Red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo Jet Propulsion Laboratory
California Institute of Technology

Delta-X

Colorful radar image of the Mississippi Delta

Science Team

The Delta-X team is an interdisciplinary one, including ecologists, radar scientists, hydrologists, geomorphologists, and more.

Marc smiles while wearing a NASA hat and muddy shirt in a field of branches

Marc Simard (Principal Investigator / PI)
Principal Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Website  |  Google Scholar  |  ResearchGate

Marc studies how vegetation structure varies and interacts with environmental (e.g. climate) and geophysical (e.g. rivers) variables. He is a member of the SWOT Science Team, planned for launch in 2022. The mission will revolutionize our understanding of hydrological and ecological processes in coastal regions.

Hobbies: playing hockey (on ice of course), salsa dancing, building wood sheds, traveling, hiking, organizing events


Cathleen smiles and glows in this headshot with sunset lighting the edges of her hair

Cathleen Jones (Deputy PI)
Radar Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
ResearchGate

Cathleen’s research focuses on applying radar remote sensing to identifying and understanding hazards that have significant social impact. In particular, she studies subsidence in deltas, a major cause of land loss. She loves Delta-X because it focuses on how to rebuild land to save the world’s deltas. Cathleen is the Applications Team Lead for the NISAR Science Team. She has a Ph.D. in Physics from the California Institute of Technology.

Hobbies: hiking, reading, quilting


Yang smiles on a sunny day with rock formations in the distance behind her

Yang Zheng (Investigation Manager)
Signal Analysis Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

Yang has supported scientists using airborne radar data in various roles, including UAVSAR processing lead and science coordinator, since 2009. She enjoys going on deployments and seeing the unique contributions of airborne data in understanding Earth processes. She obtained both B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Hobbies: traveling, music, anime, badminton


Sarah kneels next to her realistic street painting of Mae Jemison's face

Sarah Flores (Data Manager)
Software Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Instagram

Sarah's work revolves around web development for various airborne Earth Science missions, including UAVSAR. With a background in coding and the arts, she enjoys building websites and web applications from the ground up, for scientists and the general public. Sarah has a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of California, Irvine.

Hobbies: street painting, weightlifting, hiking, movies

Delta Ecology: Biogeochemistry, Productivity, & Soil Accretion Co-Is

Professional headshot of Robert smiling in a blue blazer

Robert Twilley
Professor, Oceanography and Coastal Science, Louisiana State University (LSU)
Executive Director, Louisiana Sea Grant College Program
Website  |  ResearchGate

Robert has Ph.D. in systems ecology from the University of Florida. Post doc studies at University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences (Horn Point Laboratory). His research focus includes mangrove systems ecology and coastal deltaic floodplains. He has been involved with developing the coastal design studio at LSU to build the concept of ‘ecosystem design.’

Hobbies: biking, boating, and spoiling grandkids


Edward looks at a cylindrincal instrument that he is holding while knee-deep in water and wetland plants

Edward Castañeda
Research Assistant Professor, Southeast Environmental Research Center, Institute of Water & Environment, Florida International University (FIU)
Website  |  FIU Institute

Edward has a Ph.D. in Oceanography and Coastal Sciences from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His research focuses on nutrient biogeochemistry and ecosystem dynamics of coastal wetlands. Edward studies the effect of large-scale natural (hurricanes) and human (freshwater diversions) disturbances on carbon and nutrient dynamics and vegetation succession to understand trajectories of ecosystem structure and function.

Hobbies: running, playing soccer

Remote Sensing of Surface Currents Co-Investigators (Co-Is)

Tamlin smiles while canoeing on a lake

Tamlin Pavelsky
Associate Professor, Geological Sciences, UNC Chapel Hill
Website  |  Google Scholar

Tamlin has a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from UCLA, all in Geography. He grew up in cabins outside of Fairbanks, Alaska with no electricity, running water, or phone. He studies large-scale patterns of surface water and snow using a combination of remote sensing, modeling, and fieldwork. Much of his work has focused on Arctic and boreal regions.

Hobbies: backpacking/canoeing/skiing, lindy hop dancing, baking


Faded photo of Ernesto wearing a muddy shirt, presumably working in the field

Ernesto Rodríguez
Fellow, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Google Scholar  |  ResearchGate

Ernesto has a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the Georgia Institute of Technology. At JPL, he has concentrated on remote sensing science using various radar techniques whose development he has led. He publishes in a variety of fields, from physics and remote sensing to oceanography and hydrology.

