Island University Honors Dean Emerita at Alumni Shrimp Boil

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – From a relaxing boat ride to the Laguna Madre Field Station to a feast of savory Cajun-style shrimp, Islander alumni, faculty, and staff enjoyed an idyllic afternoon of science, food, and sunshine as part of the 2018 Alumni Shrimp Boil, hosted by the College of Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi on Oct. 27. Guests gathered to reconnect and celebrate Dr. Diana Ida Sanchez Marinez, COSE dean emerita and a founding member of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).

Each year, the COSE Alumni Shrimp Boil recognizes a deserving faculty member or alumnus who has contributed greatly to the college. During the celebration, Marinez was honored with an award to symbolize her legacy, and her name was engraved on a brass plate, which will be hung in the dean’s suite on campus.

“Today’s honoree was my predecessor. When I arrived in 2006, there was already a foundation and a culture of research in place that had been growing during Dr. Marinez’s time,” said Dr. Frank Pezold, current COSE dean and professor. “She made a difference and worked diligently to set the stage for where we are as a college today.”

Marinez came to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in 1994, when the COSE was originally called the College of Science and Technology. Upon her arrival, Marinez had the vision to foster competitive research of all levels at the Island University. At the time, the Center for Coastal Studies was the main hub of research for the college and she empowered like-minded faculty to develop research, improve the curriculum, and provide undergraduate students with more hands-on experience and exposure to other great scientists in the college.

“I had the opportunity to build and develop a vision for a strong science program in South Texas,” shared Marinez. “That’s not a privilege many deans have, and I didn’t do it alone – I did it with a dedicated faculty and staff who wanted to bring our vision to life.”   

Marinez’s educational leadership extends beyond Texas. She was an advisor for the National Kellogg Fellowship Program from 1993 to 1996 and has served on committees and panels for the National Academy of Sciences, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and American Association for the Advancement for Science. She is also a board member for the South Texas Institute for the Arts.

After 13 years working at the University, Marinez is now enjoying her retirement. She stays active in her community of Lansing, Michigan and monitors immigrant issues – and of course, she still mentors students like Islander alumnus Matthew Cruz, who benefited greatly from the research opportunities she created.

“I’d like to say thank you to Dr. Marinez for giving Mexican-Americans the opportunity to thrive in science,” shared Matthew Cruz, `16. “SACNAS plays a huge part in our education, and being able to meet other scientists, who come from similar backgrounds, inspired me to pursue a master’s degree.”  

New PORTS in Corpus Christi and Toledo Bring Safety, Economic Benefit to Marine Navigation Community

Published October 2, 2018

Crew from the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science install a current meter on a U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation buoy in Corpus Christi. (Credit from CBI, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi) .

This summer, NOAA established two new Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems (PORTS®) that service seaports in Corpus Christi, Texas and Toledo, Ohio. Both systems contain current meters and water level sensors that provide real-time data to pilots navigating large ships through narrow waterways. This information provides considerable navigation safety and economic benefits for the seaports and surrounding communities.

NOAA now has 33 PORTS covering the top 20 seaports (by tonnage), and 76 seaports overall, in the United States.

PORTS is a successful public-private partnership that reduces ship accidents by more than 50 percent, increases the amount of cargo ships can carry, reduces transit delays for commercial traffic, enhances recreational activities, and improves hazardous spill response. Systems around the country provide vessel operators with key environmental parameters in real time, including water levels, currents, waves, salinity, bridge clearance (air gap), wind speed and direction, air and water temperature and visibility..

In Corpus Christi, strong currents in the transit into Corpus Christi Bay make it difficult for vessels to navigate. A majority of the vessels coming into the Port of Corpus Christi are carrying hazardous materials, such as liquid natural gas and other chemicals. The port authority requested a PORTS with real-time current meters to provide pilots with information that can help them safely reach and depart the seaport.

In Toledo, ships using a current meter that was put initially put in as a pilot project, will be able to continue safely traveling the Maumee River with its transition into the PORTS program as a new PORTS in that area. A number of industries along the Maumee River are completely reliant on maritime transportation for the delivery of their bulk materials including cement, grain, petroleum, and iron. The Maumee River Channel averages 500 feet in width but narrows to as little as 200 feet in portions of the navigable channel. NOAA has partnered with the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority to maintain the meter.

