete Canoe Competition, says the team’s performance at this year’s Southeast competition was a result of steady progress from lessons learned during previous races.

“Extra time was poured into every aspect of the project to maximize quality and performance,” Quinones says. “This would not have been possible without the entire team’s passion and dedication. It was apparent that everyone involved wanted to be there and contribute their absolute best.”

�鶹ӳ����ý ASCE took home a total of 12 awards from the symposium, including two additional first-place wins in the Concrete Cornhole and Temporary Traffic Control competitions. The group says they last won the concrete canoe competition in 1995.

In addition to the competitions, the symposium offers professional and personal development opportunities and networking.

“I learned just how much it takes to manage a project through the different ways that it tests you and pushes you past your limits,” Quinones says. “I feel that I grew as a leader and gained so much respect for those in similar positions across the entire industry.”

For Borges, this victory represents a historic win for the university and sets an example for other ASCE student chapters.

“You always have the opportunity to achieve something great,” Borges says. “I think this experience shows if you keep pushing, keep learning and keep striving to improve, you can surprise yourself with what is possible.”

Unlike a typical scholarship that only covers the cost of tuition and fees, the SMART scholarship also provides an annual stipend, a summer internship, an experienced mentor and guaranteed employment with the DOD after graduation.

The program is open to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing STEM degrees who can commit to one year of employment with the DOD upon graduation. The goal is to develop a talent pipeline of technically proficient professionals who can meet the nation’s security needs.

Carlos Arteaga

M.S. in civil engineering

For Arteaga, applying for the DOD SMART Scholarship program was a no-brainer. He already works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a geotechnical engineer and plans to use his time in the program to develop as a professional within that agency. He says this program stood out because it aligned perfectly with his values of technical excellence, service to country and long-term impact.

“I was drawn to the program’s integration of academic advancement with real-world application, especially within the DOD’s infrastructure and research divisions,” Arteaga says. “The opportunity to contribute to national security while deepening my expertise in structural and geotechnical engineering made it an ideal fit.”

As a master’s student on the non-thesis track, Arteaga plans to take a more practical approach to the internship. He hopes to gain a better understanding of how engineering decisions are made in defense and looks forward to collaborating with experts across the DOD.

Balancing coursework with a job and the responsibilities of the DOD program is no easy feat, but Arteaga says that the flexibility and technical rigor are what drew him to �鶹ӳ����ý’s graduate programs.

“The curriculum has strengthened my foundation in structural and geotechnical principle while also enhancing my ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively,” Arteaga says. “Combined with my experience at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, my time at �鶹ӳ����ý has prepared me to contribute confidently and competently to the DOD’s mission.”

Chance Brewer ’20

Ph.D. in mechanical engineering

Through his work in the Putnam Lab, managed by Shawn Putnam, mechanical engineering associate professor, Brewer has had the chance to collaborate on research projects sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). As a DOD SMART scholar, Brewer will rejoin the AFRL team to work on research related to his expertise.

“My academic research on multifunctional materials in thermal management systems is already closely tied with the work I will be doing with AFRL, but the challenges and applications I am targeting will shift to focus on thermal control for space vehicles,” Brewer says. “Over the past two summers I have worked with the same team that I will be working with for SMART, so I am already very familiar with the community that I will be joining after I graduate, and I feel very fortunate to be joining such a great team.”

Brewer thanks Putnam as well as the �鶹ӳ����ý Office of Undergraduate Research and the �鶹ӳ����ý Academic Advancement Programs office for their support and encouragement to get involved with research as an undergraduate student. He credits their guidance and sense of community with shaping his graduate experience and, ultimately, a career with the DOD.

“My ultimate goal from this experience is to establish a career within AFRL leading research on coupled thermal and optical materials for thermal monitoring and control systems,” Brewer says. “Through these efforts, I also hope to learn how we can leverage thermal solutions being developed for space applications to help support missions across the DOD and to help advance thermal management systems for commercial technologies.”

Jean-Philippe Perrault ’06 ’14MBA

Ph.D. in industrial engineering

Like Arteaga, Perrault is already employed with the DOD. He works as an engineering supervisor for the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD). He’s also a father of five, a chess coach an active community volunteer and a doctoral student. With a very full schedule, the DOD SMART Scholarship was a practical choice because it designates study time during work hours, alleviating the pressure of pursuing a Ph.D.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration, Perrault returned to �鶹ӳ����ý in Fall 2024 to continue his studies. He also serves on the advisory board for the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems and with the encouragement of Professor Luis Rabelo, joined the industrial engineering doctoral program’s systems engineering track.

