Mississippi Sound & Bight · 30.3°N 89.0°W Ph.D. Researcher · University of Southern Mississippi

Coastal scientist working as a
hydrodynamic modeler machine-learning surrogate builder climate trend analyst field oceanographer teaching assistant & mentor Marine Science Scholar Fellow

I model how freshwater from the Bonnet Carré Spillway reshapes salinity, circulation and oyster habitat in the Mississippi Sound, then train explainable AI surrogates that answer in seconds what a supercomputer takes days to simulate.

Explore the research Publications & talks Get in touch
Salinity · PSUfreshwater pulse
010203035
FreshSalty
clickthe water to release a freshwater pulse and watch it follow the currents.
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18
publications, talks & posters since 2022
0.99r
peak surrogate–ocean model correlation on unseen scenarios
2.9TB
model output per simulated year, compressed into ML in seconds
24
Gulf of Mexico WW3 stations in the wave climatology study
42
undergraduates taught across three lab sections
#1
in Civil Engineering and the College of Engineering, Uludağ (2021)
Parallel threads

Many currents,
one researcher

Each column is a year. Each colored block is a line of work running that year, so taller columns mean more in parallel. Pick a year, or press play, to see what was happening at the same time.

Parallel lines of work per year
2026
8 lines of workrunning in parallel
Research

Four questions
about moving water

The work connects river operations to coastal ecosystems: what a freshwater diversion does to the estuary, how quickly we can predict it, how the climate around it is shifting, and what it means for oysters.

01 · Hydrodynamics

Bonnet Carré Spillway & the Mississippi Sound

I build and run the msbCOAWST modeling framework (COAWST/ROMS) to evaluate how freshwater diversions from the Mississippi River alter salinity, circulation and recovery time across the Mississippi Sound and Bight. Scenario experiments replay the 2018–2020 openings and test hypothetical operations: changed timing, modified discharge thresholds, and removing or shortening the record 2019 double opening.

Funded through USCRP, USACE ERDC and GOMESA. I prepared the physical modeling contribution to the completed USCRP project final report with Dr. Mustafa Kemal Cambazoglu.

COAWSTROMSSWANHPCTwin experimentsScenario design
Openings simulated
2018
1 opening
2019
2 openings · record year
2020
1 opening
JanMarMayJulSepNov
Schematic · approximate timing of spillway openings
02 · Machine learning & XAI

Surrogates that think in seconds

With Tulane University (Dr. Omer Mermer, Prof. Ibrahim Demir), I train XGBoost, Gradient Boosting and Random Forest surrogates on eight msbCOAWST simulations to predict salinity in the Western Mississippi Sound. On unseen scenarios they track the ocean model at r = 0.97–0.99.

SHAP explanations show what drives the response: chiefly spillway discharge over the preceding 30–60 days and time since the last opening. The next step turns this into near-real-time mitigation planning and an early-warning framework for freshwater-diversion decisions.

XGBoostSHAPGradient BoostingRandom ForestDecision supportCSC 648 Deep Learning
Time to answer one operational question
Ocean model (msbCOAWST on HPC)0.0 days
ML surrogate0.0 s
0.97–0.99correlation with ocean model
~2.9 TBoutput per simulated year
Illustrative race · days vs. seconds
03 · Climate & trend analysis

Reading change in waves, wind & rivers

Multi-scale trend analysis of wind-wave climatology across 24 Gulf of Mexico stations from WAVEWATCH III output, published in Ocean Engineering (2026). Parallel work tracks seasonal to decadal discharge trends in the Mississippi and Pearl Rivers using Mann–Kendall and Innovative Polygon Trend Analysis (IPTA).

This line began in Türkiye with precipitation trends in the northwest (Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 2023) and Susurluk Basin flows, and was sharpened by advanced time-series training in spectral, wavelet and multitaper methods.

WAVEWATCH IIIIPTAMann–KendallWaveletsUSGS gauges
Ornamental · layered wave signals
04 · Ecosystems

Oyster habitat under shifting salinity

Hydrodynamic outputs feed a Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) to show how spillway operations and riverine inflow change where oysters can thrive in the Mississippi Sound. Presented at GulfCon26, and grounded by summer 2026 fieldwork on the USM-ERDC Oyster Lease Project.

