Oklahoma Water

Resources Center

Oklahoma State Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering is hosting Dr. Gabriel Perez, assistant professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Oklahoma State University, as a BAE seminar speaker on Thursday, Oct. 31, 3:00-4:00 pm, 105 Ag Hall. Please mark your calendars!

 

Presentation title: Navigating Future Floods: Cutting-Edge Models for Predicting Extreme Flood Events

 

Abstract: The evolving interplay between changing atmospheric patterns, land use, and new hydrological conditions is fundamentally altering the frequency and magnitude of extreme flood events. These shifts demand innovative modeling strategies to address the grand challenge of enhancing flood resilience in a warming climate. This seminar will introduce two pivotal advancements in flood modeling. First, we introduce a novel model: the Directional Unit Hydrograph. This model provides a powerful tool for analyzing how shifts in storm trajectories influence flood dynamics across various watershed scales and geometries. Second, we present an advanced framework for process-based flood frequency analysis at the basin scale. This framework leverages state-of-the-art distributed surface-subsurface hydrological models coupled with storm generators. Together, these two advancements represent a significant leap in our ability to predict and mitigate the impacts of extreme floods, ultimately contributing to more resilient infrastructure and communities in the face of unprecedented climate variability.

 

Bio: Dr. Gabriel Perez joined the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Oklahoma State University as an Assistant Professor in August 2024. His research focuses on hydroclimate extremes, process-based modeling of hydrologic processes, extreme event statistics, hydro-geomorphological analysis, and flood risk management. Dr. Perez's expertise extends to high-performance computing, hydroclimate impact assessment, flood frequency analysis, remote sensing, machine learning, groundwater modeling, and hyporheic exchange modeling. Before joining OSU, Dr. Perez served as a postdoctoral researcher at both Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Vanderbilt University. He holds a Ph.D. in Hydraulics and Water Resources from the University of Iowa, an M.S. in Water Resources Engineering, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the National University of Colombia at Medellin.

 

Refreshments will be provided. Please join us if you are around and available and feel free to spread the word. Graduate students are encouraged to attend this event and interact with our speaker during his visit.