Sediment Transport in Deltas Co-Is

Liviu smiles next to a computer screen

Liviu Giosan
Geoscientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)
Website  |  Google Scholar

Liviu studies human-climate-landscape interactions focusing on coasts and continental margins. Contributions: new type of river delta, fundamental sediment deficit for deltas, catastrophic effects of historic deforestation on coasts, hydroclimate as driver of ancient civilizations’ fate, and long term flood history of Mississippi River.

Hobbies: classical music, books, nature


Headshot of Michael smiling and wearing sunglasses with a canyon in the background

Michael Lamb
Professor of Geology, California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Website

Michael Lamb graduated from the University of Minnesota with B.S. degrees in Geology and Geophysics. Lamb received a M.S. in Oceanography from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. He studies the dynamics of landscapes on Earth and other planets through the mechanics of erosion, transport and deposition of sediment. Active research includes the initiation of debris flows, the response of river deltas to sea-level rise, and ancient rivers on Mars. Lamb was awarded the Luna B. Leopold Award and the James B. Macelwane Medal by the American Geophysical Union.

Hobbies: overlanding, skiing, biking, gardening

Hydrology Modelling Co-Is

Headshot of Sergio outside with a small smile

Sergio Fagherazzi
Professor, Boston University (BU)
Website  |  ResearchGate

Sergio has a Ph.D. in Hydrodynamics from the University of Padua, Italy. His research focuses on coastal wetlands, trying to determine their fate in a period of accelerated sea level rise. He loves both modeling and fieldwork expeditions. During the years he was fortunate to work in wetlands in Virginia, Massachusetts, Florida, Louisiana, Washington State, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, and in Venice, Italy, where he grew up.

Hobbies: collecting antiques, visiting art museums


Headshot of Paola smiling, wearing a visor with wetlands in the background

Paola Passalacqua
Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (UT)
Website  |  Instagram

Paola graduated summa cum laude from the University of Genoa, Italy, with a B.S. (2002) in Environmental Engineering, and received a M.S. (2005) and a Ph.D. (2009) in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota. Her research interests include network analysis and dynamics of hydrologic and environmental transport on river networks and deltaic systems, lidar and satellite imagery analysis, multi-scale analysis of hydrological processes, and quantitative analysis and modeling of landscape forming processes.

Hobbies: messing up the kitchen, hiking obnoxious distances, swimming and running in a million degrees

Imaging Spectroscopy: Sediment & Carbon Transport Co-Is

Headshot of Cedric outside with a small smile

Cédric Fichot
Assistant Professor, Boston University (BU)
Website  |  ResearchGate

Cédric is a marine scientist interested in the vulnerability of coastal biogeochemistry, water quality, and geomorphology to environmental change. His research is interdisciplinary and combines elements of aquatic optics, remote sensing, organic geochemistry and photochemistry into models that quantify regional and global changes in coastal biogeochemical processes and water quality, and aim to identify the underlying mechanisms driving observations of environmental change.

Hobbies: hiking, rowing, traveling, cooking


Headshot of David with a small smile and a plain white background

David R. Thompson
Principal Research Technologist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Website  |  Google Scholar  |  ResearchGate

David is a Technical Group Lead in the Imaging Spectroscopy group at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is Science Lead for NASA’s EMIT mission, and Investigation Scientist for the AVIRIS imaging spectrometers. His research focuses on data science and algorithmic aspects of remote imaging spectroscopy. He is recipient of the NASA Early Career Achievement Medal and the JPL Lew Allen Award.

Other Team Members

Hussain smiles in the bottom left corner with the Golden Gate bridge in the background

Hussain Alqattan
Caltech Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Michael Lamb
Discipline: Geomorphology

Pradipta wearing a hat and looking into the distance with a single light and field behind him on a dark night

Pradipta Biswas
LSU Graduate Research Assistant
Advisor: Robert R. Twilley
Discipline: Oceanography & coastal science

Headshot of Muriel smiling in a pink blazer with a plain grey background

Muriel Brückner
UT Austin Postdoc
Advisor: Paola Passalacqua
Discipline: Civil and environmental engineering

Headshot of John smiling outisde with head tilted

John Chapman
JPL Technologist
Discipline: Remote sensing algorithm development

Alexandra smiles as she pilots a boat in the delta with a clear blue sky behind her

Alexandra Christensen
JPL Signal Analysis Engineer
Discipline: Coastal hydrology & ecology

Headshot of Luca smiling outside with concrete behind him

Luca Cortese
BU Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Sergio Fagherazzi
Discipline: Geomorphology

