Matt Preisser

Post-Doc, June 2025 - 

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2025)

M.S. and MPAff, The University of Texas at Austin (2021) 

B.S.E., Auburn University (2018) 

NASA FINESST Fellow (2022 - 2024)

NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2019 - 2022)

Brumley Next Generation Fellow (2019 - present)  

Dissertation: Description, prediction, and prescription of the compounding impacts of hazards on society

Max Daniller-Varghese

Research Associate, June 2025 - 

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2019)

B.S., Rice University (2014)

Research Interests: Coastal geomorphology, sediment transport, turbidity currents, river deltas and their evolution, near-shore bathymetric change, and remote sensing.

Nelson Tull

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (expected 2024) 

M.S., North Carolina State University (2018) 

B.S., University of Massachusetts – Amherst (2016)

Dissertation: Spatial and temporal evolution of river-floodplain connectivity within the Trinity River System (TX)

Position post-UT: Post-doc at Louisiana State University

Kyle Wright

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2022)

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2018) 

B.S.E., The University of Texas at Austin (2016)

NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2017 - 2020)

Dissertation: Unifying multi-source data and modeling perspectives to investigate connectivity and material transport in coastal river deltas

Position post-UT: Coastal Modeler at Texas Water Development Board

Jay Hariharan

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2022) 

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2019) 

B.S., The University of Maryland (2014)

Dissertation: Connecting delta morphology, surface processes, and subsurface structure

Jay's website

Position post-UT: Physical Scientist (Data Scientist) at USGS

Tess Jarriel

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2021)

M.S., The University of Virginia (2016)

B.S., The University of Virginia (2015)

Dissertation: Characterizing the kinematics of river deltas using the automatic extraction and analysis of channel networks from remotely sensed imagery

Position post-UT: Consultant Engineer II, ERM (Water Resources, Modeling, and Climate Change group)

Xing Zheng

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2018)

(co-advised with David Maidment)

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2015)

B.S.E., Wuhan University (2013)

Dissertation: Continental-scale high-resolution river geometry and real-time inundation mapping

Position post-UT: Research Scientist, AIR Worldwide, Boston, MA

Alicia Sendrowski

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2018)

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2015)

B.S.E.E., University of Florida, Gainesville (2012)

NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2014-2017)

Dissertation: Process connectivity in river deltas: quantifying information flow from system drivers to sinks with information theory

Position post-UT: Postdoctoral Researcher, Colorado State University

Leo Isikdogan

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2017) (Electrical and Computer Engineering, co-advised with Al Bovik)

M.S., Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey (2013)

B.S., Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey (2011)

Dissertation: Automatic delta network extraction from remotely sensed data

Leo's Website

Position post-UT: Imaging Algorithm Staff Engineer, Motorola, Chicago, IL; Algorithm Engineer, Intel Corporation; Deep Learning Algorithm Engineer at Apple (2020-)

Matt Hiatt

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2016)

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2013)

B.S.C.E., The University of Kansas (2011)

NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2012-2015)

Dissertation: Characterizing hydrological connectivity and channel-island processes in river deltas to inform coastal restoration

Matt's Website

Position post-UT: Postdoctoral Researcher, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands 2016-2017; Assistant Professor, Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University (2017 -)

Harish Sangireddy

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2015)

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2011)

BTech, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India (2007)

Dissertation: Catchment topography: improving hydrological predictions with lidar analysis

Position post-UT: Scientific Software Engineer, Quantitative Science Team, Climate Corporation, San Francisco, CA

Post-Docs

Siyoon Kwon

Ph.D., Seoul National University (2022)

B.S., Pusan National University (2017)

NRF of Korea Sejong Science Fellow (2023-present)

Research Interests: Fluvial processes, River mixing, Remote sensing

Position post-UT: Assistant Professor, Gyeongsang National University, South Korea

Muriel Brückner

Ph.D.,  Utrecht University (2021)

MSc, Technical University of Braunschweig (2016)

BSc, Technical University of Braunschweig (2013)

Research Interests: Biogeomorphic interactions in estuaries, rivers, and deltas, their role in shaping geomorphology, their responses to climate change, anthropogenic impacts and microplastic pollution, and how to use them in the design of nature-based solutions. 