The current meter measures horizontal current profiles and includes a water temperature sensor. It was built to withstand harsh winters and ice in that area.

“The current meter is essential to navigators for making good decisions. Toledo is probably the most dynamic port on the Great Lakes when it comes to rapidly changing currents, water levels and weather. We are very happy to finally have the PORTS system in place where we have one source for all the real time data that we need,” said Captain George Haynes, a local pilot in Toledo.

Both PORTS include water level and meteorological information from NOAA’s National Water Level Observation Network, a system of 210 permanent real-time water level stations on U.S. coasts and in the Great Lakes. Knowing the currents, water levels, and winds can enable shippers to optimize cargo loads so that vessel captains and pilots are using every inch of available channel depth safely, maximizing profits and efficiency. Just one additional inch of usable draft can translate into millions of dollars of additional cargo per vessel transit.

View Original NOAA Article

Conrad Blucher Institute Tackles Global Issues with United Nations

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – It’s not uncommon to see sorrowful TV advertisements showing glimpses of children from developing countries suffering from malnutrition and food insecurity. But all over the world, hunger is just one of many major issues affecting children and adults – even in our own neighborhoods.

“A couple of years ago, the United Nations (U.N.) came up with 17 sustainable development goals such as no poverty, zero hunger, quality education, and gender equality,” explained Dr. Gary Jeffress, professor of geographic information science and director of the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. “They are all very noble goals, many of which affect us right here in the Coastal Bend. For example, not everyone in South Texas has access to clean water and sanitation, affordable energy, or access to education.”

To help find resolutions, Jeffress, along with Dr. Michael Starek, associate professor of geospatial systems engineering and the director of the Measurement Analytics Lab (MANTIS), attended a forum hosted by the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) Academic Network from July 30 to Aug. 3.

The international partnership aims to merge every country’s census data with mapping technology in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. With this map, international experts and experts from CBI can pinpoint precise areas in need of economic, social, and environmental aid.

“We’re collecting data for a purpose,” said Jeffress. “We can take existing knowledge, like census data, and apply it in a practical sense to impact the lives of many. It’s an opportunity to expand projects we’ve done locally, such as locating medically underserved areas or identifying crop diseases, on a global scale.”

While every country collects census data that is vital to addressing the U.N.’s key global issues, this data is not easily accessible for world leaders to use.

That’s where CBI experts come in.

Starek uses drones to revolutionize geospatial-aided decision making for addressing pressing problems of global concern in areas of coastal resiliency, sustainable resource development, and crop management to promote food equality and world-wide "zero-hunger." Additionally, Dr. Lucy Huang, associate professor of geographic information science, uses GIS techniques to analyze health issues, such as health care access, that can be used to meet the United Nations’ goal of “good health and well-being” for all.

Last year, the CBI was one of three of the nation’s universities, including Harvard University and the University of Maine, to join the UN-GGIM Academic Network to strategically create solutions for 17 sustainable goals using GIS systems by 2030. The CBI was chosen to join the worldwide network of academics and scientists based on their established track record in GIS and their ability to positively impact the UN-GGIM Academic Network. Future goals include acquiring grants to attract incoming graduate and doctoral students to develop new GIS programs to help solve the world’s issues while working on their dissertations.

Conrad Blucher Institute and Bell Library Celebrate 100K Historical Documents Cataloged

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – When Texas was young and the land still uncharted, surveyors were called upon to map the wild frontiers – surveyors like Baron Felix von Blucher, the first in a long line of Bluchers who mapped the original land boundaries of Corpus Christi and South Texas. His grandson, Conrad Blucher, was the last of three generations of Blucher family surveyors. Their work generated 400 field books and thousands of maps – a legacy spanning more than 100 years of surveying in South Texas.

