Group Members

Associate Professor of Civil Engineering

Dr. Zhang received his BS and MS degrees from Hunan University in 2001 and 2004, respectively, and his PhD degree from University of Regina in 2011, all in environmental engineering. Before joining Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 2014, he was a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University. Dr. Zhang's research interests have involved a variety of topics in hydrology, water resources management, geospatial analysis, environmental systems analysis, and environmental impact assessment.

Postdoc

Dr. Tedla earned his PhD in Disaster Management from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Japan. Prior to that, he obtained dual MSc degrees: one in Water Resource Engineering from Sungkyunkwan University and another in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Addis Ababa University. His research focuses on integrating social, technical, and environmental dimensions of water resources management. Dr. Mihretab has extensive experience collaborating with governmental organizations on hydrological and environmental projects, as well as working with research institutions on climate change adaptation. In his free time, he enjoys participating in various sports activities.

PhD Candidate, GSCS

Lapone received a BSc in geology and MSc in geological engineering. He also has work experience in an industrial career as a seismic interpreter and sub-surface mapper in Thailand, and an academic career, as a teaching assistant at the University of Idaho. His research scope mainly emphasizes stormwater management in urban areas, where the land covers have a significant number of impervious surfaces that could alter the flow and infiltration patterns. He uses a UAV to obtain high-resolution images, integrating them with hydrological and spatial analysis.

PhD Student, CMSS

Beruchya obtained a BA in Political Science with a minor in sustainability and an MS in Environmental Sciences & Policy with a track in geographic information systems (GIS), from the University of Notre Dame and Johns Hopkins University. In her career, she explored the environmental, economic, and social facets of sustainable development. Her particular interest in hydrology and ecosystem services led her to the WESA Lab at TAMU-CC. Beruchya's interdisciplinary research focuses on integrated water resources management, and related geospatial analyses with an emphasis on coastal regions. 

PhD Student, CMSS

Cat obtained a BS in Environmental Spatial Analysis from the University of North Georgia and a MS in Geographic Information Science from California State University, Long Beach. Her research focuses on leveraging geospatial data to help inform equitable urban planning strategies. She is interested in remote sensing, data visualization, integrated water resource management and climate change adaptation. In her free time, Cat enjoys reading a good book or taking a walk with her dog. 

PhD Student, CS

Bishal has a background in Civil Engineering, including a Bachelor of Technology from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada in India and an M.Sc. in Water Resources and Environmental Management from Leibniz University Hannover in Germany. He also worked as a civil engineer in Nepal, focusing on water resources management and green energy including hydropower plants. His research interests include hydrology, hydraulics, urban water management, and the impact of climate change, with a growing focus on integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into these fields. He will work on a project at the WESA lab that uses Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) and physical sensors to detect and predict issues in urban wastewater systems, aiming to protect public health and the environment. Outside of work, he enjoy exploring new places, hiking, and staying active through sports. 

MS Student, CMSS

Olivia obtained a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in pre-professional Biomedical Science from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Coastal Marine System Science. She has a background in biology, chemistry, air quality, and technical and professional writing. Olivia has always had a passion for wanting to help improve the environment because of her love for animals. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and dogs whenever she can.

Undergraduate Student, Civil Engineering

Aaliyah is a junior attending Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She is pursuing a bachelor's in Civil Engineering with a minor in Management Information Systems and is a research assistant for projects on urban stormwater management. When she is not busy with coursework, she likes to spend time with friends or watch Netflix. 

Undergraduate Student, Mechanical Engineering

Esteban is currently a junior at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Driven by a love of hands-on work he has chosen to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. From childhood tinkering to college labs, Esteban has always been interested in how mechanical systems work. When not in school, Esteban spends most of his time building model kits and practicing woodworking. 

PhD in Geospatial Computer Science

Postdoc at Virginia Tech

BS in Environmental Science

Graduate student at Texas A&M University

BS in Mechanical Engineering, MBA

Mechanical engineer at Fulton Coastcon Construction