Thomas Wahl

Thomas Wahl is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering at the University of Central Florida (UCF), within the College of Engineering and Computer Science. He leads the Coastal Risks and Engineering (CoRE) Lab and is a key member of the UCF Coastal Systems Faculty Cluster, focusing on climate-driven coastal hazards.

Education:

• Diploma in Civil Engineering, University of Siegen, Germany
• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, University of Siegen, Germany (2012)

His research centers on coastal flood risk, sea level rise, storm surges, and compound climate extremes. He investigates how multiple hazards—such as high tides, storm surges, rainfall, and river discharge—interact to create extreme flooding, especially under climate change. His work aims to develop actionable science for coastal resilience and adaptation planning.

The recent publications (2022–2023) highlight a strong trend in analyzing compound flooding, sea-level extremes, and their socio-environmental impacts across the U.S., China, Europe, and global coasts. His research integrates observational data, climate modeling, and multivariate statistics to assess current and future risks.

Scientific Awards:

• Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize, ASCE (2023)
• NSF CAREER Award (2022)
• Early Career Scientist Medal, IAPSO (2021)
• Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award, EGU (2018)
• NASA Early Career Investigator Award (2018)

Wahl advises graduate students and leads a dynamic research group in the Coastal Risks and Engineering (CoRE) Lab, which studies extreme sea levels, compound events, and coastal risk modeling. His research is supported by major grants from NSF, NASA, and other federal agencies. He has collaborated extensively with institutions including the University of South Florida, University of Southampton, and international climate research centers.