Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering

Holmes Hall 402
2540 Dole Street
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7572
Fax: (808) 956-3498
Email: adminore@hawaii.edu, oredept@hawaii.edu
Web: www.soest.hawaii.edu/ore/

Faculty

*Z. Huang, PhD (Chair)—coastal and ocean engineering, wavestructure interactions, wave energy conversion, natural hazardstsunamis, coastal sediment transport, coral reef hydrodynamics
*K. F. Cheung, PhD (Graduate Chair)—coastal and offshore engineering, marine hydrodynamics, computational methods, water wave mechanics, coastal flood hazards
*E. D. Gedikli, PhD—marine structures, structural dynamics, hydrodynamics, fluid-structure interaction
*B. M. Howe, PhD—acoustical and physical oceanography, tomography, sensors and network infrastructure
*M. Krieg, PhD—marine robotics, autonomous vehicles, unconventional propulsion, biomimicry analysis
*E. Nosal, PhD—passive acoustic monitoring methods, ocean ambient noise, sediment acoustics, bioacoustics
*C. Pagniello, PhD—ocean instrumentation, passive acoustic monitoring, movement ecology, oceanography, conservation technology, marine bioacoustics, sensors, signal processing, data science, oceanographic engineering
*J. Stopa, PhD—marine forecasting/hindcasting, data analysis applications in geophysical datasets, oceanic remote sensing, spectral wave models, wind and wave climate
*Y. Yamazaki, PhD—computational methods, coastal flood hazards

Cooperating Graduate Faculty

M. Chyba, PhD—control theory
P. Cross, PhD—wave energy
O. P. Francis, PhD—coastal engineering
R. Ghorbani, PhD—dynamics, controls, design, alternative energy
B. Glazer, PhD—instrumentation
J. Yu, PhD—marine bioproducts engineering

Affiliate Graduate Faculty

*E. Briggs, PhD—autonomous instrumentation, chemical sensors, oceanographic monitoring
*R. C. Ertekin, PhD—offshore engineering, hydrodynamics
*K. Gemba, PhD—underwater acoustics, oceanography, sound propagation, acoustic communication, signal processing, sparse Bayesian learning, Kauai Beacon source, tomography, MLS, m-sequences
*B. D. Greeson, PhD—offshore engineering, hydrodynamics, ROV/ submersible operations
*B. Jones, PhD—oceanography
*N. Li, PhD—numerical wave modeling, coastal inundation hazards, marine renewable energy, climate change adaptation
*E. Pawlak, PhD—coastal mixing processes, fluid dynamics, sediment transport
*D. A. Smith, PhD—near-shore processes and coastal engineering
*J. R. Smith, PhD—marine survey
*D. Vithanage, PhD—coastal engineering, nearshore circulation

* Graduate Faculty

The Academic Program

Ocean and Resources Engineering (ORE) is the application of ocean science and engineering design to the challenging conditions found in the ocean environment and to the synthesis of novel products from marine systems. Waves and currents, turbulence, dynamic loads, mobile sediment, high pressure and temperature variations, ocean acoustics, marine instrumentation, as well as chemical and biological processes, are among the considerations that set ocean and resources engineering apart from conventional land-based engineering.

Educational and research emphasis in ORE is placed on coastal, offshore, ocean resources, and oceanographic engineering. Coastal engineering deals with coastal and harbor problems, sediment transport, near-shore environmental engineering, and coastal flood hazards. Offshore engineering is concerned with structures and systems used in the deeper parts of the ocean and includes hydrodynamics of fluid-body interaction, sea-keeping and dynamic responses of ships and platforms, and hydro-elasticity of floating structures. Ocean resources engineering considers the engineering systems needed to develop the ocean’s energy, mineral, and living resources, and the environmental and economic aspects of such activities. Oceanographic engineering involves the design, operation, and maintenance of the mechanical, electrical, and computing technology and instrumentation that supports oceanographic and marine operations.

The Kilo Nalu Observatory (KNO) is located on the south shore of Oahu, east of downtown Honolulu and west of Waikiki and Ala Moana, just off Point Panic and Kakaako Park. KNO provides a window into the physical, biological and chemical environment of nearshore coral reefs, as well as data and power connections to a suite of observational instruments that resolve waves, tides, currents and nearshore water quality. The observatory is managed and maintained by ORE. It supports both ORE teaching (e. g., infrastructure and instrument development and data analysis) and for research projects (e. g., developing autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) docking, navigation and command and control; small scale wave energy converter prototype testing; and new sensor testing). KNO is a testbed for the deep water ALOHA Cabled Observatory.

The ALOHA Cabled Observatory (ACO) provides another avenue for ocean observations and ocean technology development. Since June 2011, the ACO has provided power, network communications and timing to instruments at a seafloor node 4728 m below the water surface, 100 km north of Oahu; it is the deepest power and Internet node on the planet. ACO is a prototypical example of a deep observatory system that uses a retired first-generation fiberoptic telecommunications cable. The cabled observatory system provides infrastructure for continuous, interactive ocean sampling enabling new measurements and new modes of ocean observing which integrate ship and cabled observations. Present sensors measure currents, pressure, temperature, and salinity, along with video and acoustics. Students are able to analyze data from the ACO for projects, design and fabricate new sensors for the system, and participate on service cruises with a state-of-the-art ROV. ACO uses KNO as a testbed.

