ENVIRONMENTAL FLUID MECHANICS
University of Texas at Austin, Department of Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering
 
 

2004 Opportunities - ARCHIVED

 

Teaching assistantships

I routinely need a TA and grader for CE 356, Elements of Hydraulic Engineering. The TA duties include setting up the laboratory sessions, preparing short laboratory lectures, supervising the student labs and grading lab reports. The grader duties include grading homework problems that are assigned during the class. There are generally two lab TAs also available for the CE 319F Elementary Fluid Mechanics class, which I occassionally teach.

The TA position is generally selected based on the following priorities: 1) a student of the professor teaching the class, 2) an EWRE student, 3) a CE student, and finally 4) a student from outside CE who has a suitable background and expertise. Note that I have only filled the hydraulics TA with students from categories 1 and 2, and have only once used students from categories 3 and 4 for a CE 319F TA.

Opportunities for graduate student research assistantships (RA) occur on a regular basis. While I try to keep this page updated, there are often developing or potential opportunities that are not posted. Please email me and we can set up a time to discuss on the phone.

Teaching assistantships (TA) are also regularly available. The TA positions are ideal for students who want to design their own research agenda rather than following the needs of a funded research program. TA positions of 20 hours provide full tuition plus stipend. TA positions of 10-19 hours provide only half tuition and a prorated stipend

Grader positions (usually undergraduate) are sometimes available - this typically provides approximately 10 hours of paid work per week (no tuition support)

Floodplain Mapping

Sponsor: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Joint project with Professor David Maidment

Start date: September 2004

End date: ??

Confidence in funding: Solid

Students: 1

Overview: FEMA is embarking on a multi-year project to create new digital maps of US floodplains. As a part of this effort, we will be analyzing the uncertainty in the relationship between flood stage height and digital elevation.

Student goals: Using several different watersheds where multiple forms of topographical data are available, the student will analyze the differences between the flood plain boundaries for different qualities of topographic data. Through statistical analysis, we will attempt to define the uncertainty in flood plain delineation as a function of the topographic data density, the variability of the terrain, and the terrain gradients.

Classes for background:

CE 394K - GIS in Water Resources

Effects of transport and evaporation on development of hypoxia in Corpus Christi Bay

Sponsor: We are presently writing a proposal for submission. It is possible for a student to begin this project while working as a TA and help with the proposal writing.

Start date: ??

End date: ??

Confidence in funding: ??

Students: 1

Overview: In collaboration with Prof. Paul Montagna at the UT Marine Science Institute (Port Aransas) and Prof. John Morse at Texas A&M University, we are investigating the biological, chemical and physical causes of hypoxia (low oxygen levels) in regions of Corpus Christi bay.

Student goals: Learn to use a 3D model for a coastal estuary/embayment. Gather all the data necessary to set up and calibrate the model. Develop a new adaptation for handling effects of ship channels that are below grid resolution. Participate in field studies to gather hydrodynamic data to validate model. Develop some new ideas on how to effectively couple the time and space scales of physical/chemical/biological processes.

Classes for background:

ME 381P - Fundamentals of Incompressible Flow - Panton, MWF 10-11

CE 380S - Environmental Fluid Mechanics - Hodges TTh 2-3

Shoal Creek Restoration Modeling < Project Page >

Sponsor: None - this project would be done as a TA. The City of Austin and USGS will collaborate, but cannot provide funding

Students: 1

Overview: The City of Austin is restoring a highly-degraded section of Shoal Creek. The engineering design is essentially finished, but work has not yet begun. There is a fascinating opportunity for a student to get involved in urban stream restoration by modeling the before and after conditions of the system.

Student goals: Learn how to model the hydrodynamics of an urban stream. Learn to work with City and Federal Government engineers/scientists. Document the changes in the stream behavior due to restoration efforts.

Classes for background:

CE 380S - Environmental Fluid Mechanics - Hodges TTh 2-3

CE 394K - GIS in Water Resources

 
©2006 Ben R. Hodges • last updated July 21, 2005

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