Research

Research Thrusts

Hydrometeorological Modeling and Forecasting
Environmental Applications of Remote Sensing
Water Resources Planning and Management
Data Analytics
Transportation Safety
Environmental Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Air Quality Modeling
Natural Hazards
Epidemiological Studies
Intelligent Transportation Systems

Total of more than $11,895,000 (Approx. $6,267,000 as PI and $5,628,000 as co-PI)

Major Sponsors:

NASA
National Science Foundation
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
U.S. Department of Transportation
U.S. Department of Education
US Army Corps of Engineers
Texas General Land Office
Texas Department of Transportation                                                                              Texas Water Development Board
City of San Antonio

Grant Details

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Select High Risk Pedestrian Midblock Crossings and Perform Safety Evaluations for Developing Pedestrian Crossings Countermeasures
Total amount: $393,865
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project tries to develop countermeasures for midblock pedestrian crossings in three major cities in Texas 

Agency: Texas Water Development Board
Title: Development of a Remote Sensing-informed Agricultural Drought Forecasting System
Total amount: $168,832
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves the development for an agricultural drought forecasting system for Texas

Agency: US Department of Transportation
Title: Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Road Safety in Region 6
Total amount: $50,000
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves investigation of how the COVID-19 Pandemic affected traffic safety in Texas and the region

Agency: US Department of Transportation
Title: Impact of Urban Transportation Infrastructure and Motorist Behavior on Motorcycle Crashes
Total amount: $50,000
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves the development of countermeasures to reduce motorcycle crashes in Texas

Agency: US Department of Transportation
Title: Coupled Situational Awareness System to Improve Transportation Infrastructure Performance during Extreme Events
Total amount: $45,000
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves the development of a roadway flooding forecasting system that can be deployed during major flooding events

Agency: US Department of Transportation
Title: Impact of Truck Drivers and Transportation Infrastructure Characteristics on
Large Truck Crashes
Total amount: $45,000
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves the development of countermeasures to reduce large truck crashes in Texas

Agency: US Department of Transportation
Title: Investigation of the Impact of Rainfall Patterns on Highway Slope Instability
Total amount: $10,000
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves analysis of  the recent major rainfall events on highway slope stability in south Texas

Agency: US Department of Transportation
Title: Urban Transportation Infrastructure and Bicyclist and Pedestrian Safety
Total amount: $50,000
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves the development of countermeasures to enhance pedestrian and bicyclist safety

Agency: City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District
Title: Wastewater Informed Epidemiological Monitoring of COVID-19 in Bexar County
Total amount: $199,570
Role:  Co-Principal Investigator
Description: The project tries to develop an alternative, non-invasive and potentially transformative approach for public health risk assessment for COVID-19 by directly quantifying and characterizing SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in the sanitary sewage of a human community

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Develop Roadway and Parking Design Criteria to Accommodate Automated and Autonomous Vehicles
Total amount: $329,196
Role:  Co-Principal Investigator
Description: The project tries to predict the travel demand for automated and autonomous vehicles in Texas and the needed changes to roadway and parking design

Agency: City of San Antonio
Title: Corrugated Metal Pipe (CMP) Infrastructure Rehabilitation
Total amount: $750,000
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves development of best alternatives for rehabilitation of the City’s aging Corrugated Metal Pipe (CMP) infrastructures

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Developing Peak Rate Factor (PRF) Guidance in Hydrologic Modeling
Total amount: $292,131
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project tries to improve Unit Hydrograph estimation for hydrologic modeling over Texas watersheds

Agency: Texas General Land Office
Title: Hydrology Infrastructure Data Collection and Analysis
Total amount: $1,536,419
Role:  Principal Investigator
Description: The project tries to improve how Texas prepares for extreme precipitation events

Agency: San Antonio office of Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Exploratory Investigation on the Origin of Wrong-Way Drivers in San Antonio
Total amount: $70,000
Role:  co-Principal Investigator
Description: The project tries to understand and solve the wrong-way driving problem in San Antonio

Agency: San Antonio River Authority
Title: GSSHA Pilot Study 2
Total amount: $58,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves development of a 2-D water quality model for a catchment in San Antonio

Agency: City of San Antonio
Title: Traffic Technical Assistance
Total amount: $150,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves analysis of traffic safety issues

Agency: San Antonio River Authority
Title: GSSHA Pilot Study
Total amount: $45,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves development of a 2-D hydrologic model for a catchment in San Antonio

Agency: US Department of Transportation
Title: Portable Roadway High Water Detection System for Driver Safety and Infrastructure Assessment
Total amount: $39,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves development of road flooding warning system

Agency: CPS-City of San Antonio
Title: City of San Antonio Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Total amount: $500,000
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves development of a CAAP for the City of San Antonio

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Reducing Traffic Crashes at Road Construction Access Points
Total amount: $298,509
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of traffic safety issues at access points

Agency: CPS-City of San Antonio
Title: A Hybrid Integrated Sensing and Energy Conversion (HISEC) Module for Harvesting Mechanical and Thermal Energy on Roadways and Monitoring Traffic
Total amount: $596,986
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves energy harvesting on roadways

Agency: UTSA
Title: Prediction of Crash Incidence and Severity on Texas Roadways
Total amount: $15,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project uses big data analytics to study the impact of weather on crashes