The public now has online access to these historical and legally significant documents, the earliest of which are the Blucher Family Papers, thanks to a partnership between Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Special Collections and Archives Department at the Mary and Jeff Bell Library and the Conrad Blucher Institute (CBI) for Surveying and Science.

“This project is so much more than a partnership, it’s a blending of professions,” shared Bryan Gillis, Spatial {Query} Lab Coordinator at CBI and survey digitization project lead. “I am most proud of how we have torn down so many walls, literally and figuratively, to accomplish some great interdisciplinary work.”

To make the maps more accessible to students and local surveyors, Seneca Holland, former Texas A&M-Corpus Christi faculty and Dr. Thomas Kreneck, former associate director of special collections, had the idea to start the project seven years ago. For the last four years, Gillis and his team of student workers – in collaboration with the Special Collections staff and students – have accelerated the pace of work thanks to external grant funding.

“I picked up this project in the last ten months and my experience has been mind-blowing,” said Shebly Gonzales, library specialist II and Island University graduate student. “It’s important that our generation understands the significance of history, so we’re making sure it’s properly preserved and readily available for the future.”

During an event on July 13, professional surveyors from across the state of Texas, as well as local community members, joined CBI and library staff to celebrate the cataloging of the 100,000th document, a map. After a brief introduction from project managers, Ronald E. Brister, registered professional land surveyor and original champion of the project, had the honor of ceremoniously cataloging the map. 

Guests had the chance to glimpse archived documents from 1859 to 1978. Some of the pieces included a large general index and a field book featuring an excerpt from a surveyor in the 30’s who was swarmed by “15 billion mosquitos.” Blueprints, maps and even an original sketch of Corpus Christi done by Felix von Blucher were also on display.

“We have important history in our archives, and it shouldn't’t only be accessible to a few elite people who know about it. It needs to be discoverable and available to everyone,” shared Dr. Catherine “Cate” Rudowsky, dean of Libraries at A&M University-Corpus Christi. “Ensuring equal and unbarred access to information and our history is an ultimate responsibility of libraries, and this project provides that.”

In reaching this new milestone, CBI and Special Collections have only scratched the surface. In addition to eight other surveying collections, they still have thousands of land records to make accessible but plan to expand their project to include preserving other public historical documents.

“The people of South Texas have been, and still are, susceptible to loss of their land based on whether or not original records can be produced,” explained Gillis. “Helping the public gain easy access to land information that is rightfully theirs is how I, as a member of the surveying community, hope to protect them.”

A&M-Corpus Christi Researcher helps Tackle Indoor GPS Limitations and Wins $20,000

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – With the use of a smartphone, loads of information ranging from funny memes to the latest news is accessible at the touch of one’s fingertips. Users can track their location on daily jogs, use GPS to utilize rideshare apps or find highly rated restaurants nearby. Every day, technology adds convenience to a person’s lifestyle, but it’s not without limitations.

Dr. Tianxing Chu, assistant research scientist at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Conrad Blucher Institute (CBI) for Surveying and Science, and researchers from Wuhan University, China, created an app to improve smartphone limitations when it comes to GPS. The research team, led by Wuhan University Professor and former CBI Endowed Chair Ruizhi Chen, participated in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) “2018 Performance Evaluation of Smartphone Localization Application Challenge (PerfLoc).” The competition took place in April, where Chu and his colleagues took first-place among a total of 152 registered teams. Their achievement was recognized with a certificate and a $20,000 check earlier this month in California.

“Imagine firefighters entering an unknown burning building. Accurately knowing their positions and that of other partners is invaluable,” said Chu. “Precisely locating people in need during emergency situations can make a huge difference when it comes to saving lives.”

An important issue, GPS often becomes blind in indoor environments, leaving public safety officials without the necessary information to rescue those in need. The primary goal of the competition was to encourage the development of the best smartphone indoor location tracking solutions. Maintaining robust location signals under demanding and varying environments improves service in times of crisis.

The app’s performance was tested in scenarios mimicking a real-world environment. As the contest judge walked through an 11-story building, the app had to consistently provide an accurate location whether it be in the basement, the stairways or in the office area. The simulated movements included walking forward, walking backward, sidestepping, taking an elevator, transporting the smartphone on a pushcart and even crawling on the floor.