Perrault’s research focuses on the development of a theoretical framework to adopt AI technology in military training systems. He says the SMART scholarship program will help him deepen his technical knowledge and in turn, inform his research.

“Beyond technical skills, I aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of how research translates into real-world applications within the DOD, including navigating the complexities of defense innovation and collaboration,” Perrault says. “I also look forward to developing leadership, project management and interdisciplinary collaboration skills that will enable me to contribute effectively to the defense community both during and after my scholarship.”

Perrault plans to continue working for the NAWCTSD but hopes to strengthen the collaborative relationship the agency has with �鶹ӳ����ý. As a three-time alum, he says that some of his most cherished memories were formed at �鶹ӳ����ý — memories of friendship, hard work and achievements.

“As a continually growing university located close to home, �鶹ӳ����ý has played a significant role in shaping my professional journey,” Perrault says. “My success is largely attributed to the comprehensive education and experiences I gained here — the coursework, laboratories, professors and student support services all contributed to my development as a leader within our local community.”

The Luminary Awards — established in 2017 — are designed to recognize some of �鶹ӳ����ý’s brightest stars who shine a positive light on the university and in their respective fields, as well as illuminate a path of discovery for those who will come after them.

Honorees were selected based on nominations by deans, chairs and directors from across the university. The event was attended by the recipients, their close family and friends, as well as former awardees and special guests from the community.

�鶹ӳ����ý President Alexander N. Cartwright, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Johnson, Vice President for Research and Innovation Winston Schoenfeld and Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence Joel Cramer were on hand to recognize each winner.

The 2024 Luminary Award recipients are:

Robertico Croes

Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

For over two decades, Croes has focused his academic career on the critical intersection of socially sustainable tourism, economic growth, and poverty alleviation. In recent years, he has made waves with pioneering research on travel health and infectious disease control. Leading the charge as principal investigator, Croes secured $4.5 million in funding to help mitigate the severe social and economic impacts of pandemics on the hospitality and tourism industry. His work emphasizes the survival of small businesses and the well-being of disabled people, aiming to protect the future of both.

One of the most notable outcomes of this funding is Rosen College’s first intellectual property: a personalized health-based travel app.

Croes’ expertise has also garnered global recognition, leading to his recent invitation by the president of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss sustainable development goals as they pertain to tourism’s role in alleviating poverty.

Croes’ contributions to sustainable tourism have had far-reaching impacts, benefiting �鶹ӳ����ý, the Rosen College, and impacted populations both in the U.S. and internationally. His commitment to mentoring students and faculty has helped shape the future of the tourism industry while enhancing global economic sustainability.

Craig Crossley

Associate professor, Department of Management, College of Business

Crossley has earned global recognition for his impactful research and leadership, most notably through his prestigious role as the Fulbright-Hanken Distinguished Chair in Helsinki, Finland. Each year, fewer than 30 scholars worldwide receive this distinction, the Fulbright Program’s highest honor designated for eminent figures across all academic disciplines. Despite the demanding nature of this position, Crossley has continued to fully serve �鶹ӳ����ý while fulfilling his Fulbright obligations over two consecutive summers.

Crossley’s research excellence is well-reflected in his citation count, with more than 6,000 citations, nearly half of which were garnered in the last three years alone. His work puts him in the top 3% of scholars in his field, demonstrating his growing influence in the management discipline. Over the past three years, he has given nine presentations at international conferences, serving as chair or keynote speaker for four of them.

Beyond academia, Crossley’s work has widespread societal impact. He has formed partnerships with organizations such as the Children’s Home Society of Florida and global entities like the Irish and U.K. governments, helping organizations with difficult business environments and business challenges, such as navigating Brexit.

Matt Marino and Eleazar Vasquez

Professors, School of Teacher Education, College of Community Innovation and Education

Marino and Vasquez, leaders of the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute in �鶹ӳ����ý’s School of Teacher Education, have earned national recognition for their impactful contributions to exceptional student research and education. Together, they have transformed the institute into a vital ecosystem serving regional, statewide, and national communities through innovative policy and practices.

As the institute’s director and former interim director, respectively, Vasquez and Marino have created strong collaborations with school districts and stakeholders like Orange County Public Schools, the nation’s eighth-largest district. Their partnerships benefit countless students, educators and families, and extend to supporting students with intellectual disabilities through the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities.

Vasquez’s leadership earned him a White House and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee invitation in May to discuss artificial intelligence and education, and he is part of a team securing several federal research awards, including a $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Full Service Community Schools Programs to enhance community partnership schools in Florida.

