Principal Investigator

Postdoctoral Researchers

Dr. Srinivas Kolluru

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Background: Sri is an engineer. He works in the SeaHawk project, coordinating image acquisition with NASA, SeaHawk science team members and end-users.

Research Interests: CubeSats, remote sensing of total suspended solids (TSS), algorithm development, machine learning

Dr. Misganaw Choramo Choto- New member!

Misganaw Choramo Choto

Background: Misganaw will be working on the HABs project.

Research Interests: IOPs, phytoplankton, remote sensing

Current Graduate Students

Masud-Ul-Alam

A man wearing a light blue shirt and ID badge stands on a ship deck, leaning on scientific oceanographic sampling equipment with numbered gray canisters. Pipes and ship equipment are visible in the background. Background: Masud is a PhD candidate, he joined in the Fall of 2021. Masud came from Bangladesh, where he was an Oceanography lecturer! He worked in the SeaHawk project, coordinating image acquisition with NASA, SeaHawk science team members and end-users.

Research Interests: CubeSats, remote sensing of total suspended solids (TSS), algorithm development, machine learning

Benjamin Lowin

Background: Ben is a PhD candidate, he completed his Bachelor’s at the University of British Columbia (Canada), he earned a MSc. degree from the University of Southampton (UK), and studied at the University of Alaska Fairbanks before joining UGA for his PhD. He helped build the PIGI system and coordinate the BiOMe project and CORIOLIX team. He also participated in SeaHawk CubeSat validation work in Savannah and Croatia.

Research Interests: Ocean Optics, Net Community Production (NCP), Primary Production, Optically complex waters, machine learning, etc.

Current Undergraduate Interns

Jiya Porwal- UGA

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Alumni

Ashley Ohall

Remote Sensing of Marine Debris. Graduated with a MSc. in 2026, currently a NOAA Knauss Fellow in DC!

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Mallie Hunt

Optical Properties of Harmful Algal Blooms. Graduated with a MSc. in 2024, currently working at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection

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Background: Bachelor’s degrees in Geology and Anthropology. For my first research project as an undergraduate, I worked with water samples taken from the Gulf of Mexico to determine what algal pigments were most significant in remote sensing reflectance. I also completed another project in which I identified algal species within samples collected from a local farm to determine if harmful algal blooms were behind the sudden death of cattle on the property.

Research Interests: characterizing the optical properties of algal species who have the potential to cause large and harmful blooms. These optical properties will be included in a hyperspectral library which will be a public resource that links individual algal species to their optical properties such as absorption and backscattering. With access to the information in this library, scientists and resource managers will be able to identify, track, and study algal blooms using satellite data.

Past Undergraduate Interns

Isaac Stone- UGA

Dillon Doomstorm- UGA

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Dillon Doomstorm in front or his poster.

Jackson Matthew Vassy- UGA

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Keshav Raviprakash- UGA

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Background: I am from Cumming, Georgia, and am currently a rising junior undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Computer Systems Engineering at the University of Georgia. My research interests include the intersection of cyber-physical systems and computer engineering with sustainability, cybersecurity, and energy. However, I enjoy learning more about the intersections of technology with other disciplines and hope to gain a better understanding of the world around us.

Projects: This summer, I will be working with Dr. Rivero-Calle to build and configure a Xinabox CubeSat for use by the lab and for the creation of a new class at the University of Georgia in the near future. I will also be working on the NSF BIOME project by integrating the PIGI (Pressure of In Situ Gases Instrument) components for measuring the dissolved O₂ and N₂ concentrations in surface ocean waters. Both of the systems provide data that will improve in detecting the development of algal blooms across the Southeastern region of the United States as well as provide a better understanding of the factors that lead to this phenomena. Thus, I look forward to this summer and the opportunities that it will bring!

Deanna Edwing -UNCW

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Background: I am originally from Darnestown, Maryland but I just graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) in May 2021 with a B.S. in Oceanography and a B.A. in Geosciences, as well as minors in Geospatial Technologies and Geology. In the Fall, I will be heading off to the University of Delaware to pursue an M.S. in Marine Studies with a Concentration in Oceanography. My primary research interests include using satellite physical oceanography to study nearshore processes such as coastal hazards, but I also enjoy expanding my knowledge into other disciplines which is why this summer will be focused more on Ocean Color!

Project: I worked with Dr. Sara Rivero-Calle in coordinating image acquisition of the Seahawk CubeSat with NASA Goddard and AAC Clyde Space, handle image requests from the ocean color community, manage the CubeSat website, assist in fieldwork activities, and work on a small research project that investigates the variability in the turbidity of coastal waters of Georgia.

Kelsea Edwing-UNCW

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Background: I am from Darnestown, Maryland, and just graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) with a B.S. in Oceanography, a B.A. in Geosciences, and minors in geology and geospatial technologies. In the fall, I will be attending the University of Delaware as a Master’s student in Marine Studies with a concentration in Oceanography. My interests lie in the application of satellites in oceanography, so I enjoy any experience where I can work with satellite imagery and products. While my background is a more interdisciplinary mix between geological and physical oceanography, this summer will be all about Ocean Color!

Project: I worked with Dr. Sara Rivero-Calle to coordinate image acquisition of imagery from the SeaHawk-1 with NASA Goddard and AAC Clyde Space. I aided in handling image requests from the ocean color community, manage the Seahawk-1 CubeSat website, assist in fieldwork activities, and work on a small research project.

Technicians

Megan Shapiro

Emma Goldsmith