CHER lab in 2014, left to right Tiffany, Darren, Yaprak, Benjamin, Jeffrey, Tatiana, preparing an ADCP Sentinel V for deployment off of Kahoolawe Island, Hawaii. Photo taken by Oceana Francis on January 20, 2015, outside of UH Hydraulics Lab Holmes Hall 142.
Oceana Francis, Principle Investigator
Professor, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil & Environmental Engineering; Joint Appointment in Sea Grant College Program
Specialization: Resilient urban communities and infrastructure systems from hydrodynamic hazards; circulation and transport in nearshore regions and oceans; wave hydrodynamics; sea level rise; sea ice affecting oceanic processes; stormwater; field monitoring, laboratory, modeling and data analysis techniques
Linqiang Yang
Research Associate, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering
Ph.D., University of Houston in Geophysics, 2017
M.S., China University of Geosciences (Beijing) in Geophysical Prospecting & Information Technology, 2012
B.S., China University of Geosciences (Beijing) in Geophysics, 2009
Specialization: CRESI ocean hazards development and analysis; sea level rise; stormwater; BOUSS-2D and CMS modeling
Harrison Togia
Ph.D. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering
M.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa, in Geology & Geophysics, 2015
B.S., University of Washington in Earth & Space Sciences, 2012
Specialization: CRESI ocean hazards development and analysis; CRESI field monitoring; infrastructure risk development and analysis
Edward (Ned) Samson
Ph.D. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Ocean and Resources Engineering
M.S., University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Electrical Engineering, 2020
B.S., Johns Hopkins University, Engineering Mechanics, with a minor in Mathematics, 2015
Specialization: Sustainability, Robust Control, System Identification, Estimation and Filtering, Fourier Analysis, Field monitoring of waves and currents
Virginia Groeschel
Ph.D. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering
M.S., University of Alaska Anchorage, Project Management, 2020
B.S., University of Alaska Anchorage, Civil Engineering, 2006
Specialization: Risk Assessment; Sea Ice-Structure-Wave interaction; Coastal erosion
Currently also a Civil Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) (Virginia.J.GROESCHEL@usace.army.mil) with 18 years of experience in aviation and highway design, water and sewer design, utility coordination, and construction management.
Miles Drazkowski
M.S. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering
B.S., California Polytechnic State University in Civil Engineering, 2020
Specialization: Soil/structure interaction computational modelling; Geosynthetics and GRS-IBS design; Site investigation, and Soils testing and analysis.
Kalen Eyre
M.S. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering
B.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering, May 2023
Specialization: Development of the Coastal Road Erosion Susceptibility Index (CRESI)
Hannah Lawrence
M.S. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering
B.S., Oregon State University in Ocean and Earth Science, 2019
Specialization: Coastal adaptation, sea level rise, coastal geomorphology, sediment transport, and nearshore processes. Formerly worked under contract with local communities to reduce sand inundation of homes and businesses.
Mason Negron
M.S. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering (joint with Dr. Roger Chen, UH CEE)
B.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering, May 2022
Specialization: Development of a sustainable research infrastructure hub at Waiale’e, Oahu through instruction, research and design; Smart coastal access of North Shore, Oahu (MS thesis)
Past CHER Members
Jacob McKamey
Ph.D. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering (1-23 to 12-23)
M.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering, May 2019
B.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering, May 2017
Specialization: Structural assessment on mid-rise buildings due to coastal inundation
Caroline Rossi
Ph.D. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering (2020-2021)
M.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering, 2020
B.A., University of Hawaii at Hilo in Geology, 2018
Specialization: CRESI database processing and management; CRESI field monitoring and management; sustainability/coastal engineering; hydrology; climate change mitigation efforts
Now an Environmental Engineer for Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) and lead on the Red Hill project.
Dongam (Michael) Jeong
M.S. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering Plan B (2021-2023)
B.S., Kansas State University in Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering, 2021
Specialization: Hazard modelled vs. stakeholder analysis; ADCP instrumentation; soil testing and analysis
Nykell Hunter
M.S. in Civil Engineering Plan A, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Dec 2022, under Dr. Oceana Francis
B.S., Oregon State University in Ecological Engineering, 2019
Specialization: Coral and benthic habitat health in CRESI; CRESI field work and data processing; soil/erosion analysis
Now an Engineering Designer, Water/Wastewater Treatment Group, Consor Engineers, Bend OR
Mallory Hataishi
M.S. in Civil Engineering Plan A, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Dec 2022, under Dr. Oceana Francis
B.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering, 2021
Specialization: CMS modeling; Stakeholder data processing
Now a Civil Engineer at HDR Inc.
Chandelle Takahashi
M.S. in Civil Engineering Plan A, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Aug 2022, under Dr. Oceana Francis
B.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering, 2021
Specialization: CRESI improvements; slope stability of coastal armoring; soil/erosion analysis
Now a Civil Engineer at Engineering Concepts, Inc.