Marino, likewise, has recently secured several awards, including $6.5 million over five years from the Office of Special Education Programs and a three-year grant from the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities to expand the institute’s work. Their collective efforts have positively impacted 1.5 million scholars, 35,000 teachers, and hundreds of families. They consistently publish research studies in high-impact journals, present at key conferences, and have secured more than $82 million in grant funding since 2017. These achievements demonstrate excellence in education, research and societal impact.

Matt Dombrowski ’05 ’08MFA

Associate professor, School of Visual Arts and Design, College of Arts and Humanities

Dombrowski has demonstrated exceptional dedication to interdisciplinary research, innovative teaching, and impactful service. His contributions to the field of animation and visual art and his role as creative director at Limbitless Solutions have significantly advanced �鶹ӳ����ý’s mission of fostering creative and scholarly excellence.

His scholarly work encompasses varying fields, with peer-reviewed articles exploring groundbreaking technologies such as electromyographic video game controllers for improving prosthetic outcomes, innovative 3D printing strategies for prosthetic components and control schemes for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. His publications often include undergraduate researchers, underscoring his dedication to both mentorship and innovation.

In his role at Limbitless Solutions, Dombrowski has overseen a total of over 500 interdisciplinary students comprised of seven �鶹ӳ����ý colleges. His leadership has forged partnerships with industry giants like Adobe, Autodesk and Microsoft, securing significant support, including over a quarter of a million dollars in funding from companies like Adobe, Unity, Epic Unreal and Disney. His work also extends to impactful community projects like bionic arm delivery with Arnold Palmer, Orlando Health and Oregon Health & Science University along with Project Xavier, a hands-free wheelchair initiative with the Mayo Clinic.

Dombrowski’s advocacy for Limbitless has taken �鶹ӳ����ý undergraduates to prestigious venues such as the United Nations and the Smithsonian. His national recognition, including being named an Adobe Creator to Watch in 2023 by Adobe and Forbes magazine, reflects his transformative contributions to �鶹ӳ����ý and the broader community.

Mindy Shoss

Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Sciences

Shoss has been instrumental in building and maintaining �鶹ӳ����ý as a powerhouse of workplace psychology research, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, layoffs and the future of work. This includes helping �鶹ӳ����ý become selected as a site for a targeted research training program funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Her research has been featured in Harvard Business Review and in leading media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

Shoss has also delivered high-profile presentations for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, the American Psychological Association (APA), and the National Safety Council. Her influence has extended to advising the APA, U.S. Congress, and the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office on workplace mental health.

With over 100 published works, including 32 peer-reviewed articles since 2021, Shoss’ research is highly regarded. She has secured $3.8 million in external funding. Recognized as a fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Shoss continues to shape the future of work and workplace well-being.

Mona Shattell

Professor, College of Nursing

Shattell, a distinguished scholar in psychiatric-mental health, has earned an international reputation for her groundbreaking research on the well-being of nurses and long-haul truck drivers. Her extensive work highlights her commitment to advancing mental health and well-being in often overlooked populations.

She has served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services for the past seven years, curating impactful content and co-authoring multiple editorials, including one with a doctoral student. In addition to her editorial duties, she co-authored nine articles in high-impact journals, focusing on workplace mental health issues.

Shattell’s contributions extend beyond academia. She is the lead author of Social Media in Health Care: A Guide to Creating Your Professional Digital Presence, a practical guide that has become a key resource for healthcare professionals. Her strong social media presence, with nearly 9,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), amplifies her influence and thought leadership in the mental health field.

Her expertise is frequently sought by the media, having conducted multiple interviews and appearing as a guest on national podcasts, including a Sirius XM show about mental health in the trucking industry. She has also delivered keynote addresses at international conferences and received the prestigious Melva Jo Hendrix Award from the International Society of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses in 2023.

With her national and international recognition, Shattell’s work continues to improve mental health care for populations in need, solidifying her impact on the field.

Ladda Thiamwong

Professor, College of Nursing

Thiamwong has earned international recognition for her innovative aging research and leadership, highlighting her significant contributions to the field. Over the past three years, Thiamwong has secured over $4 million in National Institutes of Health funding, with an additional $4 million pending, and has produced an impressive 76 scholarly works, including 62 peer-reviewed articles. Her research is collaborative and involves disciplines that span engineering, kinesiology, computer science, psychology, and statistics, helping to transform the field of geriatric nursing.

Thiamwong’s work has garnered widespread media attention, including a recent feature on the front page of the Orlando Sentinel. She has delivered 53 international presentations in the past three years, including a keynote address, and serves as an associate editor for Frontiers in Public Health. Her expertise is frequently sought locally as well, including as a member of the Orlando Mayor’s Committee on Livability and Healthy Aging.