While the app is not ready for public use, the research team will continue to develop a robust indoor localization solution, particularly for public safety applications such as locating emergency responders.

Valuable Water Monitoring System Destroyed by Harvey Benefits from Grant

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Oyster reefs, salt marshes and a wide range of fisheries which support larger wildlife like the endangered Whooping Crane are all affected by the quality of water that flows from the San Antonio Bay system, located an hour east of Corpus Christi. Under the watchful eye of the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, the San Antonio Bay system has received constant monitoring since 2004. That was until Hurricane Harvey destroyed the monitoring station last August.

“In addition to the wildlife, a healthy San Antonio Bay system also supports commercial and recreational fisheries, all of which are dependent on freshwater inflow decision making,” said Larry Lloyd, CBI research specialist II and project lead. “The total annual economic impact of recreational marine fishing in San Antonio Bay includes 206 jobs, $7.6 million in labor income, $11.6 million in value-added and $20.7 million in sales of goods and services.” 

Thanks to a $23,833 grant from The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Lloyd will now be able to reestablish this valuable monitoring system. A monitoring system that provides valuable data to numerous environmental management organizations.

“Several entities utilized the data for a range of environmental management tasks including supporting freshwater inflow transportation, oil spill response, forecasting of bay conditions and environmental impact evaluations,” said Lloyd. “The data provided by this station was the foundation of important environmental management in the Coastal Bend and all along the Guadalupe River which runs throughout the Texas Hill Country.”

With this funding, Lloyd and his team plan to reinstall the station to the exact specifications as before its destruction. Once back online, the station, an 8-by-8 foot wooden platform outfitted with the latest in technology will provide water temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and water current velocity and direction. All of the information will be available to the public in near real-time at cbi.tamucc.edu/cbi/data.

The GRP awards are the result of the second of two fast-track grant cycles for Scientific Research Disaster Recovery Grants announced last November. Four Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi researchers received grants totaling $117,725 in April during the first cycle of the GRP’s Scientific Research Disaster Recovery Grants.

*Research reported in this article was supported by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under award number 2000009483. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Gulf Research Program or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Island University Professor Continues to Monitor Crucial Wetlands Post-Harvey Thanks to $41k Grant

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – It’s been more than nine months since Hurricane Harvey hit, but the Coastal Bend is still feeling the impact. We know about the structural, economic and environmental damage that was done, but one aspect we don’t often think about is the effect Harvey had on important research equipment and data. Dr. Michael Starek, associate professor of geospatial systems engineering at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, received a $41,084 grant from the National Academies of Sciences' Gulf Research Program Scientific Research Disaster Recovery Grants.

The grant will allow Starek to work with his colleagues at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute and its Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve to repair equipment damaged during Harvey and continue research that enhances the collection methods of data needed for flood modeling, flood prediction, hurricane impact assessment and coastal resilience plans. Starek is excited to be able to continue his research now but says in the wake of the storm his research was the last thing on his mind.

“What made me feel sad was going to Rockport and Port Aransas for reconnaissance surveys right after the storm and seeing first-hand the impact Harvey made to the local community,” said Starek, who is also the director of the Measurement Analytics Lab at the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science.

Unfortunately, Harvey caused the submersion of two of Mission-Aransas Reserve’s Surface Elevation Tables (SETs) and damaged another at a research site at Mud Island – which is just north of Port Aransas going towards San Jose Island. The funding from the grant will allow for not only a new site to be established at Copano Bay, but also for three new SETs to be installed in partnership with the Mission-Aransas Reserve. These SETs, which precisely measure the sediment gained or lost in small areas, are installed in groups of three at four strategic marsh locations in the Mission-Aransas Natural Estuarine Research Reserve. Baseline data from the SETs collected by the Mission-Aransas Reserve are being used by Starek's research team to improve the accuracy of emerging remote sensing technology such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging. These technologies allow monitoring of the marsh surface and land cover at high spatial detail.

