Mauricio E. Arias

Mauricio E. Arias, PhD, PE
Associate Professor
Vasant Surti Faculty Fellow
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
ENC 3216
4202 E. Fowler Avenue ENG-030
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL 33620-5350
Phone: (813) 974-5593;
Email: mearias[at]usf.edu
Research group website: www.watershedsustainability.org

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

B.S. Environmental Engineering (Magna Cum Laude), University of Florida., Gainesville, FL.
M.E. Environmental Engineering, University of Florida., Gainesville, FL.
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Sustainability Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, US

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Water Resources Sustainability
Ecological Engineering
Watershed Hydrology
Water Quality Modeling
Ecohydrology
Environmental Flows

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

Developing Generalizable Approach for Coupled CyanoHAB Predictive Models, 2023-2024, Awarded by USACE ERDC.
Zombie to living community ponds by novel bio-infiltration, 2023-2026, Awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Integrating Modeling Tools and Observations for Prediction and Management of Harmful Algal Blooms in the St. Lucie Estuary and Watershed, 2023-2025, Awarded by USACE ERDC.
Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Forecasting for Informed Decision-Making in the Mekong River Basin, 2023-2025, Awarded by NASA.
Coupling lake, watershed, and estuarine models to better understand the role of engineered freshwater discharges in driving the severity, location, and timing of harmful algal blooms. Awarded by the US Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center
Temporal and Spatial Optimization of Existing and Emerging Nutrient Management Technologies and Practices for Control of Harmful Algal Blooms ($1M), 2020-2023. Awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency (#840090).

COURSES TAUGHT

Ecological Engineering
Fluid Mechanics
Global Water Resources Sustainability
Capstone Water Resources/Environmental Engineering Design

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION

Professional Engineer, State of Florida, 2021-.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Outstanding Research Achievement Award, USF, 2023
Gulf Research Program Early Career Fellow, National Academy of Sciences 2021-2023.
McKnight Junior Faculty Fellowship, 2020-2021
HydroLearn Fellow, 2020
Giorgio Ruffolo Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, Harvard University, 2014-2016
University of Canterbury International Doctoral Student Scholarship, 2009-2012
Norman Casey Scholarship. University of Florida, 2006.
1st Place, Water Environment Federation National Student Design Competition, 2006
1st Place, Florida Water Environment Association Student Design Competition, 2006

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (*Denotes student mentees)

Dang, T.D.*, Arias, M.E., Tarabih, O.M.*, Ergas, S.J. Phlips, E., Rains, M.C., Zhang, Q. Modeling temporal and spatial variation of biogeochemical processes in a large subtropical lake: Assessing alternative solutions to algal blooms Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies 47, 101441, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101441
Brooks, J.*, Stewart, C.J.*, Haberstroh, C.J.*, Arias, M.E. Characteristics and Fate of Plastic Pollution in Urban Stormwater Ponds Environmental Pollution 320, 121052. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121052
Tarabih, O.*, Dang, T.D.*, Paudel, R., Arias, M.E., Lake Operation Optimization of Nutrient Exports: Application of Phosphorus Control: Application of Phosphorus Control in the Largest Subtropical Lake in the US. Environmental Modelling and Software 160, 105603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2022.105603
Galelli, S., Dang, T.D.*, Ng, J.Y., Chowdhury, A.F.M.K., Arias, M.E., 2022. Opportunities to curb hydrological alterations via dam re-operation in the Mekong. Nature Sustainability 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00971-z
Holtgrieve, G.W. and Arias, M.E. Optimizing Amazonian Dams for Nature. Science 375 (6582), 714-715.
Haberstroh, C.J.*, Arias, M.E., Yin, Z, Y., Sok, T. Wang, M.C. Plastic transport in a complex confluence of the Mekong river in Cambodia. Environmental Research Letters 16 (9), 095009.
Miller, A. J.*, Arias, M.E., Alvarez, S. Building and Agricultural Value at Risk in Florida (USA) from Flooding during Hurricane Irma. Natural Hazards 109 (2), 1327-1348. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-021-04880-w
Tarabih, O*. and Arias, M.E., 2020. Hydrological and Water Quality Trends through the Lenses of Historical Operation Schedules in Lake Okeechobee. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management (In Press). https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0001395.
Platz, M.*, Takeshita, Y., Bartels, E., Arias, M.E., Evaluating the potential for autonomous measurements of net community production and calcification as a tool for monitoring coral restoration Ecological Engineering (Accepted, September 3th, 2020).
Arias, M.E., Farinosi, F., Lee, E., Livino, A., Briscoe, J., Moorcroft, P.R., Impacts of climate change and deforestation on hydropower planning in the Brazilian Amazon Nature Sustainability (2020) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-0492-y.
Kaura, M.*, Arias, ME., Benjamin, J. *, Oeurng, C., Cochrane, TA. The role of forests in securing hydropower sustainability in Cambodia, Ecosystem Services 39, 101003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.101003 .
Arias, ME, Holtgrieve, GW, Ngor, BP, Dang, TD, Piman, T. Maintaining Perspective of Ongoing Environmental Change in the Mekong Floodplains. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2019.01.002. (Featured in issue front cover).
Hecht, J. S., Lacombe, G., Arias, M. E., Dang, T. D., Piman, T. Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: a review of their hydrological impacts. J of Hydrology, 568 285-300. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.045.
Sabo, J.L., Ruhi, A., Holtgrieve, G. H., Elliott, V., M. E. Arias, Ngor, P.B., Räsänen, T., Nam, S., Designing river flows to improve food security futures in the Lower Mekong Basin, Science Dec 8 2017.

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