Curriculum Vitae¶
Frank L. Engel, Ph.D. · Geographer, GS-0150-13
U.S. Geological Survey · Water Mission Area, Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch
San Antonio, Texas
Experience¶
U.S. Geological Survey — Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch¶
Geographer · January 2022 – Present
Lead developer and national subject matter expert for non-contact surface-water measurement technologies. Principal investigator for operational image velocimetry, national imagery infrastructure (NIMS), and entropy-based discharge computation programs.
- Creator of IVyTools (25,000+ lines), CameraDCP (15,000+ lines), and SurfVelTools (12,000 lines)
- Co-Architect of NIMS — cloud platform serving 1,000+ cameras nationwide
- Function Manager and Product Owner for Imagery Dataflows Function
- Founder of ECHO AI Skunkworks team
- Trained 190+ staff in non-contact methods across 7 national sessions
- Authored first USGS standard operating procedures for image velocimetry
U.S. Geological Survey — Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center¶
Geographer · June 2017 – December 2021
- Conducted novel near-shore hydroacoustic deployments for beach sand replenishment studies
- Developed flood models for the Texas Hill Country
- Mapped active volcanic activity with UAS during 2018 Kīlauea Volcano eruption response
- Initiated image velocimetry and camera infrastructure development programs
U.S. Geological Survey — Illinois Water Science Center¶
Geographer · April 2012 – June 2017
- Designed and conducted hydraulic studies with hydroacoustics for the Asian Carp Program
- Co-developed Velocity Mapping Toolbox (VMT) software
- Evaluated new hydroacoustic sensors and technology
- Developed and taught national training classes on advanced hydroacoustics
- Recognized Subject Matter Expert for novel hydroacoustic deployments
Education¶
| Degree | Institution | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. in Geography (Minor: Civil & Environmental Engineering) | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 2014 |
| M.S. in Geography | Texas State University | 2007 |
| B.S. in Physical Geography (Minor: Music) | Texas State University | 2005 |
Awards & Recognition¶
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2025 | DOI Superior Service Award — "innovative research that significantly advanced USGS capability for using field cameras" |
| 2023 | Unit Award for Excellence of Service — NIMS team |
| 2019 | DOI Award for Outstanding Contribution to Aviation Safety — Kīlauea volcano response |
Selected Invited Presentations (since 2022)¶
- WMO HydroHub Strategic Discussion on Surface Velocity (May 2025)
- International Hydrometry Working Group (Feb 2025)
- New Zealand Hydrological Society (March 2026)
- Environment Canada — IVyTools demonstration (March 2025)
- Water Observing Technology Forum, University of Alabama (April 2024) — Keynote
- University of Arizona — Image velocimetry short course (Sept 2024)
- Pennsylvania State University — Lecture and short course (Sept 2024)
- WMA Executive Council — Briefing on remote sensing (Aug 2025)
- Bureau of Reclamation — Satellite and in-situ monitoring (Oct 2024)
Technical Skills¶
| Category | Skills |
|---|---|
| Languages | Python, JavaScript, SQL |
| Frameworks | Qt5/PyQt, React, Node.js |
| Cloud | AWS (Lambda, S3, API Gateway, IoT) |
| Scientific | OpenCV, SciPy, NumPy, scikit-learn, lmfit |
| Platforms | Linux, Raspberry Pi, Docker |
| Remote Sensing | UAS (Part 107 certified), ADCP, ADV, cameras |
| Other | Git, CI/CD, LaTeX, GIS |
Professional Service¶
- Function Manager, USGS Imagery Dataflows Function
- Product Owner, NIMS and HIVIS
- Member, International Hydrometry Working Group
- Founder, USGS Surface Velocity Workgroup (SurfBoard, 2016–2020)
- Pending patent: Under-ice discharge measurement using edge computing (DI-1215)