Among her numerous accolades, Thiamwong was inducted as a fellow in both the American Academy of Nursing and the National Academies of Practice. She also received the Excellence in Geriatric Nursing Research Mid-Career Award and was recently named the Florida Blue Endowed Professor for Healthy Communities.

Her dedication to mentoring the next generation of scientists and her contributions to aging research are promoting significant progress and innovations that will have long-lasting impacts in the field.

Thomas Wahl

Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Wahl has established himself as a leader on the impact of sea level rise and storm surges on the built environment. His work integrates engineering with atmospheric and oceanographic sciences and influences policy at national and international levels.

Since joining �鶹ӳ����ý in 2017, Wahl has attracted nearly $6 million in research funding, contributing to projects totaling over $55 million. His scholarly output is remarkable, with more than 100 peer-reviewed journal papers with over 5,000 Scopus citations. His research has been published in prestigious journals such as Nature, and his excellent ability to communicate the importance of his work to stakeholders and the media elevates �鶹ӳ����ý’s prominence nationally and globally.

Wahl’s numerous accolades include the Huber Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers and early career investigator awards from both NASA and the U.S. National Science Foundation. He is also a dedicated mentor, having guided students like Javed Ali, a recent Order of Pegasus awardee. His research has gained widespread media attention, appearing in The Washington Post, National Geographic and numerous state and local media outlets.

With his impressive achievements and significant contributions to addressing sea level rise, Wahl continues to push the boundaries of research and innovation.

Current projects at the lab focus on storm surges — particularly the statistical likelihood of events like a hundred-year or 1% chance storm surge in regions close to the water such as Tampa, Cedar Key, New Jersey and others across the globe. The lab uses machine learning modeling techniques to simulate observed and hypothetical flooding scenarios in the studied areas, helping to gather more data and understand how to better protect these cities,. This approach complements traditionally used hydrodynamic models, which solve the processes that contribute to flooding and are computationally very expensive.

While hurricanes are often associated with high wind speeds, it is often not the biggest concern for the health and safety of residents. Approximately 90% of all deaths in hurricanes worldwide are caused by drowning in either the storm surges or flooding caused by intense rainfall, according to the Florida Climate Center,

Wahl and his team started working with machine learning during a study a few years ago with NASA to assess how storm surges have changed over the last hundred years in different parts of the world. Using data from NASA satellites, they examined those trends by exploiting the relationship between the wind and pressure field and the resulting storm surge, which is measured by a tide gauge — a device that measures sea level.

To explore those relationships, they used machine learning algorithms to identify complex interactions between wind, pressure and water levels. That included studying a hundred years of wind and pressure data they have from climate reanalysis and using it to reconstruct storm surge data over the last century, examining trends and changes in storm surge characteristics.

This research has paved the way for additional projects, including one with the Department of Defense that studies flooding risk at military installations worldwide and a new project with NASA where additional satellite data will be included in the analysis. This will also involve investigating how storm surges have evolved over time, and how large-scale climate variations such as El Nino and La Nina, influence storminess and storm surge risks and flooding risk in general.

By studying flooding in many places and collaborating with various partners and stakeholders, Wahl’s team transfers knowledge across regions facing similar challenges. For example, they’re using data and information learned about New Jersey to apply to places in Florida, such as Jacksonville, with similar flood-prone areas. Through work with the Mississippi River Delta Initiative, a $22 million project supported by the National Academy of Sciences, Wahl and his team are looking at tools and methodologies they could adjust to potentially benefit Florida’s vulnerable regions.

Based on the research, Wahl says there is a wide range of things that communities can do to adapt to flooding. Miami is investing into pumping water out of the streets when flood events take place. Other areas have nature-based solutions, where wetland and oyster reefs are re-engineered to help absorb storm surge and wave energy during storms. However, it’s not a one size fits all solution and depends on the region.“It really depends on what type of event you are preparing for and what economic resources you have at your disposal to implement those solutions,” Wahl says. “We have a lot from gray to green to hybrid infrastructure that can be done, but it’s really very localized.”

As Wahl looks to understand flood-prone areas more, the evolution in technology is allowing him to be better equipped to do so.

“Ten to 20 years ago, people would’ve said it is impossible to run a global storm surge model to reconstruct storm surge globally for 50 years with a high-fidelity process-based model that actually captures the physics,” Wahl says. “Now, there are different versions of those models out there that run at the global scale on supercomputers. It’s the same with the machine learning. I think it’s really the computational resources that have improved and opened doors that we didn’t think would open so quickly.”

A team of �鶹ӳ����ý researchers is exploring the use of the metal to develop a novel method to rid drinking water of harmful algal blooms, or HABs, which occur when colonies of algae grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, birds and other living creatures.

