Land and Water Studies

Ocean and Climate Initiatives at Scale

person draws sample water from a sizeable river with a long poleScholarship in water justice and soil dynamics moves toward regional initiatives for restoration and enhancement. For decades, the NOAA-funded Marine Optical BuoY has provided the key data needed for satellite color calibration. Impactful transportation and urban planning solutions, as well as initiatives for revitalization water bodies and land formations are assessed and approved for global adoption. Below is a rotating selection of our standout investigators in these areas. 

   鈼�
   鈼� Related Strength: Public Policy
   鈼� Related Strength: Transportation and Urban Planning

Selected Publications

Beresford, M. (2024). "." Water Security 21.

Blisniuk, K., et al. (2021). , Science Advances 7(13).

Connolly, T. (2025). . Journal of Physical Oceanography, 55.

Gabet, E. (2022). . Geological Society of America Bulletin, 134(3-4).

Godara, A., Kao, K. C. (2021). . Microbial Cell Factories 20(1).

Mehran, A., et al. (2017). .  Scientific reports 7(1).

Award Highlights

Beresford, "CAREER: Moral Economies in Water Markets: Implications for Understanding Human Responses to Water Insecurity." 鈥� NSF, 2022

Feinholz, Yarbrough, Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY) Calibration and Operations 鈥� University of Miami, continued

Kao, 鈥淎daptive Evolution of Candida Biofilms鈥� 鈥� National Institutes of Health, 2022

Madden, Blisniuk, "Enhancing Research and Education in High Resolution Active Remote Sensing Technology and Landscape Modeling" 鈥� DoD, 2025

Affiliates

Featured Faculty

beresfordMelissa Beresford
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Water Insecurity, Social Infrastructure, Climate Change Adaptation, Research Methods
ORCID: 0000-0002-5707-3943

blisniuk
Professor of Geology
Earthquake Geology and Quaternary Landscape Evolution
ORCID: 0000-0002-0021-0062

bogieNathaniel Bogie
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Hydrology, Soil Science, Agroecology, Biogeochemistry
ORCID: 0000-0001-6069-4065

connolly
Associate Professor, Moss Landing Marine Labs
Physical Oceanography, Coastal Dynamics, Ocean Currents, Field Observations, Modeling, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
ORCID: 0000-0002-2159-5918

gabet
Professor of Geology
Sierra Nevada, Landscape Evolution, Coastal Erosion, Nepal, Rivers, Dams, Landslides, Debris Flows, Fires
ORCID: 0000-0002-7206-6821

kao
Professor of Chemical and Materials Engineering
Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, Metabolic Engineering, Biomanufacturing, Microbial Strain Development, Human Health, Human Fungal Pathogens
ORCID: 0000-0002-1184-276X

madden
Assistant Professor of Geology
Earthquake, Seismic Hazard, Bay Area Tectonics, Fault Mechanics
ORCID: 0000-0002-6753-6788

mehran
Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Environmental Remote Sensing, Hydrology, Drought, Climate Change, Machine Learning
ORCID: 0000-0002-4187-5669

yarbroughMark Yarbrough
Principal Investigator, Marine Optical BuoY (MOBY)
Oceanographic Instrumentation: Mechanical, Electrical and Electronic Design, Construction and Operation


Potential collaborators and members of the media may contact us at officeofresearch@sjsu.edu.