I’m a PhD Candidate in GeoSystems Engineering at UC Berkeley, advised by Dimitrios Zekkos.
My research uses geophysics and remote sensing techniques to characterise the subsurface at scale. That is, using novel tools to map large geotechnical systems such as landslides and levees to predict potential failures, so that we can use the information to mitigate geotechnical risks and better protect communities.
Prior to my PhD journey, I worked as a geotechnical engineer in the Australian Outback and in Interior Alaska, where I also volunteered in underground mine emergency response teams and captained the rope rescue team. I obtained my undergraduate engineering degree from the University of New South Wales with first class honours and the University Medal. I received a Fulbright Scholarship to complete my MS at Berkeley, and I am/have also been supported during my PhD by the Environmental Research & Education Foundation, the Center for Land Surface Hazards (CLaSH), and the Jane Lewis Fellowship.
News
[Feb 2026] My (short) profile is featured on the Berkeley GeoSystems Engineering page
[Sep 2025] Stoked to be awarded a scholarship by the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) for our work on quantifying methane emissions at landfills using remote sensing and geophysics.
[Apr 2025] Very proud to receive an Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award for teaching the Intro to Computing and Programming course offered by UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering
[Mar 2025] Presented our work at Geo-Congress in Louisville, Kentucky, where we compare different methods of measuring soil moisture at an active landslide, with particular attention to how remote sensing via UAVs and geophysics stack up against more conventional, time-intensive methods
[May 2024] Incredibly honoured to have been awarded the H.B. Seed Award, which recognises the top student in the M.S. program in Geotechnical Engineering at Berkeley
Research
Soil moisture estimates from remote sensing, in situ testing, and laboratory testing at an active landslide
with Parker Blunts and Dimitrios Zekkos
Geotechnical Frontiers / GeoCongress (2025)
Soil moisture is a critical parameter that affects processes such as erosion, groundwater recharge, flood/drought prediction, ground construction, and slope stability. Point measurements of moisture are often conducted using time-intensive techniques, such as the nuclear density gauge or sampling followed by laboratory testing. Advances in geophysical and remote sensing techniques may be able to derive geospatial estimates of moisture efficiently over large areas. However, a scalable approach for estimating the temporal and spatial variations of soil moisture has yet to be widely adopted in geotechnical engineering practice. This study compares site-specific thermal imagery, time domain reflectometry measurements, laboratory gravimetric moisture measurements, and electromagnetic induction measurements at the Oak Ridge earthflow in Northern California with a vision towards deriving spatially continuous maps of near-surface moisture. Scalable techniques such as UAV-enabled thermal imagery and electromagnetic induction show promise in providing estimates of near-surface soil moisture, which benefits applications in construction, agriculture, and geotechnical hazard management.
Teaching
Introduction to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers (Graduate Student Instructor)
ENGIN 7 / E7 | UC Berkeley | Fall 2024
Develops computational problem-solving skills through programming, data structures, and numerical methods for engineering applications.
I received an Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award for teaching this course, which recognises the top 10% of graduate instructors across all departments at Berkeley.