Their project is supported through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) program, which recently awarded $1.2 million to 16 collegiate teams across the United States.

�鶹ӳ����ý received $75,000 for their two-year project that aims to develop a gold-decorated nickel metal-organic framework (MOF) that removes microcystins — toxins produced by harmful algae blooms — from the water. MOFs are porous clusters of metal polymers that are used in many practical applications.

The �鶹ӳ����ý student team includes environmental engineering doctoral student Samuel Adjei-Nimoh, materials science and engineering doctoral student Nimanyu Joshi, and environmental engineering undergraduate students Jennifer Hughes and Julia Going. The principal investigator of the grant is Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering Woo Hyoung Lee, and the co-principal investigator is Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Yang Yang.

“MOFs have been used as a catalyst for many research areas such as hydrogen storage, carbon capture, electrocatalysis, biological imaging and sensing, semiconductors and drug delivery systems,” Lee says. “In this project, we’re using the gold-decorated nickel MOF as a photocatalyst to remove water pollutants.”

The gold will be coated in an MOF, which will help it react to the sunlight. That reaction, known as photocatalysis, will result in the oxidation of the microcystins, removing them from the water.

Microcystins are the most common cyanotoxins linked to harmful algal blooms in freshwater environments, notably in regions such as Florida with abundant lakes. They’re known to cause liver damage, kidney failure, gastroenteritis and allergic reactions in humans. With the �鶹ӳ����ý team’s novel solution, water treatment facilities can produce cleaner, safer drinking water.

“Clean drinking water isn’t just a necessity, it’s a fundamental right, especially for Floridians who rely on our abundant lakes and waterways,” Lee says. “By leveraging the innovative nanotechnology for water treatment,  we’re not only removing toxins but also safeguarding the health and well-being of our communities, ensuring a brighter, healthier future for all.”

This is Lee’s second consecutive year receiving the P3 award. In 2023, his team was selected for their work on a biosensor that could detect microcystins early in their formation for faster eradication.

This is the 20th anniversary of the P3 program. Projects funded this year will tackle critical issues such as removing PFAS from water, combating harmful algal blooms, and materials recovery and reuse, says Chris Frey, assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development, in a release.

“I commend these hardworking and creative students and look forward to seeing the results of their innovative projects that are addressing some of our thorniest sustainability and environmental challenges,” Frey says.

About the Researchers

Lee is an associate professor in the �鶹ӳ����ý Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering. He received his bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from Chonnam National University in 1996, his master’s degree in environmental engineering from Korea University in 2001 and his doctoral degree in environmental engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 2009. Before joining �鶹ӳ����ý, he was an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education postdoctoral research fellow at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory in Ohio.

Yang holds joint appointments in �鶹ӳ����ý’s NanoScience Technology Center and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, which is part of the university’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. He is a member of �鶹ӳ����ý’s Renewable Energy and Chemical Transformation Cluster. Before joining �鶹ӳ����ý in 2015, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Rice University and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany. He received his doctoral degree in materials science from Tsinghua University in China.

The work is through a five-year grant awarded to the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in order to fund their project, titled the Mississippi River Delta Transition Initiative (MissDelta).

The project is focused on the lowermost part of the Mississippi River Delta, also known as the Birdsfoot, where the bed of the river is so far under sea level that it is changing the directions of water flow and is struggling to push back against the seawater coming in from the Gulf.

The work was started by Louisiana State University and Tulane University, which recently expanded their team to experts around other Gulf states, one of which is Thomas Wahl, an associate professor in �鶹ӳ����ý’s , and member of �鶹ӳ����ý Costal: National Center for Integrated Coastal Research.

“I have been successfully collaborating with colleagues at Tulane for a while,” Wahl says. “So, when this proposal was developed and they were interested in expanding the team to add certain expertise and have universities from other Gulf states involved, they approached me and that is how I became a member of the team.”

Wahl says the main goals for the MissDelta project are to collect data on the coastal water levels and ocean waves inside of the Birdsfoot region of the Mississippi River and use that data to analyze the extreme storm surges and wave events.

They are also employing machine learning to create models that expand their database and help predict potential changes for future storm surge climates and the ongoing sea level rise.

They are also collaborating with partners to develop input data for all the models, including assessing sediment transportation and physical changes and modeling flood impact. They are also inputting rainfall, river flow, coastal sea level rise and storm surge data.

Along with �鶹ӳ����ý, LSU and Tulane, there are 11 other universities involved with the project including the University of Southern Mississippi, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Southern University of Baton Rouge, Xavier University of New Orleans, Jackson State University, Grambling State University, Dillard University, Alcorn State University, Water Institute of the Gulf, and the College of William & Mary.

