principal Investigator
MIRJAM FÜRTH, PH.D
Education
Ph.D. Naval Architecture, 2014. University of Southampton, United Kingdom
M.Sc.& B.Sc. Vehicle Engineering, 2011. KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Experience
2020 - present: Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University, USA
2016 - 2020: Assistant Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ, USA
2014/2015: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Yokohama National University, Japan
Research Funding
OESI: SAFE-WIND: Safety Additions to FAST for Extreme Weather, Icing, and Nonlinear Dynamics, Department of Interior, Department of Energy, Ocean Energy Safety Institute, $500,000, 1/11/2025-31/10/2026.
ONR: Experiments and Simulations to Facilitate Data-driven and Machine Learning Hydrodynamic Models, Office of Naval Research Unmanned Surface Vehicle and Small Combatant Craft Program, $1,000,000, 1/8/2024-31/7/2029
OESI: SMART-SEA: Safe Maneuvering using Augmented Radar Tracking for Sea-based Entity Avoidance, Department of Interior, Department of Energy, Ocean Energy Safety Institute, $500,000, 1/10/2023-31/1/2025
ONR: Further Insight into the Hydrodynamic Phenomena Influencing Motions, Dynamics Loads and Performance of High Speed Craft in a Seaway, Office of Naval Research Unmanned Surface Vehicle and Small Combatant Craft Program, $509 909, 2020-2024
SPRINT: Sustainable Aquaculture: Energy Harvesting for Autonomous Seaweed Farms. Stevens Institute of Technology; SES, Spearheading Proposals by Interdisciplinary Teams, $5000, 2019/2020
STINT Ignition Grant: Optimal Design of an Autonomous Sailing Vessel for Long Duration Ocean Research. The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and High Education (STINT), ca $16500, 2019/2020
ABS: Data Analytics for Smart Ships, American Bureau of Shipping, $100 000, 2017
The Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) Capstone Market Place, Smart Personal Floatation Device, $10 000, 2017
The Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) Capstone Market Place, Impact of Slamming on Hulls, $10 000, 2017
JSPS: Determining the wave making resistance for realistic hull shapes using a non-linear dissipative potential flow model, The Japan Society for Promotion of Science, ca $49 000, 2014/2015
Awards and Fellowships
ASCE ExCEEd Fellowship 2018, ISOPE: Scholarship for outstanding Students 2013/2014, MTPC RINA prize for best presentation 2013, The Foundation BLANCEFLOR Boncompagni-Ludovisi, née Bildt 2012, The Swedish Society of Engineers in Great Britain, 2011 and 2012, Lloyd’s Resister Foundation Research Collegium 2011, Lloyd’s Register Foundation PhD fellowship 2010-2012.
Visitors
Omar Sallam
Education
Ph.D. Ocean Engineering, 2025. Texas A&M University, USA.
M.Sc. Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, 2019. Nile University, 6th October City , Egypt.
B.Sc. Mechanical power Engineering, 2016. Menoufia University, Egypt.
Experience
2025 – Present Postdoctoral Appointee Environmental Science Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Lemont, Illinois, USA
2024 – 2025 Researcher Artificial Intelligence, Learning, and Intelligent Systems National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, Colorado, USA
2020 – 2025 Research Assistant Ocean Engineering Department Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
2019 – 2020 Research Assistant Ocean Engineering Department Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, USA
2018 – 2019 CFD Consultant Engineer Design House Nile University, Giza, Egypt
2017 – 2019 Teaching Assistant Mechanical Engineering Department Nile University, Giza, Egypt
Research Interests
Graduates
montana ligman
Education
Ph.D. Ocean Engineering, ongoing. Texas A&M University, USA.