Position post-UT: Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA. 

Andrew Moodie

Ph.D., Rice University (2020)

B.S., Lehigh University (2014)

NSF EAR Postdoctoral Fellow 2020-2022

Research Interests: The complex time- and space-scale interactions of river-delta processes, and conversion to the stratigraphic record. Forward-looking approaches to sustainable management of highly anthropic landscapes.

Position post-UT: Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. 

John Swartz

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2019)

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2014)

B.S., University of Pittsburgh (2012)

Research Interests: Topography of floodplains and lowland rivers; High-resolution seismic characterization of shallow stratigraphy; Linking high-resolution topography to numerical models

Position post-UT: Research Scientist, The Water Institute of the Gulf, Baton Rouge, LA

Mariela Perignon

Ph.D., University of Colorado Boulder (2014)

M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2008)

B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2007)

Research Interests: Complex response of landscapes to extreme events; Open-source modeling of coupled geomorphic systems

Position post-UT: Data Scientist, Strong Analytics LLC, Chicago, IL

Man Liang

Ph.D., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (2013)

B.S., Peking University, China

Postdoctoral Researcher (2013-2016)

Research Interests: Linking surface patterns to the stratigraphic record; Reduced-Complexity Models (RCMs) for geomorphological systems

Position post-UT: Research Scientist, The Water Institute of the Gulf, Baton Rouge, LA

Nathanael Geleynse

Postdoctoral Researcher (2012-2013)

Position post-UT: Engineer at Arcadis, Water and Environment Division, Zwolle, the Netherlands

MS Students

Azalea Norwood

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2025) 

B.S.C.E., University of Texas at Austin (2022)

Thesis: Understanding the impact of hydrodynamic model roughness and resolution on floodplain inundation 

Position post-UT: Graduate Engineer II, Public Infrastructure Projects, LJA Engineering, Austin, TX

Sara Karimaghaei

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2023) 

B.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2017)

INFEWS Scholar (2021 - 2023)

Research Interests: Changes in coastal systems and human dynamics; flood-water-energy nexus

Sara Esther Davila

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2022); co-advised with Lina Sela

B.S., The University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley (2020)

INFEWS Scholar (2020-present)

South Texas Fellow (2020-2021)

Thesis: Quantifying river-floodplain connectivity of the Lower Rio Grande

Position post-UT: Engineer I, Water Resources, Atkins, Austin, TX

Robert Schomp

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2021) 

B.S., Portland State University (2019)

Thesis: Flood inundation mapping on lidar data

Position post-UT: Water Resources Engineer, Kleinschmidt Associates, Portland, OR

Alec Carruthers

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2020) 

B.S., University of California Irvine (2018)

Thesis: The assessment, improvement, and application of the GeoFlood flood inundation mapping framework

Shazzadur Rahman

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2020) 

B.Sc., Water Resources Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (2017)

Thesis: Quantifying channel-floodplain connectivity in the Trinity River, TX using numerical modeling and field observations 

Position post-UT: Graduate Engineer - Water Resources, Walter P Moore, Houston, TX 

Leah Huling

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2020) 

B.S., Civil Engineering, Oklahoma State University (2018)

Thesis: Sensor flow data assimilation into National Water Model forecast

Position post-UT: Graduate Civil Engineer, Halff Associates, Dallas, TX

Isha Deo

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2019) 

B.S.E., The University of Texas at Austin (2017)

Thesis: River network and transportation network interdependencies during floods

Position post-UT: Water Resources Engineer, Kleinschmidt Associates, Portland, OR

Andrew Austin-Petersen

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2018) 

B.A., Chemistry, Grinnel College (2006)

Thesis: Uncertainty quantification in National Water Model predictions

Position post-UT: Water Resources Engineer, Barr Engineering, Minneapolis, MN

Jeff Zheng

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2018) 

B.S.E., The University of Texas at Austin (2015)

Thesis: Hurricane Harvey: A quantitative approach to assessing the accuracy of National Water Model forecasted inundation

Position post-UT: Water Resources Engineer, AECOM, Houston, TX

Lukas Godbout

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2018) 

(co-advised with David Maidment)

B.S.E., University of New South Wales (2015)