“This is important because, in the wetlands, a few centimeters of elevation change can make a huge difference in what vegetation is going to exist, how frequently that area will become inundated and if it is going to successfully adapt to future changes in relative sea level,” Starek said.

While wetlands bring beauty to the Coastal Bend in terms of aesthetics, they are also hugely important to our environment and biodiversity as they are located at the interface between land and sea. They act as nutrient filters and habitats for fish and birds. Another important function of wetlands is to help to dampen wave energy, flooding and storm surges.

“The wetlands are a less well-known draw to the region compared to our sandy beaches,” Starek said. “People’s appreciation for them is a big part of why they come to visit here. And it’s important to the local community because, whether they realize it or not, wetlands are a part of our daily lives.”

Currently, Starek and his team are waiting for their permits to be approved so they can install the SETs at their new site in Copano Bay. The updated data will be used to monitor how wetlands in the region are evolving and responding to future changes in sea level and recovery from Harvey and other storms.

“I’m thankful to the National Academies of Sciences,” Starek said. “This grant is helpful because we didn’t have a budget or any way to support that equipment replacement and this funding will be put to good use.”

*Research reported in this article was supported by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under award number 2000009314. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Gulf Research Program or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

A&M-Corpus Christi Researchers Take Part in Bahamas Ocean Wave Study

Published: April 10, 2018

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – While many people visit the Bahamas for vacation, one group of researchers went for more than just the beautiful sights. Dr. Michael Starek, assistant professor and director of the Measurement Analytics Lab (MANTIS) at the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and his student research assistant, Jake Berryhill visited the Bahamas to investigate the movement of massive boulders by large storm waves as part of a scientific research team.

“This research is important because it challenges current theories on the limitations of storm-generated wave energy to cause the displacement of large coastal objects,” Starek said. “The research shows that very large storm-induced ocean waves can move massive boulders, some larger than cars and weigh several 100 tons, which were previously believed to be moved only by tsunamis.”

While the Coastal Bend will not have massive boulders thrown onto its shores, this research and its findings could still affect the Texas Coast. The study will help engineers better understand the challenges posed by large storm waves to coastal resiliency, which is the capacity for coastal areas to withstand damage and the time it takes to recover. Data from the study could also be used to better prepare communities for future impact scenarios from hurricane inundation and storm waves on coastal structures such as oil rigs.

“This is particularly relevant if longer-term projections on climate hold, which indicate that future variability could lead to increased intensity of ocean storms – also called superstorms –  thereby generating larger and more destructive waves,” Starek said.

Unlike the Texas Coast, Eleuthera, the last island of the Bahamas, catches enormous North Atlantic swells due to its incredibly deep water and huge cliffs – especially during winter storms and hurricanes that can generate 40-to-50-foot waves. It is for these reasons that Eleuthera is the perfect site to study large storm-generated wave energy and how far these waves can move large objects.

“While eating at a local restaurant in Eleuthera, some natives told us that during large winter storms it is common to see boulders the size of beach balls being thrown over roads located on coastal ridges well above sea level,” Starek said.

While in Eleuthera, Starek and Berryhill surveyed nine miles of coast with both unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to obtain imagery and 3D models from the ground as well as the aerial perspectives. In addition, Starek and Berryhill had the opportunity to show students from the partner colleges how to fly UAS and use LiDAR technology.

The project is a collaboration between Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Williams College, and Notre Dame. After Starek and Berryhill finish processing their data, it will be provided to the other research teams and will be used to better estimate boulder size, how far they were moved by ocean waves and attempt to approximate historically when the storm movement occurred.

Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Port Corpus Christi Provide Reliable Data for Safe Ship Navigation

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI) recently entered into an interlocal cooperation contract with the Port of Corpus Christi Authority (POCCA) to install a Physical Oceanographic Real-time System, or PORTS®, that is now operational and live on the NOAA PORTS website. A top exporter of U.S.-produced crude oil and emerging export leader of liquefied natural gas, Port Corpus Christi is the fourth largest port in the U.S. in total tonnage. The agreement comes as the flourishing deep-water port is experiencing both a growth in vessel traffic and an increase in vessel size going through its facilities. With more growth on the horizon, PORTS® reliable, real-time data functionality is vital to the safe and efficient navigation of vessels in and out of the Port’s channel.