The ORE department has two teaching laboratories. The HIG 151 lab has a 14m x 0.8m x 0.8m wave flume outfitted with a flap-type wave generator, a gantry system, and a wave measurement system; it also has two 3D printers and a small machine shop. This area is ideal for students to investigate wave dynamics and conduct experiments. The HIG 109 lab features a wave energy utilization test bench, a fabrication and testing area for wave energy prototype systems, a recirculating water tank and a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system for in-depth flow field analysis; this lab also houses a tensile machine for material testing, providing a comprehensive platform for ocean and renewable energy research. The department’s computer lab in the POST building has a network of PCs loaded with crucial engineering software tools such as OrcaFlex, Altair Simulation Packages (like Altair HyperMesh, Altair CFD, Altair Compose, and others), and Proteus DS.

ORE maintains research facilities at the UH Marine Center (at Pier 35 in Honolulu Harbor) for field work and in-ocean experiments. These facilities include a test tank, field research equipment and instrumentation (with machine shop support), as well as access to various ocean vessels. In addition to the larger ship, Kilo Moana, there is a 19-foot “Safe-boat” as well as local boats that can be hired as necessary. Field equipment includes SCUBA diving gear, acoustic current profilers, current meters, pressure sensors, wave gauges, anemometers, hydrophones, buoys, and mooring equipment. The UHMC also operates the remotely operated vehicle ROV Luʻukai, rated for 6,000 m. It is used to service the ACO, as well as for other research such as deep sea biology surveys for deep sea mining studies.

Statistics from the AY 2013 - AY 2023 graduates provide a clear picture of where ORE students are coming from and where they are heading to after graduation. Approximately 30% of students were from outside of the U.S., while 70% students were from the U.S. Out of the 70% students from the U.S., the statistics show that approximately 13% of students have Hawaiʻi ties (those who studied or worked in Hawaiʻi prior to enrollment) and 57% were recruited from other parts of the U.S

Statistics from AY 2013 - 2023 graduates show that after graduation, 37% found work in Hawaiʻi, 46% found work outside of Hawaiʻi, 5% continued studies in Hawaiʻi, and 12% found work internationally. All graduates obtained employment or continued their studies in ocean and resources engineering (or related fields).

Career opportunities for graduates in ocean and resources engineering exist in several areas. Approximately 40% of the graduates found work in private industry including consulting, environmental service, and construction firms in the U.S. About 25% of them joined, or continued their employment with federal agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers and the Navy. 17% found work within U.S. universities, and 13% graduates who went abroad found work in private industries and universities.

Graduate Study

Educational Objectives

The ORE program covers four disciplines of professional practice: coastal engineering, offshore engineering, ocean resources engineering, and oceanographic engineering. The Program Educational Objectives at the MS level are to produce graduates who, within a few years of graduation,

Can solve multidisciplinary problems by assimilating relevant information and applying mathematics, science, and engineering principles while adhering to industry and scientific standards and regulations;
Are proficient engineers translating client’s requirements and technical needs into solvable tasks and synthesizing solutions into actionable recommendations or engineering designs;
Have a broad understanding of the ocean and resources engineering disciplines as well as the changing needs and technologies in the industry;
Are highly proficient and ready to assume responsibility for tasks related to one or more of the ocean and resources engineering disciplines;
Can make informed decisions related to professional, ethical, managerial, economic, and other non-technical issues commonly encountered in engineering practice; and
Can communicate in written and verbal form and work effectively with peers, clients, and the public in conveying new ideas, products, or designs.

The program at the PhD level shares the objective of the MS program, with the added emphasis on producing graduates who:

Can conduct original research and developing new technology in ocean and resources engineering; and
Have the experience to publish in refereed journals

Since the Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering only offers graduate programs, a concomitant objective is to conduct research in support of education. The strong PhD program and the culturally diverse PhD student body expose the MS students to the latest research and development in an international setting.

Admission Requirements

Students are admitted for graduate study on the basis of their scholastic records. Candidates for the MS program usually have a bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline that provides an adequate background in mathematics, and mechanics. Students seeking admission to the PhD program should have an MS in engineering or equivalent qualification. Exceptionally well qualified students with a BS in engineering, who do not have a master’s degree, may petition to be admitted to the PhD program directly. Students with mathematics, physics, or other science backgrounds may be admitted to the program, but are required to take specific undergraduate engineering courses to satisfy the pre-program requirements.

Deadlines to submit applications for admission to the graduate programs are January 15 for fall semester admission and August 15 for spring semester admission. The ORE application checklist (available on the ORE website) lists all the forms and supporting documents that need to be submitted.

Detailed Graduate Division requirements and forms are available at www.manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/prospective-students/. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores are required from all non-native English speaking students.

Forms required by the department can be downloaded from the ORE admissions webpage at www.soest.hawaii.edu/ore/program/admission/:

supplemental information form
statement of objectives
letter of recommendation form
graduate assistantship application
GRE is not required but will be considered if submitted.

Once an application is complete, Graduate Division performs an initial screening to assure that admission requirements are satisfied. The Admission Committee and graduate chair then evaluate the application and determine the admissibility of the applicant to the ORE department.

Programs

Master’s

Ocean and Resources Engineering, MS

Doctorate

Ocean and Resources Engineering, PhD