Ph.D. student Kendahl Hejl has been recognized as an outstanding mentor for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program. The program, founded in 2003, was designed to enhance classroom learning, involve undergraduates in real problem solving, and spark interest for research careers in science and engineering.

Kendahl is a second year Ph.D. Student in Civil Engineering, working in Dr. Cary Troy's Lab in the Hydraulics and Hydrology Area. Her research involves applying geospatial techniques and remote sensing analysis to the Laurentian Great Lakes. Her current projects relate to spectral-index driven algorithms to determine shoreline evolution and coastal health. Kendahl holds a M.S. In Geography from Texas State University, and a B.S. in Geographic Information Science and Technology from Texas A&M University.

Two of the undergraduate students that Kendahl mentored, Maggie McLeod and Ethan Streckfuss, joined the Troy Lab this summer through the SURF Program. They utilized GIS software and Python scripting to complete large-scale, multi-temporal analysis of coastal processes including shoreline change and river plume movement. Both students created working machine learning models for quanitification and prediction of coastal characteristics.