Co-authored work with fisheries ecologists extends the model outputs to species distribution shifts (MaxEnt) for fish and shellfish under alternative operations.

HSIMaxEntFisheries couplingArcGIS / QGIS
Illustration · oysters over a habitat suitability grid
Experience

Research &
teaching

Four years as a full-time graduate researcher on a federally funded modeling project, a fellowship year ahead, three lab sections taught, and a national research internship before that.

2022– present

Ph.D. Researcher / Graduate Research Assistant

University of Southern Mississippi · Division of Marine Science · Advisor: Dr. Mustafa Kemal Cambazoglu
  • Full-time researcher (2022–2025) on a USCRP / USACE ERDC-funded project building the msbCOAWST framework to evaluate freshwater diversion impacts on salinity, circulation and ecosystem response.
  • Continuing as a Ph.D. researcher supported by the 2026–2027 Marine Science Scholar Fellowship.
  • Design scenario-based simulations of Bonnet Carré Spillway operations; prepare figures, papers and conference materials.
  • Develop interpretable ML surrogates (XGBoost, Gradient Boosting, Random Forest + SHAP) emulating msbCOAWST salinity response, with Tulane University.
More
  • Prepared the physical modeling contribution to the completed USCRP project final report.
  • Collaborate with interdisciplinary ecology and fisheries modeling teams.
  • Contributed to model development across related USM physical modeling projects.
Miss DeltaTipping PointsWave-Wind WorksUSCRPUSACE ERDCGOMESATulane University
Spring2026 · 33 students

Teaching Assistant · MAR 151L H001 & H002

Introduction to Ocean Science Lab · University of Southern Mississippi
  • Co-delivered weekly labs for two honors sections on salinity gradients, wave and tide dynamics, ocean currents, plate tectonics and marine ecosystems.
  • Prepared instructional materials, led group discussions and graded student work.
Fall2025 · 9 students

Teaching Assistant · MAR 300L

Marine Science I Lab · University of Southern Mississippi
  • Ran weekly labs across physical, chemical and geological oceanography: CTD profiling, turbidity current modeling, spectrophotometry and estuarine salt budget analysis.
  • Maintained lab logistics, reviewed student work and encouraged inquiry-driven, collaborative learning.
2021Türkiye

Research Intern · TÜBİTAK

Hydraulic Engineering & Environmental Systems · national, highly selective internship
  • Contributed to hydraulic and hydrologic modeling projects.
  • Performed trend analyses of hydroclimatic datasets.
  • Assisted with technical reporting and research documentation.
Publications

Papers, talks
& posters

Journal articles, proceedings and presentations at AGU, AMS, Ocean Sciences, ICCE, CERF, AFS, GulfCon and Bays & Bayous. Links open the paper, abstract or slides.

In the pipeline

Manuscripts
in preparation

Six first-author manuscripts linking hydrodynamic modeling, machine learning, climate trends and ecosystem response in the northern Gulf.

Manuscript
AnalysisDraftingProofreadingSubmission
Field experience

Boots wet,
data in hand

Models are only as good as the water they describe. Field campaigns from research cruises to river sampling keep the work grounded.

SUMMER 2026 · MISSISSIPPI SOUND

USM-ERDC Oyster Lease Project

Seasonal field sampling and environmental monitoring under Dr. Scott Milroy; contributed hydrodynamic modeling expertise to the integrated assessment of oyster habitat under varying freshwater inflow.

2023–2024 · LOUISIANA

Pearl River Monitoring Campaign

Seasonal sampling in the East and West Pearl Rivers, collecting water quality and hydrological data on freshwater inflow variability and estuarine response.

2023 · STENNIS SPACE CENTER

Hydrographic Survey Training

Technical training in autonomous hydrographic survey technologies, including UUV, AUV and UAV mapping systems for environmental monitoring and coastal data collection.

2022 · GULF OF MEXICO

R/V Jim Franks Research Cruise

Multidisciplinary cruise with CTD profiling and water-column measurements across the Mississippi Sound, supporting graduate-level field training.

Education

From civil engineering
to marine science

Hydraulics, open-channel flow and hydrology in Türkiye; coastal ocean modeling and AI in Mississippi.

AUG 2022 – PRESENT

Ph.D. in Marine Science (transitioned from M.S.)