B.Sc. Ocean engineering, 2021. University of Rhode Island, Kingstown, RI, USA
E.I.T, passed FE Exam 8/2021
Experience
2022- Present: Teaching Assistant, Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University, College Station (Principles of Naval Architecture, Hydrodynamics)
2025-present: Graduate Assistant Lecturer Underwater Acoustics for Ocean Engineers, Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University, College Station
2021 Cummins& Cederberg, Miami, FL, Engineering Intern
2019-2021 Clarke Valve, North Kingstown, RI, USA
Research Interests
Biomimetics, hydrodynamics, robotics
AndreW Deng
Education
Ph.D Ocean Engineering, ongoing. Texas A&M University
B.Sc. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University
Experience
2023-current: Graduate Assistant – Research, Ocean Engineering, Texas A&M University USA
Summer 2024: Research Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan
Research Interests
Naval Architecture, High Speed Craft, Collision Avoidance, Maritime Safety
Yijun “Alex” Sun
Education
Ph.D. Ocean Engineering, ongoing. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
M.Sc. Ocean Engineering, 2022. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
B.Sc. Environmental Geoscience, 2020. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
Experience
2025-2026: Graduate Assistant – Research, Ocean Engineering. Texas A&M University, USA
2024-2025: Graduate Assistant – Teaching, Ocean Engineering. Texas A&M University, USA
2023-2024: Graduate Assistant – Research, Ocean Engineering. Texas A&M University, USA
2022-2023: Graduate Assistant – Teaching, Ocean Engineering. Texas A&M University, USA
2019-2020: Research Assistant – Intern, Oceanography. Texas A&M University, USA
2017-2019: Research Assistant – Intern, Geotechnical and Environmental Research Group. Texas A&M University, USA
Research Interests
Ship maneuvering, control, and optimization; naval architecture; computational fluid dynamics; marine safety; machine learning
bryce neill
Education
Ph.D. Ocean Engineering, ongoing. Texas A&M University, USA.
B.Sc. Ocean Engineering, 2025. Texas A&M University, USA.
Experience
2023: Research Assistant, Ocean Engineering, Texas A&M University, USA
2025-2026: Graduate Assistant – Teaching, Ocean Engineering, Texas A&M University, USA
Research Interests
Ocean robotics (control, instrumentation, underwater communication)
Megan Hinks
Education
M.Sc. Ocean Engineering, expected May 2026. Texas A&M University, USA.
B.Sc. Ocean Engineering, 2024. Texas A&M University, USA.
Experience
2025: The Japan Society for Promotion of Science Summer Fellow
2026 – current: Research Assistant. Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University, USA.
2024 – 2025: Teaching Assistant. Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Summer 2025: Research Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan
Summer 2024: Energy Water Systems Integration- R&D Intern. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
2023 – 2024: Undergraduate Researcher. Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University, USA.
2023 – 2024: Undergraduate Teaching Assistant. Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University, USA.
Research Interests
Marine renewable energy, wave energy conversion, hydrodynamics, hindcasting
Benjamin wolpo
Education
M.E. Ocean Engineering, ongoing. Texas A&M University, USA.
B.Sc. Ocean Engineering, 2025. Texas A&M University, USA.
Experience
2025 - present Teaching Assistant Department of Ocean Engineering, Texas A&M University, USA.
Summer 2026 Shearer Group, Houston, Summer Intern,
2025 Austal USA, Mobile, AL, Naval Architecture Intern
2024 NAVSEA NSWC Carderock Division, Bethesda, MD, NREIP Intern CISD
Research Interests
Naval Architecture, High Speed Craft
UNDERGRADUATES
Colin Cavnar
Education
B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2026. Texas A&M University, United States
Experience
2025-present: Student Technician, Texas A&M Offshore Technology Research Center
2025 – present: Undergraduate Teaching Assistant. Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University, USA.
2024- present: Vice President (2025-present), Officer (2024-2025), Mentorship in Ocean Engineering (MOE) ,Texas A&M University.
2023-present: Team Captain (2025-present), Hull Construction & Design Team Lead (2024-2025), Hull Construction Team Member (2023-2024), Texas A&M Human Powered Submarine Team, Texas A&M University.
