The GeoResources Institute conducts both basic and applied research in oceanography as well as nearshore hydrodynamics. These topics are of interest to the Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and to a lesser extent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Research topics:

• Use existing models (such as DIECAST, ADCIRC and HYCOM) to simulate tides and currents in the Gulf of Mexico and estuaries along the coast of the Gulf.
• With wind data from either historical data or meteorology models, predict storm surge and its effects, such as flooding, during hurricanes and tropical storm events in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
• Study nearshore wave transformation and investigate the interactions between waves and currents and the energy transfer and balance in the region.
• Investigate wave breaking and its parameterization in the nearshore region.

Both laboratory and field data is used to verify and validate model results. Field data, mainly Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) and Heights (SSH) for mesoscale studies are obtained from satellite data provided by NASA and NOAA.