April 27, 2026 Our new paper, “The State of Knowledge for Engineering with Nature: Vegetation as Wave Buffer,” has been published in Coastal Engineering. It was great to collaborate with colleagues from other institutions on this work! Read the paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2026.105033

April 20, 2026 Undergraduate researcher Katie Aaronson presented a poster at the Undergraduate Research Showcase during E-Week 2026! Presentation title: Creation and Characterization on Model Rhizophora stylosa Mangrove Trees from LiDAR Scans We thank the URI College of Engineering for supporting undergraduate research opportunities!

April 16, 2026 Ramin Safari presented his research on wave–vegetation interactions in the Ocean Engineering Seminar, sharing the latest results from large-scale experiments on how real mangroves affect wave dynamics. Great job, Ramin! 👏 🌊🌳

March 28, 2026 Lab members (Dr. Chang, faculty representative; Kitara Pottebaum, student ambassador; Ramin Safari, volunteer) joined URI Welcome Day to represent the Ocean Engineering Department. We spoke with prospective students and their families and showed them the beautiful Bay Campus and planned OE facilities. Hope to see some of them again in the future!

March 6, 2026 Our new paper, “Investigation of Wave Attenuation by Rhizophora apiculata Mangroves: Coupled Laboratory Experiments and Boussinesq Modeling,” has been published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans. This study investigates wave attenuation by Rhizophora apiculata mangroves through a combination of laboratory experiments and numerical modeling. A new vegetation module was developed within a […]

We’re excited to have Calli join the group. Welcome to the team!

January 26, 2026 Dr. Chang was interviewed in The Boston Globe’s “Innovators Q&A,” where he discussed his research on coastal resilience, nature-based solutions, and his recently funded project. 👉 Read the full story: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/26/metro/ri-innovator-shoreline-seawall-plants/?event=event12

December 17, 2025 Dr. Chang presented recent progress in laboratory studies of wave-induced forces on mangroves at AGU 2025 (New Orleans, LA). Session:Ecohydraulics and Ecomorphodynamics: Biophysical Interactions in Natural and Engineered Aquatic Systems Presentation title:“Wave-Induced Forces on Vegetation: Large-Scale Flume Experiments with a Real Mangrove Tree” It was a great opportunity to exchange ideas and […]