The Symbiotic Engineering and Analysis Lab develops interdisciplinary symbiotic solutions to advance sustainable offshore technologies vital to the growth of the Blue Economy* and the mitigation of climate change. The SEA Lab is led by Professor Maha Haji in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University.
The Symbiotic Engineering and Analysis Lab develops interdisciplinary symbiotic solutions to advance sustainable offshore technologies vital to the growth of the Blue Economy* and the mitigation of climate change. The SEA Lab is led by Professor Maha Haji in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University.
Research
Systems Engineering
Integrating systems to better provide mutually beneficial relationships with the oceans.
Mineral Extraction
Sustainably harvesting minerals from seawater, including uranium, cobalt, and lithium.
Offshore Energy
Harnessing and storing the energy at sea to meet the energy needs of tomorrow.
Aquaculture
Reliably and cost-effectively expanding aquaculture farms further offshore.
Research
Systems Engineering
Integrating systems to better provide mutually beneficial relationships with the oceans.
Mineral Extraction
Sustainably harvesting minerals from seawater, including uranium, cobalt, and lithium.
Offshore Energy
Harnessing and storing the energy at sea to meet the energy needs of tomorrow.
Aquaculture
Reliably and cost-effectively expanding aquaculture farms further offshore.
News
PhD Student Rebecca McCabe Presents at IFAC Conference
PhD student Rebecca McCabe presents “Force-Limited Control of Wave Energy Converters using a Describing Function Linearization” at the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) conference in Blacksburg, VA. Find a link to her paper here.
September 5th, 2024
PhD Student Olivia Vitale Passes her Admission to Candidacy Exam
PhD student (now candidate) Olivia Vitale passed her admission to candidacy exam (A exam) in Aerospace Engineering. Her project focuses on the hydrodynamic modeling of wave energy converter arrays for various applications. Check out her problem formulation and current state of her PhD here (live recording of A exam).
August 30th, 2024
The SEA Lab is Recruiting!
The SEA Lab in recruiting undergraduates, MEng students, and masters students for the Fall 2024 semester. Check out all the available projects here.
August 26, 2024
PhD Student Matt Haefner Passes his Admission to Candidacy Exam
PhD student (now candidate) Matt Haefner passed his admission for candidacy exam (A exam) in Systems Engineering. His project focuses on Integrated Pumped-Hydro Reverse Osmosis (IPHROS), a system for renewable energy storage and sea water desalination. Check out his problem formulation and current state of his PhD here (live recording of A exam).
August 19, 2024
PhD Student Olivia Murphy Passes her Admission to Candidacy Exam
PhD student (now candidate) Olivia Murphy passed her admission for candidacy exam (A exam) in Mechanical Engineering. Her project focuses on renewably powered offshore lithium and hydrogen extraction from sea water. Check out her systems architecture, problem formulation, and current state of research here (live recording of the A exam).
August 13, 2024
PhD Students Becca McCabe, Nate DeGeode, and Olivia Vitale present at UMERC conference
The University Marine Energy Research Community (UMERC) combined with the Marine Energy Technology Symposium (METS) hosted their 3rd annual marine renewable energy conference in Duluth, MN. Becca McCabe presented on a Matched Eigenfunction Expansion Method (MEEM) and CArbon Sequestration Harnessing Energy from Waves (CASHEW). Nate DeGeode presented on wave-powered desalination, and Olivia Vitale presented work on the wave sheltering properties of wave energy converters. Find more info on UMERC here.
August 9, 2024
News
PhD Student Rebecca McCabe Presents at IFAC Conference
PhD student Rebecca McCabe presents “Force-Limited Control of Wave Energy Converters using a Describing Function Linearization” at the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) conference in Blacksburg, VA. Find a link to her paper here.
September 5th, 2024
PhD Student Olivia Vitale Passes her Admission to Candidacy Exam
PhD student (now candidate) Olivia Vitale passed her admission to candidacy exam (A exam) in Aerospace Engineering. Her project focuses on the hydrodynamic modeling of wave energy converter arrays for various applications. Check out her problem formulation and current state of her PhD here (live recording of A exam).
August 30th, 2024
The SEA Lab is Recruiting!
The SEA Lab in recruiting undergraduates, MEng students, and masters students for the Fall 2024 semester. Check out all the available projects here.
August 26, 2024
PhD Student Matt Haefner Passes his Admission to Candidacy Exam
PhD student (now candidate) Matt Haefner passed his admission for candidacy exam (A exam) in Systems Engineering. His project focuses on Integrated Pumped-Hydro Reverse Osmosis (IPHROS), a system for renewable energy storage and sea water desalination. Check out his problem formulation and current state of his PhD here (live recording of A exam).
August 19, 2024
PhD Student Olivia Murphy Passes her Admission to Candidacy Exam
PhD student (now candidate) Olivia Murphy passed her admission for candidacy exam (A exam) in Mechanical Engineering. Her project focuses on renewably powered offshore lithium and hydrogen extraction from sea water. Check out her systems architecture, problem formulation, and current state of research here (live recording of the A exam).
August 13, 2024
PhD Students Becca McCabe, Nate DeGeode, and Olivia Vitale present at UMERC conference
The University Marine Energy Research Community (UMERC) combined with the Marine Energy Technology Symposium (METS) hosted their 3rd annual marine renewable energy conference in Duluth, MN. Becca McCabe presented on a Matched Eigenfunction Expansion Method (MEEM) and CArbon Sequestration Harnessing Energy from Waves (CASHEW). Nate DeGeode presented on wave-powered desalination, and Olivia Vitale presented work on the wave sheltering properties of wave energy converters. Find more info on UMERC here.
August 9, 2024
Selected Publications
Integrated Pumped Hydro Reverse Osmosis System optimization featuring surrogate model development in Reverse Osmosis modeling
M. W. Haefner and M. N. Haji
Applied Energy, 352, 121812, 2023
The power balancing benefits of wave energy converters in offshore wind-wave farms with energy storage
J. M. Kluger, M. N. Haji, and A. H. Slocum
Applied Energy, 331, 120389, 2023.
Autonomous control of a prototype solar-powered offshore autonomous underwater vehicle servicing platform via a low-cost embedded architecture
E. Rolland, M. N. Haji, and O. L. de Weck
Journal of Field Robotics, 1-20, 2023.
A review of technologies for direct lithium extraction from low Li+ concentration aqueous solutions
O. Murphy and M. N. Haji
Frontiers in Chemical Engineering, 4, 2022.
Selected Publications
Integrated Pumped Hydro Reverse Osmosis System optimization featuring surrogate model development in Reverse Osmosis modeling
M. W. Haefner and M. N. Haji
Applied Energy, 352, 121812, 2023
The power balancing benefits of wave energy converters in offshore wind-wave farms with energy storage
J. M. Kluger, M. N. Haji, and A. H. Slocum
Applied Energy, 331, 120389, 2023.
Autonomous control of a prototype solar-powered offshore autonomous underwater vehicle servicing platform via a low-cost embedded architecture
E. Rolland, M. N. Haji, and O. L. de Weck
Journal of Field Robotics, 1-20, 2023.
A review of technologies for direct lithium extraction from low Li+ concentration aqueous solutions
O. Murphy and M. N. Haji
Frontiers in Chemical Engineering, 4, 2022.
*The Blue Economy is defined by the United Nations as an ocean economy that aims at “the improvement of human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities” (UN, 2014, p.2)
*The Blue Economy is defined by the United Nations as an ocean economy that aims at “the improvement of human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities” (UN, 2014, p.2)