Brooks Anthony Martinez
M.S. in Civil Engineering Plan A, University of Hawaii at Manoa, May 2022, under Dr. Oceana Francis
B.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering, 2021
Specialization: CRESI database processing and management; quantitative shoreline armoring improvements
Now a Civil Engineer at Wilson Okamoto Corporation
Scott Lam
M.S. in Civil Engineering Plan B, University of Hawaii at Manoa, May 2022, under Dr. Oceana Francis
B.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering, 2021
Specialization: Shoreline armoring analysis
Now a Structural Engineer at Nagamine Okawa Engineering INC (NOEI)
Rachael Han
M.S. in Civil Engineering Plan A, University of Hawaii at Manoa, May 2022, under Dr. Oceana Francis
B.S., Santa Clara University in Civil Engineering, with a minor in Environmental Studies, 2020
Specialization: Stakeholder development, field work and analysis; climate policy; coastal hazards
Now a Civil Design Engineer at SSFM International
Bailey Hopkins
M.S. in Civil Engineering Plan A, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Dec 2021, under Dr. Oceana Francis
B.S., Pennsylvania State University in General Physics, 2019
B.S., Pennsylvania State University in Applied Mathematics, 2019
Specialization: Laboratory testing of structures; equipment setup and analysis
Now a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering at University of Hawaii at Manoa
Hannah Harrison
M.S. in Civil Engineering Plan A, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Dec 2020, under Dr. Oceana Francis
B.S. in Ecosystem Science & Sustainability + Sustainable Water Interdisciplinary Minor, Colorado State University, 2019
Specialization: GSSHA modeling; field measurements; watershed analysis; environmental hydrodynamics
Now a PhD student in Geography at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC
Yaprak Onat
Ph.D., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Ocean and Resources Engineering under Dr. Oceana Francis
M.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Ocean and Resources Engineering under Dr. R. Cengiz Ertekin
B.S., M.S., Middle East Technical University, Turkey in Civil Engineering
Specialization: Wavewatch III modeling; Automated Coastal Engineering System development and management; coastal vulnerability index for the Hawaiian Islands; cost-benefit analysis; hindcasting and probabilistic forecasting
Now an Assistant Director of Research for the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), University of Connecticut, https://circa.uconn.edu/person/yaprak-onat/
J. Lelemia Irvine
Ph.D. University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering under Dr. Albert Kim (previous Ph.D. Candidacy under Dr. Oceana Francis)
M.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering Plan B under Dr. Oceana Francis
M.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Biological Engineering
B.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Biological Engineering
Specialization: Native Hawaiian engineering practices; field instrumentation and measurements; sustainable freshwater resources
Now an Assistant Professor of Physics at University of Hawaii West Oahu, https://westoahu.hawaii.edu/facultyprofiles/user/lelemia/
Jeffrey Nielson
M.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering Plan A under Dr. Oceana Francis
B.S., Utah State University in Civil Engineering
Specialization: GSSHA modeling; field instrumentation and measurements; watershed analysis; environmental hydrodynamics
Now a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University, Vancouver
Maura Sateriale
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Mechanical Engineering under Dr. Reza Ghorbani and Dr. Oceana Francis (2013-2015)
M.S., University of Alaska Fairbanks in Mechanical Engineering
B.S., University of Maryland, Baltimore in Mechanical Engineering
Specialization: ocean wave energy sensors
Now a comedienne and writer, https://maurasateriale.com/
Giannicola Tumino Di Costanzo
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering under Dr. Oceana Francis (summer 2019)
B.S., University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering
Specialization: CRESI cost-benefit analysis
Now an M.S. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Ocean and Resources Engineering under Dr. Fai Cheung
Sean Kanoa O’Connor
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Civil Engineering under Dr. Oceana Francis (2014-2016)
B.S., Stanford University in Civil Engineering
Specialization: water and wastewater engineering
Now an M.A. Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Hawaiian Studies under Dr. Kamanamaikalani Beamer
Undergraduate Students
Aaron Murai (TBD; CEE UG, Spring 2023)
Beau Gongob (Stakeholder data analysis; CEE UG, Spring 2023)
Nyah-Kimani Mychele Chamberlain (Stakeholder data analysis; CEE UG, Fall 2022-Spring 2023)
Justin Paleka (Shoreline Monitoring; CEE UG, Spring 2022)
Michelle Marchant (Climate vulnerability; GES UG, 2016-2018)
Alexander Gomes (Hydrologic Modeling; CEE UG, 2015-2016)
Tatiana Oje (Oceanographic instrumentation and SMS modeling; CEE UG, 2014-2015)
Darren Ramos (Offshore winds; CEE UG, 2013-2015)
Tiffany Montoya (Coastal erosion GIS; CEE UG, 2015)
Benjamin Lieberman (Coastal erosion GIS; CEE UG, 2015)
Visiting Scientists
Gleb Panteleev
Other Collaborations
Erik Rodgers, Max Yaremchuk, Gleb Panteleev, Rick Allard - Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, MS;
Richard Bouchard (retired) -National Data Buoy Center, Stennis Space Center, MS;
Robert Jensen, Jose Sanchez - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington D.C.;
Andrew Metzger – U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD;
Chris Eckert, Mark Smith, and Ted Zigarlick - Teck Alaska Incorporated, Anchorage, AK;
Michael Nahoopii - Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission, State of Hawaii;
Karl Kim -University of Hawaii Department of Urban Planning and National Disaster Preparedness Training Center;
Igor Semiletov and Natalia Shakhova, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Arctic Seas Carbon Research International Lab