Additional Collaboration

Wahl is also working with Tulane on a $3.2 million project to assess how sea-level rise combined with storm surges will impact more than 1,800 military installations worldwide. The work is through the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), and Tulane is the lead institution.

The team’s goal is to obtain consistent, observational sea level data for military installations worldwide by merging newly recovered tide gauge data and a variety of different geophysical ocean and Earth models in a hybrid modeling approach, which will support DoD’s coastal sea level database.

They aim to have at least 60 years of data at every location for determining sea-level related hazards, and thus provide stakeholders with more accurate and robust information about historical sea-level change at any given site worldwide.

This project also includes scientists from Virgina Tech and California Polytechnic State University.

Researcher Credentials

Wahl is an associate professor of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering with the College of Engineering and Computer Science. He received his diploma and Ph.D of civil engineering from the University of Siegen, Germany. His research connects civil/coastal engineering with science such as oceanography and climatology in order to understand how vulnerabilities of coastal communities. His focus is on the changes of sea levels, ocean waves and freshwater flows in order to develop sustainable adaptation strategies.

Top awards included funding for the �鶹ӳ����ý-led mission to the moon’s mysterious Gruithuisen Domes and for .

�鶹ӳ����ý also continuously ranks as one of the top, patent-producing public universities in the world, and its Office of Technology Transfer, which brings researchers’ innovations to the marketplace, secured 56 U.S. patents in fiscal year 2023.

These patents included a coating for capturing and killing viruses on surfaces as well as methods of artificial intelligence-assisted infrastructure assessment using mixed reality systems.

The coating was developed collaboratively by researchers with the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) and the College of Medicine (COM), and the AI-assisted infrastructure assessment technology was developed by researchers in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering and the Department of Computer Science within CECS.

The Office of Technology Transfer also executed 26 licenses and options and facilitated the introduction of 24 new products on the market in fiscal year 2023. These products included new models of the that is sold in many major home improvement stores and a composite material that has aluminum particles dispersed in a continuous phase, which is used as a high-performance solid propellant.

Key federal funders for fiscal year 2023 were the U.S. Department of Defense ($31.21 million), the U.S. National Science Foundation ($26.95 million), NASA ($22.91 million), and the National Institutes of Health ($19.63).

Colleges receiving top funding were College of Sciences ($43 million), CECS ($40 million), and COM ($21 million).

“�鶹ӳ����ý’s remarkable growth in research funding is a testament to our commitment to pioneering innovation,” says Winston V. Schoenfeld, �鶹ӳ����ý’s interim vice president for research and innovation. “The record-breaking $217 million in sponsored awards reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff, and students and their relentless pursuit of knowledge and transformative projects like the moon’s Gruithuisen Domes mission and our impactful Center for Community Schools.”

“Our Office of Technology Transfer is a showcase of innovation, bridging discoveries to real-world applications, as evident in groundbreaking technologies like virus-killing coatings and AI-assisted infrastructure assessment systems,” he says. “The collaborative efforts across colleges showcase our interdisciplinary strength in driving impactful advancements. We’re proud of our researchers’ dedication and the work they are doing reinforcing �鶹ӳ����ý’s position as a top research university.”

To learn more about this year’s success stories, visit the .

That’s why �鶹ӳ����ý researchers have developed four new inventions that use artificial intelligence and virtual reality to improve the structural health monitoring of buildings, bridges, roads and other civil structures.

“Structural health monitoring is an area of need internationally,” says Necati Catbas, a Lockheed Martin St. Laurent Professor in �鶹ӳ����ý’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering. “It’s almost like human health monitoring. As we get older, monitoring our health becomes very, very critical.”

Catbas, who lead the development of the structural health monitoring technologies, says civil infrastructure systems in developed countries are aging but these new technologies can help.

“By better understanding their conditions, we can anticipate risks and better prioritize infrastructure investments,” he says.

Catbas says that traditional monitoring methods involve onsite visual inspection, which can be both time-consuming and costly with manual inspections and can create road and bridge traffic closures.

In addition to time and expense, sites with aging or damaged structures can pose dangers to those at the site, even if they wear personal protective equipment.

Catbas and his research team developed the technologies to help address these issues.

“I am very lucky to have collaborated with many people who have expertise in structural health monitoring over the years, and I have to acknowledge their contribution,” he says. “It’s not a one-person effort.”

Monitoring Structural Health Using Computer Vision and Augmented/Virtual Reality

One invention Catbas and his team developed employs computer vision, while another uses augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

He says computer vision can complement sensors and visual inspection of structural health, and that it is very practical because it doesn’t require access structures such as bridges, buildings, or towers.