University of Southern Mississippi · School of Ocean Science & Engineering

Dissertation: Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Impacts of Bonnet Carré Spillway Operations in the Mississippi Sound and Bight, conducted jointly with Tulane University. Fall 2026 coursework: CSC 648 Deep Learning.

3.93 / 4.00
2018 – 2021

B.S. in Civil Engineering

Uludağ University · College of Engineering
  • Ranked 1st in department and in the College of Engineering
  • Top 3 university-wide, High Honor Graduate
  • Commencement speaker, 2021
3.88 / 4.00
2021 – 2022

M.S. Coursework, Civil Engineering (Hydraulic Sciences)

Uludağ University
4.00 / 4.00
2019 – 2021

Undergraduate Studies, Industrial Engineering

Uludağ University · taken alongside Civil Engineering
2016 – 2017

Undergraduate Studies, Civil Engineering

Bursa Technical University
3.85 / 4.00
Awards & honors

Recognition
& funding

2026–27

Marine Science Scholar Fellowship

Selected by faculty vote of the USM Division of Marine Science. One full academic year of funding recognizing research productivity, scholarly impact and commitment to coastal resilience research.

2026

USM Graduate Competitive Travel Award pending

To present ML surrogate research at Bays and Bayous 2027, Mobile, AL.

2026

Graduate Student Travel Award, College of Arts & Sciences pending

To present AI-driven surrogate modeling at State of the Coast 2027, New Orleans.

2026

Certified in Research Ethics & Open Science

BE GREAT Program (NSF-supported), University of Southern Mississippi.

2025

AMS Student Presenter Travel Award

American Meteorological Society, for river discharge variability research at the AMS Annual Meeting.

2024

Graduate Student Travel Award

USM College of Arts & Sciences, for Bonnet Carré Spillway modeling research.

2023

IEEE Ocean Engineering Society Travel Award

Supporting attendance at the OCEANS 2023 Gulf Coast conference.

2022–25

USCRP / GOMESA Graduate Research Funding

U.S. Coastal Research Program and Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act support for spillway impact research.

2022–25

USACE ERDC Project Support

Collaboration with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center on diversion impacts in the Mississippi Bight.

2021

High Honor Graduate, Uludağ University

1st in Civil Engineering and 1st in the College of Engineering.

Leadership & outreach

Giving back
to the community

Leadership & service

2024 – PRESENTVice President, IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society · USM Student Branch Chapter

Coordinate technical activities and professional development; promote engagement in marine technology and ocean engineering.

2023 – 2024Student Representative, USM Environmental Sustainability Committee

Represented graduate students in campus sustainability initiatives.

2019 – 2021Student Representative, College of Engineering · Uludağ University

Represented the student body in college meetings and program discussions.

Outreach & mentoring

2025 – PRESENTResearch Mentor, GenSea Marine Science Program · USM

Mentor high school interns on research projects built from my thesis model outputs: data interpretation, reasoning and communication.

2023, 2024Graduate Orientation Volunteer, Student Oceanographic Society

Welcomed and guided incoming graduate students at the Division of Marine Science.

2023STEM NOLA Volunteer

Hands-on STEM demonstrations introducing K–12 students to marine science.

Toolkit

Technical skills

Modeling

COAWSTROMSSWANWAVEWATCH III

Programming

PythonMATLABRFortran

ML & AI

XGBoostGradient BoostingRandom ForestSHAP / XAIDeep learning

Geospatial & data

ArcGISQGISHPCTime-series analysisVisualization

Field methods

CTD profilingSediment samplingHydrographic surveyEnvironmental monitoring
Workshop · July–August 2024

Advanced Time Series Analysis in Ocean and Atmospheric Science

Planetary Science Institute (virtual) · Instructor: Dr. Jonathan M. Lilly

Two-week graduate-level intensive on spectral analysis, wavelet transforms, multitaper methods and stochastic process modeling in Python and MATLAB, applied directly to my wind-wave climatology and river discharge trend research.

Contact

Let's talk
coastal resilience.

Open to collaborations on estuarine modeling, ML surrogates for environmental decision support, and coastal trend analysis.

AliEmre.Koruk@usm.edu
aekoruk@gmail.com
+1 (504) 494-2348
Google Scholar LinkedIn ResearchGate ORCID 0000-0002-8736-096X