Agency: US Department of Transportation
Title: Relationship between Road Network Characteristics and Traffic Safety
Total amount: $50,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of traffic safety issues at urban intersections

Agency: City of San Antonio
Title: Traffic Safety
Total amount: $50,000
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of traffic safety issues

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Assessing the Safety Issues Associated with Isolated Rural Intersections
Total amount: $266,800
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of traffic safety issues at rural intersections

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Incorporating Wildlife Crossings into TxDOT’s Project Development, Design and Operations Processes
Total amount: $87,346
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves developing procedures to enhance safety of wildlife and roadway drivers at wildlife crossings

Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Title: UnderGraduate Research, Education And Training (U-GREAT)
Total amount: $275,760
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves USDA-related research and education for graduate and undergraduate students

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Safety Impact of Texas Travel Information Centers (TIC) – Update
Total amount: $80,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of the impact of rest areas and TIC on roadway safety

Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Title: Improvement of Minority Education in Earth Science and Environmental Engineering at UTSA (IMEESE at UTSA)
Total amount: $748,705
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves hydrology research and field work for graduate and undergraduate students

Agency: MSI STEM Research & Development Consortium
Title: Novel Technology for Detection and Prediction of Spreading of Air Chemicals
Total amount: $613,063
Role: Co- Principal Investigator
Description: The project use a weather model, chemical dispersion modules, and drones to detect and study the transport of air pollutants

Agency: National Science Foundation
Title: RAPID: Forensic Hydrological Field Investigation of the Blanco River Flood – May 2015, Wimberley, TX
Total amount: $26,531
Role: Mentor (PI Chad Furl, postdoc)
Description: The project includes collection of data and analysis of unprecedented flash floods

Agency: UTSA
Title: Air Pollution and Weather Controls on Childhood Asthma in Texas
Total amount: $20,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project tries to quantify the relationship between air pollution and childhood asthma in Texas

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Traffic Safety Challenges and Strategies in the Eagle Ford Shale Area
Total amount: $266,603
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of the impact of shale oil and gas development activities on traffic safety

Agency: Crystal City, Texas
Title: Seepage Study of the Potential Turkey Watershed Reservoir
Total amount: $11,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves groundwater modeling to estimate potential seepage

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Evaluating Use of Sub-Grade Drains with PFC for Stormwater Drainage
Total amount: $281,664
Role: Co-Investigator
Description: The project develops a design method for the underdrains to eliminate standing water on roadway surfaces

Agency: Engineer Research and Development Center (US Army Corps of Engineers)
Title: The Use of Operational Precipitation Products in the Context of Flood Forecasting
Total amount: $149,986
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of the impact of rest areas and TIC on roadway safety

Agency: Crystal City, Texas
Title: Hydrologic Study of Turkey Watershed, Texas
Total amount: $15,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves hydrologic modeling for water resources management

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Safety Impact of Texas Travel Information Centers (TIC)
Total amount: $127,281
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of the impact of rest areas and TIC on roadway safety

Agency: Texas Space Grant Consortium
Title: Development of a New Course on Engineering Applications of NASA Observing Technology
Total amount: $15,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: A study of the infusion of NASA observing technology into engineering courses

Agency: UTSA
Title: Snow freeboard and ice thickness distributions and changes over Bellingshausen-Amundsen Seas from IceBridge data
Total amount: $25,000
Role: Co-Investigator
Description: Remote sensing applications

Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Title: Climate Change Communication: Engineering, Environmental Science, and Education
Total amount: $501,814
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves climate change-related research and education for graduate and undergraduate students

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Assessment of the Effects of Regional Channel Stability and Sediment Transport on Roadway Hydraulic Structures
Total amount: $248,247
Role: Co-Investigator
Description: The project involves study of the sedimentation and erosion impacts on hydraulic structures

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Synthesis of Hydrologic and Hydraulic Impacts
Total amount: $50,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of the hydrologic and hydraulic impacts of construction projects

Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Title: Opportunities for Research Experience in Earth Science and Environmental Engineering at UTSA (MORESE at UTSA)
Total amount: $561,474
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves hydrology research and field work for graduate and undergraduate students

Agency: National Science Foundation
Title: A US-Saudi Arabia Collaboration on Hydrometeorological Analysis and Modeling in Complex Terrain
Total amount: $200,000.
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves basic hydrologic research to create opportunities for efficient water harvesting

Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Title: Lift-Off: Curriculum Improvement for Enhancing Engineering Education
Total amount: $409,001
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves NASA-related research and education for graduate and undergraduate students

Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Title: Enhanced short-term Hydrometeorological Forecasting
Total amount: $99,856
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves development of a system for rainfall and runoff forecasting in an urban environment

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Empirical Flow Parameters – A Tool for Hydraulic Model Validity Assessment
Total amount: $519,485
Role: UTSA Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of flow characteristic for different watersheds in Texas

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Mitigation Methods for Temporary Concrete Traffic Barrier Effects on Flood Water Flows
Total amount: $199,172
Role: Co-Investigator
Description: The project involves study of the impact of barriers on runoff and flooding

Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Title: Bacteria Levels in Discharges from Road Right-of-Ways
Total amount: $377,698
Role: Co-Investigator
Description: The project involves study of water quality in the immediate vicinity of bridges

Agency: UTSA
Title: Climate and Weather Controls on Influenza: Predictability of the Epidemic
Total amount: $29,883
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The project involves study of the relationship between climate and influenza