Michelle Hummel

Dr. Michelle Hummel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), specializing in water resources and coastal resilience. Her research integrates numerical modeling, statistical analysis, and geospatial tools to study coupled human-natural systems and climate-driven coastal hazards. She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and M.S./Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley.

Education Background:

• Ph.D., Civil Engineering (Environmental Engineering), UC Berkeley (2018)
• M.S., Civil Engineering (Environmental Engineering), UC Berkeley (2015)
• B.S., Civil Engineering, Case Western Reserve University (2014)

Research Interests: Focus on coastal hazards, sea-level rise, flood modeling, infrastructure resilience, and participatory adaptation strategies. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration to advance decision-making frameworks for vulnerable communities.

Grants & Awards: Over $12 million in federal funding from NSF, NOAA, DOE, and others. Notable recognitions include the 2025 Lawrence Stephens Award and multiple NSF grants for coastal resilience projects.

Advising: Mentored over 30 graduate students and postdocs in research areas spanning hydrology, urban planning, and environmental policy. Active in dissertation supervision and interdisciplinary teams.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Coastal Resilience Lab at UTA, collaborating on projects like the Coastal Bend Climate Resilience Center and smart city initiatives in Texas Gulf Coast communities.