Thesis Defense Announcement for Luke Redwine – 3/5/25 at 9:30 am
January 30, 2025
Thesis Title: An Overview of Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry in Coastal Wetlands
When: 03/05/2025 9:30 Central Time
Where: Webex
Candidate: Luke Redwine
Degree: Master of Science in Electrical & Computer Engineering
Committee Members: Dr. John Ball, Dr. Mehmet Kurum, Dr. Junming Diao
Abstract:
With rising global temperatures, increasing sea levels, and the accelerated erosion of coastal wetlands, efficient methods for monitoring this vulnerable ecosystem are crucial. Traditional approaches, such as manual surveys, are labor-intensive, hazardous, and invasive to the environment they are attempting to protect, while current remote sensing methods are cost-prohibitive and rely on irregular data collection techniques. To address these challenges, a scalable solution is needed for reliable and frequent data collection. This study explores the use of GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) combined with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to monitor the shifting topology in wetlands with minimal human invasion. By leveraging low-cost, mobile platforms equipped with precise GNSS-R systems, this method offers an accurate and cost-effective method to track changes in vegetation and erosion in wetland environments.