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

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

Systems Engineering

Integrating systems to better provide mutually beneficial relationships with the oceans.

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

Mineral Extraction

Sustainably harvesting minerals from seawater, including uranium, cobalt, and lithium.

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

Offshore Energy

Harnessing and storing the energy at sea to meet the energy needs of tomorrow.

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

Aquaculture

Reliably and cost-effectively expanding aquaculture farms further offshore.

Research

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

Systems Engineering

Integrating systems to better provide mutually beneficial relationships with the oceans.

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

Mineral Extraction

Sustainably harvesting minerals from seawater, including uranium, cobalt, and lithium.

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

Offshore Energy

Harnessing and storing the energy at sea to meet the energy needs of tomorrow.

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

Aquaculture

Reliably and cost-effectively expanding aquaculture farms further offshore.

News

Affinito-Stewart grant awarded for automated feed distribution project

Prof. Haji and the SEA Lab were awarded one of twenty Affinito-Stewart research grants from the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW) to design and test a sensor-driven automated feed distribution system for offshore aquaculture farms. Learn more about the project and other awards from the Affinito-Stewart program that totaled $195,166.

Dec 15, 2022

Welcome new members to the SEA Lab!

We welcome new PhD students Olivia Vitale and Nate DeGoede to the SEA Lab this Fall 2022 semester! Visit the SEA Lab team page to learn more!

Dec 1, 2022

SEA Lab at OpenMDAO Workshop

SEA Lab PhD student, Kapil Khanal, presented his work on the Multidisciplinary Design Optimization for Novel Offshore Systems at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH on October 24-25, 2022 as part of the 2022 OpenMDAO Workshop.

Oct 24, 2022

SEA Lab at the Chemical Separations Gordon Research Conference

The SEA Lab took part in the 2022 Chemical Separations Gordon Research Conference from October 2-7, 2022 in Ventura, CA. PhD student Olivia Murphy presented a poster on “A Review of Technologies for Direct Lithium Extraction from Low Li+ Concentration Aqueous Solutions.”

Oct 2, 2022

SEA Lab at UMERC+OREC 2022

The SEA Lab took part in the University Marine Energy Research Community (UMERC) and the Marine Energy Technology Symposium (METS) marine energy research conference from September 13-14, 2022 in Portland, OR. Prof. Haji gave the plenary talk titled “Unlocking the power of ocean energy: The need for standardization, and transfer of data and technology” and PhD student Rebecca McCabe presented on “Value Metrics and Global Impact Potential of Wave Energy.”

Sept 13, 2022

SEA Lab at ASME IDETC-CIE 2022

The SEA Lab took part in the 2022 ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference from August 14-17, 2022 in St. Louis, MO. PhD student Rebecca McCabe presented a new conference paper titled “Multidisciplinary Optimization to Reduce Cost and Power Variation of a Wave Energy Converter.

Aug 14, 2022

Welcome to Dr. Arezoo Hasankhani to the SEA Lab!

We welcome Dr. Arezoo Hasankhani to the SEA Lab this summer! She joins the group as a postdoctoral researcher working on offshore energy system modeling and aquaculture after completing her PhD from Florida Atlantic University. Visit the SEA Lab team page to learn more!

June 1, 2022

Seawater mineral extraction project awarded New Frontier grant

Prof. Haji and the SEA Lab in collaboration with Prof. Wilson and the Wilson Research Group in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology were awarded one of seven New Frontier Grants from the College of Arts and Sciences to develop techniques for extracting the mineral lithium – a critical component of batteries, wind turbines, smart phones and many other devices – from seawater. Learn more about the project and other awards from the New Frontier Grants program that totaled $1.25 million featured on the Cornell Chronicle.

May 11, 2022

News

Affinito-Stewart grant awarded for automated feed distribution project

Prof. Haji and the SEA Lab were awarded one of twenty Affinito-Stewart research grants from the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW) to design and test a sensor-driven automated feed distribution system for offshore aquaculture farms. Learn more about the project and other awards from the Affinito-Stewart program that totaled $195,166.

Dec 15, 2022

Welcome new members to the SEA Lab!

We welcome new PhD students Olivia Vitale and Nate DeGoede to the SEA Lab this Fall 2022 semester! Visit the SEA Lab team page to learn more!

Dec 1, 2022

SEA Lab at OpenMDAO Workshop

SEA Lab PhD student, Kapil Khanal, presented his work on the Multidisciplinary Design Optimization for Novel Offshore Systems at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH on October 24-25, 2022 as part of the 2022 OpenMDAO Workshop.

Oct 24, 2022

SEA Lab at the Chemical Separations Gordon Research Conference

The SEA Lab took part in the 2022 Chemical Separations Gordon Research Conference from October 2-7, 2022 in Ventura, CA. PhD student Olivia Murphy presented a poster on “A Review of Technologies for Direct Lithium Extraction from Low Li+ Concentration Aqueous Solutions.”

Oct 2, 2022

SEA Lab at UMERC+OREC 2022

The SEA Lab took part in the University Marine Energy Research Community (UMERC) and the Marine Energy Technology Symposium (METS) marine energy research conference from September 13-14, 2022 in Portland, OR. Prof. Haji gave the plenary talk titled “Unlocking the power of ocean energy: The need for standardization, and transfer of data and technology” and PhD student Rebecca McCabe presented on “Value Metrics and Global Impact Potential of Wave Energy.”

Sept 13, 2022

SEA Lab at ASME IDETC-CIE 2022

The SEA Lab took part in the 2022 ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference from August 14-17, 2022 in St. Louis, MO. PhD student Rebecca McCabe presented a new conference paper titled “Multidisciplinary Optimization to Reduce Cost and Power Variation of a Wave Energy Converter.

Aug 14, 2022

Welcome to Dr. Arezoo Hasankhani to the SEA Lab!

We welcome Dr. Arezoo Hasankhani to the SEA Lab this summer! She joins the group as a postdoctoral researcher working on offshore energy system modeling and aquaculture after completing her PhD from Florida Atlantic University. Visit the SEA Lab team page to learn more!

June 1, 2022

Seawater mineral extraction project awarded New Frontier grant

Prof. Haji and the SEA Lab in collaboration with Prof. Wilson and the Wilson Research Group in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology were awarded one of seven New Frontier Grants from the College of Arts and Sciences to develop techniques for extracting the mineral lithium – a critical component of batteries, wind turbines, smart phones and many other devices – from seawater. Learn more about the project and other awards from the New Frontier Grants program that totaled $1.25 million featured on the Cornell Chronicle.

May 11, 2022

Selected Publications

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

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 Energy331, 120389, 2023.

Results of an Ocean Trial of the Symbiotic Machine for Ocean uRanium Extraction

Multi-objective optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems for a prototypical coastal community

Y. Q. Ang, A. Polly, A. Kulkarni, G. Bahl Chambi, M. Hernandez, and M. N. Haji

Renewable Energy, 201 (1), 72-84, 2022.

IPHROS Pub Image

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

Design and Testing of AUV Docking Modules for a Renewably Powered Offshore AUV Servicing Platform

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 Energy331, 120389, 2023.

Results of an Ocean Trial of the Symbiotic Machine for Ocean uRanium Extraction

Multi-objective optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems for a prototypical coastal community

Y. Q. Ang, A. Polly, A. Kulkarni, G. Bahl Chambi, M. Hernandez, and M. N. Haji

Renewable Energy, 201 (1), 72-84, 2022.

IPHROS Pub Image

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)