PhD in Engineering (Coastal Engineering and Computational

CRC 6th Annual Meeting April 21-22, 2021

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

PhD in Engineering (Coastal Engineering and Computational Engineering Concentration) at an HBCU

PI: Robert W. Whalin, PhD, P.E., D.CEEducation and Workforce Development Director, Coastal Resilience Center

Professor of Civil Engineering, Jackson State UniversityColleagues: Engineer Research & Development Center

Texas A&M University, Galveston



Summary of Education Activities

• Activity:o Sustain production of MS Engineering (Coastal Engineering) graduates

(1 July 2015 – 30 June 2021)o Recruit new graduate students-continuous (1 July 2015 – Present)o Formulate/request JSU Approval of Coastal Engineering concentration in PhD

Engineering Degreeo Foster internal partnerships with Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate

concentrationso Seek leveraged research/education $ for Coastal Engineeringo Award MS & PhD Engineering Degrees with Coastal Engineering emphasis focused

on Natural Disasters

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• Nov. 1984• 26 Eminent Engineerso 22 Academiao 3 Fed Agencieso 1 Industry

• 10 M/year NSF ResearchProgram Coastal & Ocean

Engineering:o Hurricanes & Winter

Stormso Sea Level Riseo Tsunamiso Ice

Interesting History3



• 1987• Robert G. Dean, Chair• 9 Committee Members

• Marine Board, Commission on Engineering & Technical Systems, National Research Council

Interesting History4



• Approval of PhD Engineering (Coastal Engineering concentration), April 2018

• Partnership with MS Engineering (Civil and Environmental Engineering)o Coastal Engineering courses are electives for students in other

concentrations.o Transportation Engineering very close partner.

Summary of Education Outcomes

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Summary of Education Outcomes• Leveraged $~400K/year

o PI: Texas A&M University, Galveston (Prime) NSF: Partnership for International Research and Education (PIRE), “Coastal Flood Risk Reduction,” 6 years, effective October 2015

o PI: University of Florida (Prime), for STRIDE Regional UTC, 5 years, August 2016 o PI: University of Arkansas (Prime) MarTREC Tier I UTC, 5 years, August 2016o High Performance Computer Time, ERDCo Adjunct Professors, ERDC

- Dr. Lihwa Lin- Dr. Gaurav Savant

o Experimental Research Partnership with ERDC

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• Summer Research in The Netherlands

2016 Ms. Fatimata DiopMr. Rahmatullah FaiziMr. Joshua Brown

2017 Ms. Lei Bu2018 Ms. Sabrina Welch2019 Mr. Akil Muhammad2020/2021 Pandemic Cancelled

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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill CRC 6th Annual Meeting April 21-22, 2021

Akil Muhammad, The Netherlands 2019

Sabrina Welch, The Netherlands 2018

Fatima Diop, Joshua Brown and Rahmatullah FaiziThe Netherlands 2016


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• Graduates to Date: 16 MS, 6 PhDo Nakarsha Bester: MS (Coastal, Aug. 2015)o Zhao Ma: MS (Civil, Dec. 2016)o Jesse Tucker: MS (Civil, Dec. 2016), Engineering Firmo Rahmatullah Faizi: MS (Coastal, Dec. 2016); Blue Horizon, Seattle, WAo Lei Bu: MS (Civil, Dec. 2016); PhD Program, JSUo Neha Sinha: MS (Civil, April 2017); PhD Program, JSUo Mireille Tchuisseu: MS (Coastal, April 2017); USACE, Fort Hood, TX o Kejun Wen: PhD (Civil, Dec. 2017), Assistant Professor, JSUo Joshua Brown: MS (Coastal, Dec. 2017); USACE, VXDo Xuesheng Qian: MS (Civil, Dec. 2017); PhD Program, JSU