Julianne stands smiling in front of a tiny waterfall

Julianne Davis
UNC Chapel Hill Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Tamlin Pavelsky
Discipline: Remote sensing & sediment transport

Michael smiles while holding an anemometer instrument on a boat, with a body of water behind him

Michael Denbina
JPL Signal Analysis Engineer
Discipline: Radar remote sensing

Wayana smiles while holding a large fish that is half her size

Wayana Dolan
UNC Chapel Hill Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Tamlin Pavelsky
Discipline: Remote sensing & hydrology

Headshot of Carmine with a plain gray background

Carmine Donatelli
UT Austin & BU Postdoc
Advisor: Paola Passalacqua, Sergio Fagherazzi
Discipline: Coastal hydrodynamics & geomorphology

Andy smiles with hands in his jacket, as boats and vibrant blue water float behind him

Andy Cassaway
LSU Graduate Student
Advisor: Robert Twilley
Discipline: Coastal & ecological engineering

Josh smiles while holding on to the small boat he is on

Josh Harringmeyer
BU Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Cédric Fichot
Discipline: Aquatic optics

Professional headshot of Daniel smiling in a suit with blurred trees in the background

Daniel Jensen
JPL Signal Analysis Engineer
Discipline: Geography & Imaging Spectroscopy

Ted slightly smiles while rowing a boat

Ted Langhorst
UNC Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Tamlin Pavelsky
Discipline: Remote sensing & fluvial geomophology

John smiles with mouth open looking into the distance, with water and a mountain behind him

John Mallard
UNC Postdoc
Advisor: Tamlin Pavelsky
Discipline: Hydrology and remote sensing

Headshot of Justin with a small smile on a boat

Justin Nghiem
Caltech Graduate Student
Advisor: Michael Lamb
Discipline: Geomorphology

Talib stands in front of the Bank of Argentina building

Talib Oliver Cabrera
JPL Signal Analysis Engineer
Discipline: Radar applications, focused on InSAR

Headshot of Ali wearing a light suit and head tilted with a small smile

Ali Reza Payandeh
JPL Postdoc
Advisor: Marc Simard
Discipline: Coastal and estuarine oceanography

Selfie of Eric smiling into the camera

Eric W. Prokocki
Assistant Professor of Marine and Environmental Geology
Department of Geosciences, Florida Atlantic University
Discipline: River-tidal morphodynamics & process sedimentology

Andre smiles and squint in the direct sunlight, holding a pole with water in the background

Andre Rovai
Assistant Research Scientist
Advisor: Robert Twilley
Discipline: Coastal wetlands ecology

Headshot of Gerard in a plaid shirt, with a small smile

Gerard Salter
Caltech Postdoc
Advisor: Michael Lamb
Discipline: Geomorphology

Headshot of Danielle in the forest with a small smile

Danielle Soileau
LSU Research Assistant
Advisor: Robert Twilley
Discipline: Coastal wetlands ecology

Elena leans against a rail on a dock. It's a sunny day with boats behind her.

Elena Solohin
FIU Postdoc
Advisor: Edward Castañeda
Discipline: Coastal wetlands ecology

Headshot of Antoine smiling with a plain white background

Antoine Soloy
JPL Postdoc
Advisor: Marc Simard
Discipline: Numerical modeling & remote sensing

Ivan holds an instrument while sitting on a boat with a neutral expression

Ivan Vargas-Lopez
LSU Postdoc
Advisor: Robert R. Twilley
Discipline: Biogeochemistry of wetlands & remote sensing

Bhuvan smiles with a bridge and dry mountains in the background

Bhuvan Varugu
JPL Postdoc
Advisor: Cathleen Jones
Discipline: SAR applications (UAVSAR) and geodesy

Dongchen stares into the camera with a city in the background

Dongchen Wang
Caltech Postdoc
Advisor: Michael Lamb
Discipline: Civil & environmental engineering

Headshot of Matt smiling on a sunny day with a city skyline in the background

Matt Weiser
BU Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Cédric Fichot
Discipline: Aquatic biogeochemistry

Brandon stands smiling in front of a forested area

Brandon Wolff
LSU Research Associate
Supervisor: Robert Twilley
Discipline: Applied coastal environmental science

Headshot of Kyle Wright with a small smile, in front of a body of water

Kyle Wright
UT Austin Ph.D. Student
Advisor: Paola Passalacqua
Discipline: Environmental & water resources engineering

Headshot of Xiaohe in an office with a neutral expression

Xiaohe Zhang
BU Postdoc
Advisor: Sergio Fagherazzi
Discipline: Sediment transport & geomorphology