Associate Professor

Nina Stark is the faculty lead of the coastal & marine geotechnics research group. Nina has received her MS (Diploma) in Geophysics in 2007 from the Westphalian Wilhelms University Muenster, Germany, and her PhD in Marine Geotechnics in 2011 from the University of Bremen, Germany. She worked as a postdoc at the University of Bremen (2011-2012) and at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada (2012-2013). She was an assistant professor from 2013-2019 and an associate professor from 2019-2023 in the geotechnical engineering program at Virginia Tech. She joined the University of Florida as an associate professor in 2023. Nina has received the NSF CAREER award in 2018, the ONR Young Investigator Award in 2018, and was leading the SERDP Project of the Year in 2022.

PhD Student

Arianna Martin is a Ph.D. candidate at The University of Florida, focusing on Geosystems Engineering under the guidance of Dr. Nina Stark. Her research investigates the intricate interactions between coastal events and marine organisms and their combined impact on shoreline stability and coastal resilience. Arianna’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The University of the West Indies.

Hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, Arianna’s passion for the environment extends beyond her research. She is deeply interested in physical geography and environmental sustainability, with a particular focus on innovative waste management solutions. Outside the lab, Arianna enjoys exploring water-related sports and unwinding with a good book.

PhD Student

Lea is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Geosystems Engineering at the University of Florida. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Geosciences from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the Technical University of Munich in 2021, followed by a master’s degree in Marine Geosciences from the University of Bremen that she completed in 2024. At UF, her work focuses on nearshore coastal processes, specifically examining how various geotechnical parameters influence coastal morphology, with an emphasis on the subtidal and lower intertidal zones.

PhD Student

Jaq Mueller is a Ph.D. Student at the University of Florida, pursuing a degree in Geosystems Engineering. Her research focuses on the interaction between extreme weather events and soil conditions in riverine and coastal communities. She earned her B.S. in Civil Engineering in 2023 from Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida. After graduation, she returned to Gainesville to work as a geotechnical engineering consultant with ECS Limited, where she managed projects involving foundation design, slope stability, and levee analyses. In her free time, Jaq enjoys paddle boarding, spending time with her family, and cheering on the Gators!

PhD Student

I am Saurav Shrestha. I completed my Bachelor’s(2015) and Master’s degree (2020) in Geotechnical Engineering from Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. I completed my first two years of Ph.D. in Virginia Tech and I am continuing it as a third year student at the University of Florida in the Geosystems Department. I am working in a research project to perform probabilistic analysis of environmental effects on sensors placed close to the seabed and it’s effects on the sensor network performance. The environmental effects include lateral displacement due to hydrodynamic actions, embedment of sensors due to self weight and impact, scour burial, liquefaction effects, etc. I try to explore the complex interactions between the coastal environment and sensor, trying to enhance our understanding of how hydrodynamic and geotechnical factors influence sensor burials and subsequent performance.

PhD Student

Stephen Adusei is pursuing a Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Florida. His research interest is at the intersection of Geospatial Technology and Geotechnical Engineering. He is currently working on identifying coastal features from satellite imagery and assessing how they impact trafficability. Stephen is from Nkawkaw in the Eastern part of Ghana and earned his BSc in Geomatic Engineering from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in 2021.

PhD Student at Virginia Tech

Freddie is a PhD student at Virginia Tech, working on trafficability of mud and mixed sediment flats using satellite-based remote sensing. Freddie received his BS degree in Civil Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts in 2014, and his MS degree in Geotechnical Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2015. After graduating with his MS degree, Freddie spent 6 years working as a geotechnical engineer for Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers in Washington, DC. He worked on a variety of field and office projects ranging from geotechnical investigations to deep foundation design and inspection. Outside of engineering, Freddie enjoys hiking and traveling with his wife and two dogs.

PhD Student at Virgina Tech

Md Rejwanur “Rahi” Rahman is a Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech, specializing in Probabilistic Sediment Behavior Classification through Geotechnical and Geophysical methods. Originally from a small town of Bangladesh, he earned his BS degree from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 2019 and went on to complete his MS at the University of Kansas in 2020. Beyond academia, he enjoys activities such as driving, watching documentaries, sports, sitcoms, and crime movies. With a passion for blending geotechnical expertise and machine learning techniques, Rahi is dedicated to make significant contributions to the realm of Marine Geotechnics.

MS student at Virginia Tech

I’m a Master’s student studying coastal and marine geotechnics. My research focus is the overlap of computational modelling and field work.
I want to better understand sediment-fluid interaction in coastal and riverine environments, so that the impacts of climate change and the evolution of coastlines can be better understood and modelled. Currently, I’m modelling the impact of a Free Fall Penetrometer (FFP) into non-cohesive sediment using a strain rate dependent constitutive model. In the future, I want to work on understanding fluid-cohesive sediment interaction through field, lab, and numerical analysis.

undergraduate researcher

Undergraduate researcher

Carson is a fifth year undergraduate student at the University of Florida studying Civil Engineering with a Minor in Computer Science. She is currently performing research on processing and analyzing data from sonar side scan images. Carson is planning to further her education in the field of Geotechnical Engineering while working towards a Masters degree in Civil Engineering following graduation. In addition to this research project, at the University of Florida, Carson is involved in AeroGator design team, Society of PC Building, and Club Lacrosse. In her free time, Carson enjoys going to the beach, being outdoors, crocheting, and running her small crafting business.

Research Coordinator

Studying coasts has been a consistent passion in Charli’s life for as long as she can remember. Charli grew up in Miami, FL, snorkeling over the seagrass beds, walking the beaches, skateboarding around the sea walls, swimming on the reefs, and noticing the subtle changes that would happen over the years. She would take notes about her observations, try to understand why things were changing, and was filled with a desire to make a positive impact in the coastal systems that she grew up loving! Charli worked in the Wetland Ecosystems Research Lab at FIU prior to joining the Center for Coastal Solutions at UF in 2022, where she now works as a Research Coordinator for Dr. Nina Stark in Coastal and Marine Geotechnics. She has worked on a variety of research projects in Coastal Engineering and Ecology, and one of her favorite things about work is the ability to learn something new every day; continually growing her interests and skills!

In her free time, you can find Charli all around town. When she is not curled up reading a good book, she loves to go diving, play guitar, and dance! Gainesville has an amazing local music scene, and Charli is always happy to go to a show!

Research Coordinator

Sharlynn received a dual BS in Marine Science & Biology from the University of Miami, had a brief stint as a zookeeper, then moved to Gainesville and worked as a biological scientist in a neuropharmacology lab at UF. She returned to school with a much-expanded scale of interest and earned her PhD in Environmental Engineering Sciences at UF in 2009 with a focus on Systems Ecology and a concentration in GIS. She worked at the UF Howard T. Odum Center for Wetlands for 12 years as a Program Coordinator, then Communications Specialist, and has been with the UF Center for Coastal Solutions (CCS) for 4 years as a Research Coordinator, serving as project manager for several large multi-discplinary projects, and providing support for various activities and projects associated with CCS. Sharlynn loves libraries, gardening, maps, travel, sci-fi, and viewing the world through a systems ecology lens.