“We can use the camera, and by analyzing the images, we can extract meaningful information about these bridges and buildings,” he says.

The technology, a , enables inspectors to safely view and accurately assess the load-worthiness and serviceability of structures without having to be onsite.

Catbas says that the �鶹ӳ����ý invention uses cameras stationed on and around a structure, like a bridge, to collect image and location data related to the structure’s use. In the bridge example, the data relates to vehicles crossing it. The data can include the vertical or horizontal displacement of girders caused by their movement, vibrational effects and velocity. While the cameras continually monitor the site, computer vision software processes and analyzes the collected data, providing system users with a safety assessment that includes information about structural changes and weaknesses, as well as immediate damage.

The second invention that the team developed is an that uses VR and AR to analyze structures via “virtual visits.” VR provides a completely computer-simulated environment, while AR generates or overlays content onto actual views of a real-world environment.

“With this technology, you can virtually bring experts to disaster areas, such as buildings and bridges, like after a hurricane,” Catbas says. “I can virtually be on a damaged bridge in Florida discussing decisions with colleagues who might be in California.”

Like the first invention, the visualization system provides damage detection and load-carrying information about a structure using cameras and sensors. Additionally, it employs other tools such as robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, LiDAR scanners and infrared thermography cameras. With its visualization platform, the technology provides the collected data and images via a user interface and sophisticated computer graphics. The result is a real-time view of a site and the ability to interact and communicate with people from different locations: onsite, across the country, and even globally.

Enhancing Inspections and Structural Damage Diagnostics Using Artificial Intelligence

Two other inventions developed by Catbas and his team incorporate AI. First, the blends human-centric AI with mixed reality to help fast-track inspection processes and keep costs down while ensuring accuracy. With this invention, an inspector standing outside a damaged building could wear a headset and/or use a hand-held device integrated with the technology.

The inspector uses the items to scan the damaged areas, which the system analyzes in real-time, saving the inspector from having to perform manual measurements. It then calculates or assesses the building’s condition, thus speeding the inspection process. During the assessment, the inspector interacts with the AI and can adjust its defect and detection boundaries. The system uses the inspector’s changes to retrain the AI model so that the AI’s accuracy improves over time. A major advantage of the invention is its ability to combine the professional judgment of an inspector/engineer with the AI’s analytical power.

The other invention, the , enables a more proactive approach to managing and maintaining the health and safety of structures. It uses AI to predict damage and minimize the need for data collection from many structures.

“Instead of putting sensors and devices on all structures, we can collect data from just a few of them,” Catbas says.

He explained that collecting useful data from sensors about damaged structures is expensive and challenging.

“There is not enough data from damaged areas to train detection models,” he says. “Yet, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms used with AI yield better, more accurate output using big data sets. As a solution to the data scarcity in civil structural health monitoring applications, the invention takes data collected from structures. It uses model variants of the GAN architecture to generate large, accurate synthetic data samples to train damage diagnostics systems.

“Then, by using AI, we can better understand what’s going on with other similar structures and more effectively decide how to respond,” he says.

The technology can predict the dynamic response of a structure change before damage conditions occur. It’s also possible to create potential future conditions of structures, such as generating data showing what a healthy bridge’s response would be after damage compared to the response of an unhealthy bridge.

Catbas says that the inventions can be used independently or together. For more information,

Upcoming Projects

Catbas says that his team’s future research plans include a framework for cities and towns to use.

“It enhances community resilience by providing valuable insights for disaster preparedness, resource allocation and evacuation planning,” he says. “The framework improves emergency management by enabling informed decision-making during crises.”

They are also developing a “digital twin” of infrastructure assets, like the way NASA uses replicas of spacecraft components.

“They have those components on the ground, and if something happens, they work with these replicas,” he says. “So, this twin, in a sense, allows us to collect data simultaneously and work on different structure scenarios using predictive analysis.”

Researcher’s Credentials

Catbas holds a doctorate in structural engineering from the University of Cincinnati. After postdoctoral studies at Drexel University in Philadelphia, he joined �鶹ӳ����ý’s College of Engineering and Computer Science in 2003 and is the founding director of the Civil Infrastructure Technologies for Resilience and Safety (CITRS) Initiative. His research covers various aspects of civil engineering, including analysis, design, and assessment of civil infrastructure systems, structural health monitoring, structural identification, and structural dynamics and earthquake engineering.

Technology Available for License

To learn more about Catbas’ work and additional potential licensing or sponsored research opportunities, contact Raju.Nagaiah (Raju.Nagaiah@ucf.edu) at (407)-882-0593.

