As a father of two, soon to be three, husband and a Naval Officer in the Civil Engineer Corps, Patrick Daniele was a little reluctant to return to a college campus after over a decade without traditional classroom learning. Originally from Saddle Brook, New Jersey, he grew up as a first generation American then spent more than a decade traveling around the world with the Navy doing construction and other engineering activities across the globe.
Daniele completed his undergraduate degree at the University of New Haven extra curriculars including lacrosse team, student affairs, working in facilities, orientations, residential life and more. “That experience was amazing and I was a little nervous to return to a college campus after so many years,” said Daniele. He most recently lived in Italy working at NATO when the opportunity to attend URI came about. “As an active-duty Naval officer, I was honored to be selected for prestigious opportunity through the Civil Engineering Corps to obtain a master’s degree in ocean engineering.”
“It’s been amazing,” said Daniele. “The staff and faculty here, particularly professors Abbas, Bradshaw and Baxter, have been great as well as the community and classmates I’ve had around me. My toddlers have been seen on campus with me as well helping.”
Daniele conducted geophysics research in assistant professor Aser Abbas’ lab. He did not plan on doing a thesis but changed his mind five days before the submittal deadline and now his thesis will be published in a geophysics journal. “That is pretty neat,” said Daniele. “I’ve never been much of a writer, but now with my work with Dr. Abbas, I’ll a published author for my work on geophysics. That is a personal success that I’ll never forget.”
Patrick’s research addresses a critical problem in seismic hazard analysis. His thesis, titled “Assessment of Local Amplification Causes at Coastal Strong-Motion Stations with Elevated Ground-Motion Residuals from the 2024 Tewksbury, New Jersey Earthquake,” represents combination of rigorous field experimentation, advanced data analysis, and impactful contributions to earthquake hazard assessment. “What distinguishes Patrick’s work is not only the scientific significance of the problem but also the exceptional level of independence and dedication he demonstrated throughout the project,” said assistant professor Aser Abbas. “Beyond his outstanding fieldwork, Patrick demonstrated great analytical skills in processing and interpreting the collected data. Equally important, Patrick has been an outstanding colleague within our research group. He has generously supported other graduate students.”
Upon completion of his master’s in ocean engineering, Daniele will be rejoining the fleet and relocating to another part of the Northeast. “While my time at URI was demanding, balancing graduate studies with the responsibilities of raising two young toddlers, I deeply valued the opportunity to complete my master’s degree. My twelve years of Naval service, particularly my overseas and international assignments, enriched my academic experience and allowed me to contribute a unique perspective to my courses and collaborate meaningfully with colleagues.”
If he can give any incoming student one bit of advice it’d be to take the class that seems like it’s over your head because that’s where you’ll learn the most.