Aerial Mapping of the Texas Coastline Above and Below the Water Surface
Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
The Coastal and Marine Geospatial Lab (CMGL) of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies seeks a better understanding of the dynamic links between the geoenvironment, human activity, and climate forces that drive changes in the coastal zone. This presentation will provide a brief overview of CMGL and the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Activities at CMGL pertaining to remote sensing of the Texas coast will be highlighted, including the use of single-frequency bathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) for benthic mapping of a shallow-water bay and assessing post-Hurricane Ike beach and foredune recovery of the upper coast using multitemporal lidar surveys. Finally, the University’s emerging program in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for coastal and marine sensing will be presented.
Michael J. Starek is jointly appointed as a Visiting Assistant Professor with the College of Science and Engineering and an Associate Research Scientist with the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC). Dr. Starek was formerly a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow of the US Army Research Office in affiliation with North Carolina State University (2009-2011), and a recipient of the University of Florida’s Alumni Fellowship for graduate studies (2004-2008). He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida, and an M.S. in Computer Science and B.S. in Geoscience from TAMUCC. Michael’s current research thrusts include coastal mapping and hazards assessment, lidar systems and emergent applications, and machine learning for environmental forecasting.