Alumni of the CMSS program
2024
![Meghan Bygate photo](../../../research/cwss/images/meghan-bygate1.jpg)
Meghan Bygate, MS student
Faculty Advisor: Mohamed Ahmed
Thesis: Mapping Optimal Locations for Oyster Aquaculture Using Remote Sensing Data and Modelling Techniques
![Hailey Santa Ana](images/hailey-santa-ana.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Chuntao Liu
Thesis: In Situ and Remote Sensing of Aerosol Properties and Their Influences in Tropical Oceanic Warm Rain Systems
Honors, Awards, & Affiliations: NRT STAGES Fellow
2023
![Anthony Lima photo](images/anthony_lima.jpg)
Anthony Lima, Ph.D. 2023
Faculty Advisors: Jennifer Pollack, David Yoskowitz
Dissertation: Development of Comparative Indices, Ecosystem Service Values, and Scenario Models to Support Decision Making in the Texas Oyster Mariculture Industry
Honors, Awards, & Affiliations: CCME Scholar
![Tommy Winning photo](images/twinning.jpg)
Tommy Winning, Ph.D. 2023
Faculty Advisor: Feiqin Xie
Dissertation: Assessment of the Planetary Boundary Layer Over the Northeastern Pacific Ocean: Impact of Ducting and Horizontal Inhomogeneity on GNSS Radio Occultation Measurements
![photo of Mariana Leon Perez](images/mleonperez-1.jpg)
Mariana C. León Pérez, Ph.D. 2023
Faculty Advisor: James Gibeaut
Dissertation: Assessing the Occurrence, Social Vulnerability, and Legal Implications of Sargassum Influxes in Puerto Rico Using a Social-Ecological Systems Approach
Honors, Awards, & Affiliations: CCME Scholar
![photo of Yixi Qiu](../../../research/cwss/images/yqiu.jpg)
Yixi Qiu, Ph.D. 2023
Faculty Advisor: David Felix
Dissertation: Determining Source Apportionment of Reactive Nitrogen in a Gulf of Mexico Watershed and Airshed
![photo of Anthony Cox](../../../research/cwss/images/anthony_cox.jpg)
Anthony Cox, M.S. 2023
Faculty Advisor: J. David Felix
Research: Isotopic composition, molecular characterization, and bioavailability of dissolved organic nitrogen
Jennifer Gilmore, M.S. 2023
Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Pollack
Thesis: Impact of disturbances on serpulid reef and soft-sediment macrofauna in Baffin Bay, Texas
![Erin Taylor photo](../../../research/cwss/images/erin-taylor.jpg)
Erin Taylor, M.S. 2023
Faculty Advisor: Joseph David Felix
Research: nutrient sourcing along the Matagorda Beach shoreline using stable isotopes
2022
![Elizabeth Del Rosario Gomaa](images/edelrosario.jpg)
Elizabeth Gomaa (Del Rosario), Ph.D. 2022
Faculty Advisors: Paul Montagna, Richard McLaughlin
Dissertation: Texas 2007 Senate Bill 3 Environmental Flows Process: A Review and Analysis for the Priority Coastal Basins in Texas, USA
Honors, Awards, & Affiliations: CCME Scholar
![Larissa Dias](images/ldias-1.jpg)
Larissa Dias, Ph.D. 2022
Faculty Advisor: Xinping Hu
Dissertation: Estuarine Carbonate Chemistry in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico and Its Controlling
![Thomas Lavigne](images/thomas_agu.jpg)
Thomas Lavigne, Ph.D. 2022
Faculty Advisor: Chuntao Liu
Dissertation: Towards a better understanding of the global electric circuit and thunderstorm trends utilizing satellite and ground-based measurements.
