Description
The COMPOUND Flood Lab within the Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin invites applications for one graduate student position (Ph.D. or M.S.) beginning in Fall 2027. The successful candidate will conduct research on compound flooding, wave-structure-debris dynamics, and flood risk evaluation using computational modeling, machine learning, and remote sensing tools.
Opportunity Summary
| Detail |
Information |
| Host University |
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) |
| Department / Lab |
Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering / COMPOUND Flood Lab |
| Degree Level |
Ph.D. or M.S. |
| Available Positions |
1 |
| Funding Type |
Research Assistantship (RA) and/or Teaching Assistantship (TA) |
| Intended Start Date |
Fall 2027 |
| Application Deadline |
December 1 |
Research Focus & Core Areas
The selected student will work on projects focused on:
- Compound flooding phenomena
- Debris–structure–wave interactions
- Flood risk assessment and quantification
- Integration of numerical simulations, remote sensing, and machine learning architectures
Eligibility & Desired Qualifications
- Academic Background: Degree in Civil Engineering, Coastal Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Hydrology, Hydraulic Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
- Ph.D. Applicants: Holding a prior master’s degree is preferred.
- Computational Skills (Advantageous): Experience with numerical modeling suites such as ADCIRC, Delft3D, SFINCS, OpenFOAM, MPM, or high-performance computing (HPC) workflows.
- Machine Learning & AI (Advantageous): Familiarity with physics-informed machine learning (PIML), graph neural networks (GNNs), transformers, neural operators, or developing workflows and software powered by Large Language Models (LLMs).
Funding Coverage
- Financial support is expected to be provided in the form of a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) and/or Teaching Assistantship (GTA).
Application Process
- Submit Graduate Program Application: Apply to the graduate program in the Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at UT Austin by December 1.
- Program Selection: Select either Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (EWRE) or Mechanics, Uncertainty, and Simulation in Engineering (MUSE) in the departmental application.
- Statement of Purpose (SOP): Clearly indicate Dr. Junwhan Lee's name in your SOP to ensure your file is routed to the COMPOUND Flood Lab.
- Pre-Application Email Inquiry: Prospective applicants are encouraged to email junwhanlee@austin.utexas.edu with the subject line
Prospective Graduate Student. Attach an up-to-date CV and provide a brief summary of your relevant research background, technical toolsets, and any LLM-assisted applications or tools you have built.
Official Lab Page
For additional details regarding active research topics and group publications, visit the COMPOUND Flood Lab Website.