• Graduates to Date: 16 MS, 6 PhDo Ayanna Lynn: MS (Civil, April 2018), Nissan, Canton, MSo Bisrat Gebremeskel: MS (Coastal, April 2018), Engineering Firm, NJo Xuesheng Qian: PhD (Civil, April 2018), Post Doc, Southern University, Chinao Lei Bu: PhD (Civil, Dec. 2018), TXDOT, Houston, TXo April Rollins: MS (Coastal, Dec. 2018), Engineering Firm, Jackson, MSo Xiaohua Luo; PhD (Civil, May 2019), TX State University, San Marcos (Post Doc)o Peidong Su, PhD (Civil, May 2019)o Sabrina Welch, MS (Coastal, May 2019), PhD Program, JSU (Coastal)o Junke Zhang, PhD (Environmental, May 2020)o Akil Muhammad, MS (Coastal, May 2020), USACE, VXDo Garth Cahill, MS (Coastal, Aug, 2020), PhD Program, JSU (Coastal)o Patience Sitole, MS (Coastal), May 7, 2021), projected)

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2016 SUMREX University of TexasXuesheng Qian

2017 SUMREX University of Central FloridaSabrina Welch Galveston Bay

Chris Herron and Nakarsha Bester


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Xuesheng Qian, PhD, Civil 2018

Rahmatullah Faizi, MS, Coastal, Dec. 2016

Joshua Brown, MS, Coastal, April 2017


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Education Outcomes, Year 6• Enrolled 2 new MS students (Inez Williams, Karayan Cole)• Enrolled 1 new PhD student (Garth Cahill)• Advised 11 students

MS (6) PhD (5)Garth Cahill (Full Time) Gregory Slusarczyk (Candidate, Part Time)Patience Sitole (Full Time) Sabrina Welch (Candidate, Intermittent)Kip Carroll (Part Time) Mireille Tchuisseu (Intermittent)Matrix McDaniel (Intermittent) Donald Hendon (Intermittent)Inez Williams (Part Time) Garth Cahill (Full Time)Karayan Cole (Part Time)

• Scheduled PhD Qualifying Exam (1 scheduled, Spring 2021)• Administered PhD Qualifying Exam (1 administered, Spring 2021)• Graduated 2 MS (Coastal)

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Education Outcomes Year 6


Garth Cahill, MS, Coastal Feb. 2020Dr. Lihwa Lin, ERDC

Oral Exam

Akil Muhammad, MS, Coastal, Feb. 2020Drs. Whalin, Yassin and Khan

Oral Exam

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Patience Sitole, MS, Coastal, April 2021



End User Engagement• Project Roles

o Outside Advisor: Dissertation Research: Ms. Mary Cialone, ERDCo Transition: Potential employers of graduates

− USACE, VXD− Mr. Chris Herron, Garver Engineering− FEMA Region IV− Mr. John T. Weeks, PE, VP, SDW− Director, ERDC− Deputy Director, ERDC− Director, ITL, ERDC− Director, CHL, ERDC− Director, GSL, ERDC− Dr. Sam Brody, Director, Center for Texas Beaches & Shores,

TAMUG− CHL, ERDC− CHL, ERDC

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End User Engagement

• Project Roleso Adjunct Professors: Graduate Courses and Committee Members

− CHL, ERDC (6 courses and 6 Committees)− CHL, ERDC (1 course and 2 Committees)

o Agreements− Director, ERDC--Education Partnership Agreement signatory with JSU− Director, CHL, ERDC-Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

signatory with CRC, JSU

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Anticipated Future Education Impacts

• Sustained Pipeline Averaging 3 Graduates annually (2MS/1 PhD)o 10 years: 30 graduates; 20 MS, 10 PhDo 20 years: 60 graduates; 40 MS, 20 PhDo 30 years: 90 graduates; 60 MS, 30 PhD, etc.

• Expect 60+% to work in Greater Homeland Security Enterpriseo 10 years: 12 MS, 6 PhDo 20 years: 24 MS, 12 PhDo 30 years: 36 MS, 18 PhD

~60+ % in Greater Homeland Security Enterprise

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Documents

PhD in Engineering (Coastal Engineering and Computational