![Sagar Shrestha](images/sshrestha.jpg)
Sagar Shrestha, Ph.D. 2022
Faculty Advisor: Hussain Abdulla
Dissertation: Photo-transformation of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen in Baffin and Lavaca Bays, Texas
![Monisha Sugla](images/msugla.jpg)
Monisha Sugla, MS 2022
Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Pollack
Thesis: Evaluating the effects of vertical relief on ecosystem service provision by restored oyster reefs
Honors, Awards, & Affiliations: CCME Scholar
![Christopher Vickers](images/cvickers-2.png)
Christopher Vickers, MS 2022
Faculty Advisor: Dorina Murgulet
Thesis: Mobilization and transport of contaminants to groundwater in response to extreme weather events in south Texas
![Bimal Gyawali, PhD](images/bgyawali.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Dorina Murgulet
Dissertation: Improving Assessments of Water Resources Characterization and Relationships to Climate Variabilities
![Coral Lozada](images/clozada.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: David Yoskowitz
Dissertation: Livelihoods in Transition Across the Gulf of Mexico: A Three Case Study Approach
![Kevin Nelson](images/knelson12.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Feiqin Xie
Dissertation: Planetary Boundary Layer Profiling with Spaceborne GNSS Radio Occultation and Advances in Radio Occultation from Aerial Platforms
![Jordana Cutajar](images/jcutajar.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Michael Wetz
Thesis: Spatial-temporal variability in phytoplankton biomass and community composition in Texas residential canals
![EvaLynn Jundt](images/ejundt.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Xinping Hu
Thesis: Multiple linear regression models for the estimation of pH and aragonite saturation state in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico
![Xue Feng headshot](images/xfeng.jpg)
Xue Feng, Ph.D. 2022
Faculty Advisor: Toshiaki Shinoda
Dissertation: Dynamics of ocean circulation and air-sea interaction in the Southeast Indian Ocean and their impact on Ningaloo Niño
![Lindsey Hayden headshot](images/lhayden.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Chuntao Liu
Dissertation: Microphysical and Macrophysical Properties of Convective Precipitation and Techniques for Detection using the GPM Core Satellite
![Hao Yu headshot](images/hyu2.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Richard Coffin
Dissertation: Source and flux of methane released from Corpus Christi coastal area
![Lexie Neffinger headshot](images/lexie_neffinger.png)
Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Pollack
Thesis: Developing a bioassessment framework to inform tidal stream management along a hydrologically variable coast
![Lily Walker headshot](images/lwalker_award.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Michael Wetz
Thesis: Timescales and magnitude of water quality changes in three Texas estuaries induced by the passage of Hurricane Harvey
![William Wolfe headshot](images/wwolfe-1.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Dorina Murgulet
Thesis: Modeling Time Series Radon Inventory and Constraints on the Submarine Groundwater Discharge Mass Balance of a Well-Mixed, Highly Dynamic Estuary
2021
![Diana Del Angel photo](images/ddelangel.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: David Yoskowitz
Dissertation: Social-Ecological System Approach for Assessing Impacts of Sea-Level Rise and the Benefits of Natural and Nature-Based Features
![Terry Palmer photo](images/tpalmer.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Pollack
Dissertation: Effects of Contamination from Antarctic Research Stations on Marine Benthic Fauna
![Melissa McCutcheon photo](images/mmccutcheon.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Xinping Hu
Dissertation: Spatial and temporal trends and controlling factors of carbonate chemistry in the estuaries of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico
![Mohammad Barzegar-Paiin-Lamouki photo](images/mbarzegarpaiinlamouki.jpg)
Mohammad Barzegar-Paiin-Lamouki, Ph.D. 2021
Faculty Advisor: Darek Bogucki
Dissertation: Turbulence within the upper ocean boundary layer
2020
![Audrey Douglas photo](images/adouglas.jpg)
Audrey R. Douglas, Ph.D. 2020
Faculty Advisor: Dorina Murgulet
Dissertation: The Importance of Submarine Groundwater Discharge on Nutrient Fluxes and Dissolved Organic Matter Molecular Composition in a Semi-arid, Highly Disturbed Estuary
Awards and Honors: Outstanding Research Assistant (2018)
![Ryan Turner photo](images/rturner.jpg)
Ryan Turner, M.S. 2020
Faculty Advisor: Mohamed Ahmed
Thesis: Investigating Fault Control on Reservoir Accumulation and Spatial Distribution Using 3D Seismic Data and Well Logging Data: A Case Study from the Lower Oligocene Vicksburg Formation, Brooks County, Texas
Awards and Honors: 2020 Outstanding Graduate from the College of Science and Engineering
![Sajjad Abdullajintakam](images/sabdullajintakam.jpg)
Faculty Advisor: Richard Coffin
Dissertation: Impacts of Subsurface Methane Transport on Shallow Marine Sediment Geochemistry
![Emily Cira photo](images/emily-cira.jpg)
Emily Cira, Ph.D. 2020
Faculty Advisor: Michael Wetz
Dissertation: Phytoplankton Dynamics in a Eutrophying South Texas Estuary
Awards and Honors: Outstanding Research Assistant (2016), NOAA Knauss Fellow (2017)
![Mark McKay photo](images/mmckay.jpg)
Mark McKay, Ph.D. 2020
Faculty Advisors: Mark Besenon and Paul Montagna
Dissertation: Understanding the temporal and spatial development of south Texas Bays and Estuaries from a paleoperspective
Outreach: President of Satellite Educators Association (2013-2020)
![Quinn McColly photo](images/qmccolly.jpg)
Quinn McColly, Ph.D. 2020
Faculty Advisor: David Yoskowitz
Dissertation: Market Mechanisms and Efficient Allocation of Water: Modeling Water Prices, Option Contracts on Water, and Enhancing Frameworks
![Samreen Siddiqui photo](images/ssiddiqui.jpg)
Samreen Siddiqui, Ph.D. 2020
Faculty Advisor: Jeremy Conkle
Dissertation: Future water quality challenges to aquaculture and influences on product safety