Thesis: Error assessment for Height Above Nearest Drainage Inundation Mapping

Position post-UT: Engineer I, Water Resources, Atkins, Austin, TX

Emily Poston

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2017)

B.S.E., The University of Texas at Austin (2015)

Project: Effect of terrain data resolution on predicted watershed hydrologic response

Position post-UT: Planning Engineer at Coffey Construction, Co. Galway, Ireland 

Juhn-Yuan Su

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2016)

B.S.E., The University of Texas at Austin (2014)

Project: Inundation mapping and hydrodynamic modeling of the Guadalupe Estuary bayou

Position post-UT: PhD student, University of Utah

Richard Carothers

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2015)

B.S.E., The University of Texas at Austin (2013)

B.A., The University of The South (2006)

Thesis: Analysis of the Guadalupe Estuary bayou flow

Position post-UT: Water Resources Engineer, Atkins, Atlanta GA

Anna Kladzyk

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2015)

Thesis: Using high-resolution topography for advancing the understanding of mass and energy transfer across landscapes

Position post-UT: Engineer, FlowWest, Oakland CA

Corey Van Dyk

M.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2015)

Thesis: Validation of a reduced-complexity numerical model for resolving deltaic dynamics: internal consistency and morphodynamics

Position post-UT: Engineer, Baxter & Woodman, Chicago IL

Visiting Students

Gabriele Barile

Ph.D., University of Trento (expected 2025)  - Advisor: Prof. Marco Tubino

M.S., University of Trento (2021)

B.S., University of Trento (2018)

Research Interests: Modeling the evolutionary trajectories of river bifurcations in different fluvial environments

Claudia D'Angelo

Ph.D., Università di Roma Tre (2021) - Advisors: Profs. Elena Volpi, Aldo Fiori

M.S., Università di Roma Tre University (2017)

B.S., Università di Roma Tre (2014)

Dissertation: Flood risk assessment

Juan Carlos Aguilera Núñez

Ph.D., Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2019) - Advisor: Jorge Gironas

B.S., Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2015)

Thesis: A spatially distributed geo-morphoclimatic model for natural watersheds based on diffusive wave theory

Andrés Antonio Pereira Claren

M.Sc.Eng, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2017) - Advisor: Jorge Gironas

B.S., Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2015)

Thesis: Geomorphologic Charactarization of Chilean Basins based on Drainage Network Patterns Self-Similarity

Alexandra “Sasha” Hospitál

B.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2025)

Research Interests: Water quality, urban sustainability, sediment transport, flood modeling.

Bailley Hardage 

B.S., Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin (2024)

Research Interests: Flood inundation mapping, open-channel hydraulics

Position: Graduate student at UT Austin

Julia Ho

B.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2022)

Research Interests: River hydraulics; flood inundation mapping

Position post-UT: Graduate student at Penn State University

Jide Odobulu

B.S., The University of Texas at Austin (2022)

Research Interests: Delta morphology; environmental justice

Position post-UT: Engineer, Turner Construction Company

Ella Pettichord

B.S. Civil Engineering and B.A. Plan II Honors, The University of Texas at Austin (2021)

Honors Thesis: Climate change in South Asia, focusing on policy decisions and gender issues

Position post-UT: Stormwater Engineer, Freese and Nichols, Inc. 

Emily Hannon

B.S. (Chemistry), The University of Texas at Austin (Dec. 2017)

B.S.E. (Civil Engineering), The University of Texas at Austin (May 2017)

Project: Analysis of the Guadalupe Estuary bayou with information theory

Position post-UT: Graduate Engineer, City of Arlington

Andrew Powell

B.S.E., The University of Texas at Austin, 2014

Project: An analysis of the evolution of the Wax Lake Delta network based on remote sensing

Position post-UT: Graduate Engineer, City of Austin - Austin Water

Janelle Wong

B.S.E., The University of Texas at Austin, 2014

Project: The evolution of the Wax Lake Delta morphology through time

Position post-UT: MS student, Texas A&M University; Graduate civil engineering, HALFF ASSOCIATES, INC.

Maria Figueroa

(Visiting REU Student - Summer 2013)

B.S., University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Project: A remote sensing analysis of delta network evolution