M Reza Hashemi

  • Associate Professor of Ocean Engineering, joint appointment with GSO
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Phone: 401.874.6217
  • Email: reza_hashemi@uri.edu
  • Office Location: 212 Sheets Building
  • Website

Biography

My main research theme is ocean physics, mostly related to ocean renewable energy (tides and waves), climate change, and coastal problems (e.g. flooding and erosion). I use a combination of numerical models and observational techniques (i.e. ship-based or satellite-based data) to study ocean physics. I am interested in mathematical and numerical modeling of waves, and free surface flow from watersheds to coasts. I also work on sediment transport under the action of waves and currents. Another branch of my research concerns with numerical modeling of flow in the vicinity of structures. I apply new and powerful numerical techniques such as Differential Quadrature Method, Radial Basis Function Based Meshless methods (Multiquadric and RBF-DQ) and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) to model the flow field. I also use open source structured/unstructured ocean/wave models such as ROMS, TELEMAC, SWAN and ADCIRC in my research.

Research

Coastal Resilience

Ocean Renewable Energy

Hydrology and Hydraulics

To reduce environmental impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, and to aid sustainable development, there is a need to support low carbon technologies, especially from renewable sources. The ocean is a vast and largely untapped energy resource, which can potentially supply the global electricity demand. Therefore, an emerging field of marine renewable energy industry has initiated, and such expertise is increasingly on demand. Recently, a coordinated strategy for developing interdisciplinary ocean renewable energy program at URI has been formed to promote research and education in this area.

Education

Ph.D. Oceanography, 2014, Bangor University (of Wales); Ph.D. Civil/Hydraulic Engineering, 2006, Shiraz University

M.S. Civil Engineering, 1999, Shiraz University; B.S. Civil Engineering, 1997, Shiraz University.

Selected Publications