Tetsu Hara

Dr. Tetsu Hara is a Professor at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography (URI GSO), specializing in Physical Oceanography. With a lifelong fascination for ocean surface waves, his research bridges civil engineering principles with ocean dynamics to study air-sea interactions under extreme conditions like hurricanes.

• Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1990
• M.S., Civil Engineering, University of Tokyo, 1986
• B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Tokyo, 1983

Dr. Hara's work focuses on ocean turbulence, wave dynamics, and their role in air-sea energy exchange. He investigates how surface waves influence hurricane intensity predictions, climate modeling, and coastal processes through numerical simulations and field observations. His research emphasizes the importance of sea state (wave height, wind-wave alignment) in determining heat fluxes, drag coefficients, and gas exchange rates critical for climate science.

His publications reveal trends in tropical cyclone modeling, Langmuir turbulence, and wave-current interactions. By combining satellite data with computational models, he explores discrepancies between wind strength and wave behavior, advancing understanding of ocean mixing mechanisms that impact climate change predictions.

Dr. Hara has received continuous National Science Foundation grants since 2003, including collaborative projects on hurricane modeling (2018-2020), wind-wave turbulence (2015-2020), and storm surge impacts (2016-present). He previously secured funding from the Office of Naval Research (2009-2012) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2016).

• Mentored 15+ graduate students in hurricane dynamics, wave modeling, and air-sea interaction
• Co-developed advanced courses on geophysical fluid dynamics and tropical cyclone modeling
• Collaborates closely with Dr. Isaac Ginis (URI GSO) and Dr. Tobias Kukulka (University of Delaware)