Francisco Haces-Garcia
Geosensing and Environmental Engineering
Remote Sensing | Geospatial Big Data
Modelling | Software Developer
Salutatorian Speech, 2017
Photo Credit: Tim Acosta
About Me
Hi there! I am Francisco. I am pursuing my PhD in Geosensing Systems Engineering and Sciences at the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) at the University of Houston. As a Research Assistant at NCALM, my focus is on developing lidar applications for hydraulic modelling and flood mapping. I also work with other airborne and satellite sensors to create meaningful geospatial analyses. My background is in Environmental Engineering; I obtained my BS in 2019 from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. In the past, I have also performed research in water treatment and oil spill analysis.
Highlighted Projects
Conference Presentation
In July 2021, I presented "Longitudinal Flood Vulnerabilities and their Association with Disaster Recovery" at the Natural Hazards Center's Annual Researchers Meeting.
SAR Imagery Grants
In early 2021, I was awarded two imagery grants to study the potential for satellite-based SAR flood monitoring.
Flow Routing at UH
In Spring 2020, I performed a flow routing analysis for the University of Houston campus, and a report is available at geog6388.netlify.com. It compares different GIS-derived flow routing methods.
Manuscript Publication
As part of the internship I performed in the summer of 2019, a manuscript was published in Remote Sensing of Environment
Senior Design Project
In April and May of 2019, my senior design team presented at several conferences, including Texas Water 2019 and the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Senior Design Conferences. More information on this project is available at www.waterhogs.group
Poster Presentation at AEESP 2019
In May of 2019, we presented a poster at the 2019 AEESP Conference on novel methods for the denitrification of wastewater effluent. The presentation took place in Pheonix, Arizona.
Professional Experience
Research Assistant - National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping
As part of my Research at NCALM, I work on developing novel hydraulic analysis techniques for high-resolution topographic data.
Teaching Assistant - Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston
In the Fall of 2020, I was a Teaching Assistant for Fundamentals of Plane Surveying at the University of Houston.
Intern - Water Mapping, LLC
In the Summer of 2019, I worked as an intern at Water Mapping, LLC. Water Mapping is a group of geoscientist consultants based out of Pensacola, FL, which focuses on the assesment of Oil Spills. This internship allowed me to gain hands-on experience in the development of tools applicable to the remote sensing of oil spills. Some of the highlights of this internship included a manuscript publication, and leading a training for image analysts at NOAA NESDIS on the usage of the tools I developed.
Student Assistant
I was a Student Assistant at the Office of Research and Graduate Studies at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. There, I worked in the coordination of student procedures, including admissions and graduations. I also focused on the process of reviewing theses and dissertation manuscripts from graduate students to ensure the compliance of university standards.
Media Specialist
I was a Media Specialist for several departments at Texas A&M Univerisity Kingsville. Besides the creation and management of web assets, I also coordinated with faculty and staff members to display information in an efficient manner while complying with university policies. I have also created content (photos, videos, and flyers) for recruitment, promotional, and informational purposes.