Assistant Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Research focus
Coastal engineering, hydrodynamics, marine renewable energy, fluid-structure interaction, environmental fluid mechanics

Education
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of Delaware, 2016
M.Sc. Civil Marine Engineering, University of Tehran, 2009
B.Sc. Civil Engineering, University of Tehran, 2006

Morteza Derakhti continues his work with Civil & Environmental Engineering in his new role as assistant professor. As the lead researcher at the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory, Derakhti leverages his expertise in coastal engineering and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to connect engaging learning environments with cutting-edge research and practical engineering. 

Derakhti’s research tackles a range of topics, including ocean waves and their interaction with structures, and the study of nearshore hydrodynamics, extreme events and changing climate. Derakhti's work integrates advanced CFD and wave-phase-resolving numerical models with empirical data from fieldwork and laboratory studies. He aims to improve how we understand and manage coastal areas and oceans, making it easier to tackle challenges like erosion, flooding and the impacts of climate change.