The �鶹ӳ����ý Knights – environmental engineering majors Jennifer Hughes and Lance-Nicolas Rances and environmental engineering doctoral student Stephanie Stoll, along with associate professor and principal investigator Woo Hyoung Lee – are one of 21 student teams to receive the funding through the agency’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Program. This program is designed to support research that addresses environmental and public health challenges.

“I am thrilled and honored to have received this award for our research,” Hughes says. “For the past year, I have focused on microcystin-detecting biosensors, and it feels great to be recognized for my undergraduate research.”

Microcystins are the most common toxins found in fresh water, and the most harmful type is microcystin-LR (MC-LR). When high levels of MC-LR accumulate in water, they form a blue-green algae bloom that can disrupt the aquatic ecosystem by depleting oxygen, blocking sunlight and altering the nutrients that marine life feeds on. In Florida, blue-green algae are a common problem due to the warm temperatures, excess nutrients and stagnant water found in lakes, rivers or ponds. When ingested by humans, it can cause abdominal pain, a sore throat or gastrointestinal distress. At elevated levels, it could lead to damage of the liver or kidneys.

To test water sources for MC-LR, samples must be transported to a laboratory where they can be examined by trained technicians. The process can be both time-consuming and costly, but the �鶹ӳ����ý-developed biosensor could solve those problems.

The �鶹ӳ����ý-developed device would be portable, cost effective and located onsite, so that MC-LR blooms could be detected early on. The device will use an antibody to detect the harmful algae, and the students are currently fine-tuning its detecting capabilities.

“Our next steps at the moment are to refine the biosensor to make its detection capabilities as accurate as possible,” Rances says. “There are several interfering toxins that can be detected in place of MC-LR, so honing in on the right antibodies that are MC-LR sensitive will help enhance what may be later made available for use in real-world scenarios.”

In a real-world scenario, once the biosensor detects MC-LR in drinking water, health officials can take appropriate action such as treating the water and notifying the public.

As Phase I recipients, the students will use the funding to deliver a proof of concept. They’re also eligible to compete for Phase II funding, worth up to $100,000, to help them implement their design.

Although the sensor will take time to develop, both Hughes and Rances are excited to work on a project that can have a positive impact on local waterways.

“Algae blooms are one of the biggest conversation points regarding Florida’s water health,” Rances says. “I am motivated to continue the MC-LR research to expand the capabilities of our coastal regions to understand and potentially combat harmful algae bloom events.”

The work is through a $12.6 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)-funded project that seeks to create self-repairing, biological and human-engineered reef-mimicking structures. The project is led by Rutgers University and is a collaboration among researchers in the U.S. and Australia. �鶹ӳ����ý is receiving about $800,000 for its role in the project.

The reef structures, which �鶹ӳ����ý is helping to design, will be used to mitigate coastal flooding, erosion and storm damage that threaten civilian and Department of Defense infrastructure and personnel. The project design also encourages the recruitment of non-reef building organisms, such as marsh and seagrasses, to create a healthy ecosystem.

“We’re not only focusing on the oyster reef, but we’re also bringing in a mosaic habitat concept,” says Kelly Kibler, an associate professor in �鶹ӳ����ý’s who is leading the work for �鶹ӳ����ý. “So, we’re not only working with one species but recognizing that multiple species that inhabit the intertidal zone work together to create further resilience.”

The first of two 50-meter reef installations, which are specially designed to maximize oyster recruitment, will be implemented in the East Bay of St. Andrews Bay, near Panama City in the Florida Panhandle.

The overall Reefense project consists of three different teams. The team led by Rutgers University is focusing on a shellfish reef, while the two other teams, led by the University of Miami and University of Hawaii, will work with corals.

Kibler’s group will be monitoring the pre- and post-implementation of the reef structure and assessing how the reef and habitat mosaic influence sediment transport near the shoreline.

“This type of natural infrastructure design project is important especially to a state like Florida that is vulnerable to… rising sea level,” Kibler says.

The project consists of three phases that include iterations of designing, implementing and monitoring the structures. The oyster reef team is currently in Phase 1 and is scheduled to implement the first structure in Phase 2, in 2024.

Kibler says the long-term success of the reefs will depend on recruitment and survival of the oysters. If the project is deemed successful, she says the structures could be used in multiple areas of Florida and elsewhere in the world within the range of oysters.

“We hope to have a cost-effective, transferable design that would be taken up by communities, homeowners and landowners,” she says.

Researcher Credentials

Kibler received her doctorate in water resources engineering from Oregon State University. She joined �鶹ӳ����ý’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, part of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, in 2014. She is a member of �鶹ӳ����ý’s National Center for Integrated Coastal Research and Sustainable Coastal Systems faculty cluster initiative.