Research Interests
High Speed Craft
Mitchell Nowlin
Education
B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2028. Texas A&M University, United States
Experience
2025-present: Hull Construction Team Lead (2026-present), Hull Construction Team Member (2025-2026), Texas A&M Human Powered Submarine Team, Texas A&M University.
Research Interests
Naval Architecture
Kait tetrault
Education
B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2027. Texas A&M University
Experience
2026-present: President, Naval Design Team, Texas A&M University
2026 Undergraduate Summer Research Program, College of Engineering at Texas A&M University.
2025-2026: Team Lead , Texas A&M Human Powered Submarine Team, Texas A&M University.
Research Interests
Marine Robotics, High Speed Craft
Nevin McKay
Education
B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2028. Texas A&M University
Experience
2025-present: Role, Texas A&M electric Boat Team, Texas A&M University.
Research Interests
Naval Architecture, hull design, propulsion and propellers
Edwin Tan
Education
B.S. Computer Science, 202X. Texas A&M University
Experience
Summer 2025: Transcore, Albuquerque - Summer Intern
2026 Undergraduate Summer Research Program, College of Engineering at Texas A&M University.
Research Interests
Autonomous vessels
Collaborators
Dr. Nick Townsend (website)
Alumni
Bella Barter (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2025. Texas A&M University)
Samuel Hernandez (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2025. Texas A&M University)
Jack Reed (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2025. Texas A&M University)
William Batagower (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2025. Texas A&M University)
Samuel Dorell (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2024. Texas A&M University)
Cameron Ybarbo (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2024. Texas A&M University)
Patrick O'Rear (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2025. Texas A&M University)
Matthew Young (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University)
Harlan Gabriel (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University)
Chris Keeter (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University)
David Henry (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2024. Texas A&M University)
Nathan Graham (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University)
Ben McKeig (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University)
Cameron Victor (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2022. Texas A&M University)
Jackson Wicker (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University)
Jared Richardson (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2022. Texas A&M University)
Kevin Yang (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2022. Texas A&M University)
Rory Sunderland (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University)
John Cipriano (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University)
James Frizzell (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2022. Texas A&M University)
David Moulton (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2022. Texas A&M University)
Tariq Chagouri (B.S. Engineering Qatar Campus, 2022. Texas A&M University)
Joshua Lund (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2023. Texas A&M University)
Jordan Blechman (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2022. Texas A&M University)
William McCullough (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2022. Texas A&M University)
Vian Van Rensburg (B.S. Electrical Engineering, 2022. Texas A&M University)
Abigail Rolen (B.S. Aerospace Engineering, 2021. Texas A&M University)
Jack Stason (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2021. Texas A&M University)
Ian Vrooman (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2021. Texas A&M University)
Amelia Knapp (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2021. Texas A&M University)
Jack Bonoli (Stevens B.E. Naval Engineering 2022)
Itzel Rodriguez (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2021, M.S. Ocean Engineering, 202X, Texas A&M University)
Forrest Hartman (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2021. Texas A&M University)
Colton Bonnaure (B.S. Ocean Engineering, 2021. Texas A&M University)
Julian Fraize (Stevens M.E. Ocean Engineering 2019, Stevens B.E. Naval Engineering 2018)
Luca Castaldi (KTH M.Sc. Vehicle Engineering 2019, DTU M.Sc. Maritime Engineering 2019)
Fran Osmak (KTH M.Sc. Vehicle Engineering 2019, DTU M.Sc. Maritime Engineering 2019)
Fanny Ekman (KTH M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering 2019)
Bogdan Molchanov (KTH M.Sc. Vehicle Engineering 2019, Aalto University M.Sc. Maritime Engineering 2019)
Svante Lundmark (KTH M.Sc Mechanical Engineering 2019)
Max Milone (Stevens B.E. Electrical Engineering, 2022)
Dylan Walsh (Stevens B.E. Civil Engineering, 2020)
Chiara Weilgosz (KTH M.Sc Vehicle Engineering 2018)
Karine Jansen (Stevens M.E. Ocean Engineering 2018)