“CBI welcomes the opportunity to continue our long-standing collaboration with Port Corpus Christi,” said Dr. Gary Jeffress, Professor and CBI Director. “With the Port’s increasing vessel traffic, use of the latest real-time data collection technology will assist ship pilots and barge captains in reducing the risk of collisions and groundings.”

As part of the agreement, CBI will manage the installation as well as the operation, maintenance and repair functions of all systems included in the Port Corpus Christi PORTS®. Water level, meteorological and water current velocity data are collected in near-real-time and provided to the Aransas-Corpus Christi Pilots Association as well as the general public via the NOAA PORTS® website. The system collects this data through numerous sensors along the Port Corpus Christi ship channel, as well as from Texas Coastal Ocean Observation Network stations in the vicinity.

“Our outstanding railroad and highway network connectivity has launched Port Corpus Christi as a major gateway to international and domestic maritime commerce,” said Port Corpus Christi CEO Sean Strawbridge. “But the responsibility of being a leader in ‘Moving America’s Energy’ includes a commitment to one of the Port’s core values – safety is and will continue to be that core value, and the PORTS® agreement is another pillar of that commitment.” 

Since 1995, CBI has installed five of the ten PORTS® located along the northern Gulf Coast including in Mobile, Alabama; Pascagoula, Mississippi; Gulfport, Mississippi; Sabine-Neches, Texas and now Corpus Christi. CBI is also currently under contract to maintain the systems in Houston-Galveston; Sabine-Neches, Texas and Lake Charles, Louisiana.

“I like to think of PORTS® as a safety tool that increases and improves a ship pilot’s ability to navigate the waterways of Corpus Christi Bay,” explained James Rizzo, CBI Assistant Director for Operations. “For example, without PORTS®, vessel navigation is similar to driving down a highway without traffic lights or road signs. With this new system, the CBI has installed those ‘lights and road signs’ for Port Corpus Christi and the pilots that transit the waterways.”

High School Student Explores New Terrain with the Conrad Blucher Institute

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Summer is traditionally a period for high school students to take a break from learning, but for Marisol Rodriguez, summer is a time to take her research skills to a whole new level.

Last summer, Rodriguez, a junior at Corpus Christi’s School of Science and Technology, spent time under the wings of the faculty in the Department of Engineering at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi where she discovered her love of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This summer, she decided to work at the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI) as a student research assistant. During her time at the CBI, she immersed herself in understanding new technologies like Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), a remote sensing method used to examine the surface of the Earth.

“Marisol is progressing rapidly in understanding LiDAR here at the Conrad Blucher Institute,” said James Rizzo, Assistant Director of the CBI. “Having a student so enthused about learning really makes teaching fun and seeing her excitement in learning something new makes it all worthwhile.”

Rodriguez says that being able to work with machines at the CBI is a dream come true.

“I love engineering and anything involving computers,” she said.

Throughout the summer, Rodriguez has learned how to work with LiDAR software, GPS referencing and gained real-world experience by assisting with the development of a portable LiDAR backpack. The LiDAR backpack allows a person to perform scans while simply walking through any terrain. To make the system versatile and mobile, Rodriguez combined a hiking backpack frame and a platform that supports the LiDAR scanner components. 

Although combining mobility with LiDAR is usually performed by mounting scanners on drones and vehicles, mounting a scanner on a backpack is relatively new. Unlike other mobile scanner systems, the LiDAR backpack allows the user to scan areas not accessible to motorized vehicles.

“Using the LiDAR backpack lets users traverse areas likes the Padre Island National Seashore dunes or Texas coast marshes,” explained Rizzo.

Looking back at her time working with the CBI faculty and staff, Rodriguez says that everyone was always excited to work with her.

“Everyone here is helpful and encourages me to try new ideas,” she said. “It makes me more interested in continuing to learn about the STEM fields.”

The CBI is responsible for innovative research and developing technological solutions relevant to surveying, scientific measurements and to the issues in the Gulf of Mexico region.