Holly Michael is the Unidel Fraser Russell Chair in the Environment and Professor in the Departments of Earth Sciences and Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware. She is also Director of the Delaware Environmental Institute. She holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a PhD in Hydrology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is an Associate Editor of Water Resources Research and served as the Geological Society of America James B. Thompson, Jr. International Distinguished Lecturer. Her research interests include saltwater intrusion, water resource management, contaminant hydrology, coastal hydrogeology, groundwater-surface water interactions, and geostatistics. Some of her current projects include investigating the coastal critical zone, measuring groundwater flow into estuaries, modeling groundwater salinization due to climate change, evaluating sustainability of arsenic-safe groundwater in Bangladesh, and application of experimental economics to groundwater resources. 

Claudia is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering of the University of Padova, Italy. She is an affiliate member of the UNESCO Land Subsidence International Initiative (LaSII) and advisor for VITAL, a group of experts working on solutions to enhance and restore the natural capital of the Venetian Lagoon, Italy. Her main research interests lie in the area of numerical modelling of land subsidence due to natural processes and anthropogenic activities. She is involved in investigating the above-ground behavior of shallow soils in intertidal environments by developing and implementing numerical models of land surface evolution due to accreting and consolidation processes.

Cindy is a postdoctoral researcher whose research interests are on different scales of surface water and groundwater modeling for flow and transport. Her postdoc research focuses on groundwater-surface water interaction and saltwater intrusion (SWI) in coastal hyporheic zone with Dr. Holly Michael. Cindy also works with Dr. Tom Hsu to study bedform and mobile interface on mass transfer and benthic flux at sediment-water interface (another SWI). In her personal time, Cindy plays tennis and enjoys outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, kayaking and camping.

Dannielle is researching the major hydrological drivers of salinization and flooding at the marsh-upland boundary along the Delmarva Peninsula.  Her project is part of the NSF-funded Coastal Critical Zone which focuses on determining the drivers of coastal forest and agricultural loss due to saltwater intrusion.  She is interested in learning how sea level rise and the increased frequency and magnitude of storms is shifting the hydrologic regime, which then influences ecological, biogeochemical, and geomorphological changes.  She also enjoys hiking, skiing, crosswords, and hanging out with her cats and gecko.  Her life goal outside of grad school is to hike all the National Parks and she is over halfway there!

Tahmidur is a Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering passionate about using physics and mathematics to understand the physical world. Throughout his academic career, he has modeled geological systems, starting as a researcher in the field of petroleum geology and geophysics before shifting to hydrogeology. Currently, he investigates evaporation on salinity distribution in migrating salt marshes in response to sea level rise. He uses physics-based hydrogeological models with in-situ hydrological and climatic datasets. Tahmidur’s goal is to build a career in hydrogeology and contribute to addressing problems related to groundwater contamination and saltwater intrusion. Outside of research, he loves fieldwork, camping, football(soccer), heavy-metal music, and thriller movies.

Romana is a Water Science and Policy major with a strong interest in using GIS, geophysics, and environmental data to study saltwater intrusion. Her research focuses on coastal Delaware where she is establishing a comprehensive groundwater monitoring network to address salinity challenges in confined aquifers. She is particularly interested in the impacts of climate change and sea level rise on coastal water resources and aims to create actionable solutions to mitigate risks to communities and ecosystems. Outside of research, Romana enjoys watching drama series and movies, and cooking. She also aspires to visit historic and beautiful places both in the USA and around the world, combining her love for exploration with her passion for learning about new cultures and histories.

Ting is a first-year PhD student in Earth Sciences at the University of Delaware. Her research interests center on hydrology, with a particular focus on the interactions among hydrological, ecological, geochemical, geomorphological, and groundwater–surface water processes. She is excited to use a variety of approaches, including GIS, machine learning, modeling, field studies, and laboratory experiments, to investigate these dynamics. Ting’s doctoral research will focus on saltwater intrusion, a challenge expected to intensify under climate change. Outside of academics, Ting enjoys fieldwork, puzzles, cooking, baking, and spending time with her cats.

Abigail’s research interests lie in the marsh upland-transition boundaries of the coastal zone and potential marsh migration in these zones. Abigail’s previous work centered on determining potential migration of marshes along the Delaware Bay as a result of sea level rise and the implications for surrounding areas. She is interested in further exploring the dynamics of marsh migration, including major drivers and impacts of migration, and potential methods of modeling future marsh migration. Her other research interests include saltwater intrusion, long term sea level rise, and marsh ecosystem dynamics. Outside of the lab she enjoys theatre, knitting, cooking, spending time with her cat, and hiking!