UNO Professor Wins Coastal Protection Grant

University of New Orleans engineering professor Malay Ghose Hajra is among recipients of a 2015 applied research grant from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and The Water Institute of the Gulf.

Ghose Hajra, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, will receive $108,000 to research coastal soil. During the one-year project, Ghose Hajra will study the strengths of different coastal soils, which could lead to better understanding of how different marsh types withstand erosion.

“We hope that this research will enhance our knowledge of the geotechnical properties of coastal sediments in Louisiana and increase the level of confidence in data quality used for marsh restoration projects,” Ghose Hajra said. “This will contribute to cost-savings, time-savings and improved outcomes of any Louisiana coastal restoration and protection project.”

Of the 19 projects submitted for consideration, Ghose Hajra’s was one of three to be selected for funding. Now in its third year, the CPRA’s applied research program was established to provide Louisiana-based researchers with funds to conduct engineering and science research that will enable CPRA to more effectively protect and restore coastal resources. The program is managed by The Water Institute of the Gulf on behalf of CPRA.

Ghose Hajra is an award-winning faculty member in UNO’s College of Engineering whose areas of expertise include soil mechanics, geo-environmental engineering and coastal restoration.