OCEAN ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY TEAM

Aditya Nayak, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Ocean & Mechanical Engineering/HBOI
772-242-2427
anayak@fau.edu
CV

Aditya's research experience to date has led him to explore a diverse range of subjects at the interface of experimental fluid dynamics and oceanography, including biophysical interactions, marine particle characterization, coastal processes, and small-scale turbulence. He is also specifically interested in designing underwater imaging instrumentation and/or applying laboratory flow/particle diagnostic techniques to facilitate in situ field measurements to address these research questions in a diverse range of aquatic environments. As a graduate student and then as a post-doc, he has participated in seven oceanographic cruises (two as acting Chief Scientist), in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Northwest. Currently, as a co-PI on two active NSF grants, he is involved in developing a new generation holographic imaging system for long-term marine studies, as well as characterizing phytoplankton response and growth rates under different environmental conditions, including small-scale shear and ambient light. He has also served as a peer reviewer for NSF as well as several international journals.

Bing Ouyang, Ph.D.
Associate Research Professor
772-242-2288
bouyang@fau.edu

Publications

CV

• Application of compressive sensing theory in underwater imaging applications
  • Serial laser imaging using compressive sensing and a digital micro-mirror device (DMD)
• Computer vision in underwater laser imaging applications
  • Light field rendering
  • Data fusion and mosaic of 3-D scenes
• Real-time environmental monitoring and events detection
• Application of electro-optic imaging numerical model and deconvolution technique in image enhancement and pulse resolution improvements
• Synchronization of illuminator and detector in bi-static underwater laser imaging environment via image content analysis
• Oil detection using DMD-based hyper-spectral imaging

Wayne Slade, Ph.D.
Associate Research Professor
Ocean Engineering & Applied Technology
772-242-2467
wayneslade@fau.edu

ResearchGate page for Wayne H. Slade
LinkedIn profile for Wayne Slade

Dr. Wayne Slade's research focuses on ocean optics, aquatic remote sensing, and the development of optical instrumentation for environmental monitoring. His interests include in situ measurement of inherent optical properties, hyperspectral and polarimetric sensing, coastal and estuarine remote sensing, and the application of optical technologies to better understand biogeochemical and physical processes in aquatic environments.

Dr. Slade joined Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in 2023. Prior to joining FAU, he spent more than a decade in the private sector with Sequoia Scientific, Inc., where he led research and development efforts focused on optical instrumentation for oceanographic, environmental, and industrial applications. He received his Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Maine, where his research focused on ocean optics, and previously earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering. His work bridges engineering and oceanography through the development and deployment of advanced optical sensors and measurement systems, including multispectral, multi-angle, and polarimetric approaches for characterizing aquatic environments.

Michael Twardowski, Ph.D.
Research Professor
772-242-2220
mtwardowski@fau.edu

Publications

CV

Dr. Twardowski’s research interests include using optical sensing techniques to study problems in imaging, ocean color remote sensing, harmful algal blooms, bioluminescence, oil detection, long-term and autonomous monitoring, sediment transport, and particle characterization. Dr. Twardowski has two decades of experience developing transformational technologies for ocean science, several of which have been commercialized. Dr. Twardowski was previously Director of Research and Vice President of WET Labs Inc., where he led the Advanced Technology and Research group in Narragansett, RI. He received his Ph.D. in Oceanography from University of Rhode Island in 1998 and was a postdoctoral fellow in Environmental Optics at Oregon State University. He has been a Naval ASEE Fellow and conducted research at the NATO Centre of Maritime Research and Experimentation as a Visiting Scientist. He is Adjunct Professor at the Universities of Rhode Island and Connecticut. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and has participated in more than 40 interdisciplinary field efforts in waters throughout the world.