By Megan Sam
In August, we proudly celebrated the graduation of three outstanding students: Yiyang Kang, Nick Chin and Hyun Dong Kim. Each is embarking on exciting new chapters of their careers. Whether pursuing academic careers as professors or stepping into engineering roles, their expertise, passion and dedication to coastal innovation will undoubtedly shape the future of their fields. Congratulations to these inspiring young leaders and we can’t wait to see what you accomplish next!
How a love of mangroves inspired Calvin Kang’s career
Yiyang “Calvin” Kang has always been fascinated by how resilient mangroves are, especially their ability to handle the constant tides, salty water and powerful coastal storms. He appreciates how they’ve carved out a unique niche along the shoreline, thriving as one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth.
As a Ph.D. student in the University of Florida’s School of Natural Resources and Environment (UF SNRE) and Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment (ESSIE), Kang researched how mangroves are spreading farther north, a shift caused by rising global temperatures.
“I saw my Ph.D. as a chance to work on my own ideas and generate knowledge that nobody else had before,” Kang said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I knew it would push me to become more independent, to take responsibility and to solve problems in real-world settings.”
Kang originally planned to begin his studies at UF in 2020, but pandemic travel restrictions delayed his arrival by a year. During that time, he joined the Mangrove Conservation Foundation, a nonprofit where he guided research projects, helped maintain a mangrove city park and participated in educational outreach. Once restrictions were lifted, Kang arrived at UF eager to dive into diverse coursework, from hands-on ecological work in the Coastal Policy Lab, which was co-led by the CCS, UF College of Law and Florida Sea Grant, to advanced applications of artificial intelligence.
“Florida has been an epicenter of global mangrove studies, so coming to the University of Florida to study them has been a dream come true,” said Kang.
Fieldwork pushed Kang far outside his comfort zone. He had to learn to drive just to access remote research sites, some of which were several hours away from campus. He remembers hauling 70 to 100 pounds of equipment through Florida’s sweltering heat with a teammate. On other days, sudden thunderstorms forced him to wait out the downpour in a kayak — only to jump right back into the work as soon as the skies cleared.
“The field is full of surprises, and can sometimes be daunting, but that’s also where the fun is,” Kang said. “That’s where the real knowledge lies. I studied mangroves that had newly expanded into northern Florida, in places few had explored or documented before. Discovering mangroves that only you know about is something special – an exploration of the limit of mangrove range, knowledge and myself.”
These challenges helped shape Kang into a well-rounded researcher — independent, resilient and collaborative — qualities he’s determined to carry into the next stage of his career.
After graduation, Kang will join Amazon as a software engineer, where he’s eager to apply his problem-solving abilities, programming expertise and communication skills in an industry setting.
Looking back, Kang says every challenge and triumph became an essential piece of his doctoral experience.
“There were moments after fieldwork when I’d be covered in mangrove soil but happy to have great data in my notebook. Moments when I’d finally fix a stubborn coding bug and finally make sense of my results. There was the fun of sharing food and jokes with my lab, and the satisfaction of contributing to something meaningful,” Kang said. “They’re all irreplaceable — like Lego pieces that made up my Ph.D. journey. Whether I was nervous, afraid, exhausted or feeling pure happiness, I wouldn’t trade any of it. I’d keep every bit.”
In coastal science, Nick Chin finds both purpose and community
For Nick Chin, earning a Ph.D. in environmental engineering at the University of Florida was as much about the people as it was about the science.
Chin started out as a civil engineer, but soon realized he wanted work that felt more creative and meaningful. That led him to connect with David Kaplan, Ph.D., a professor of environmental engineering sciences. Under Kaplan’s mentorship, Chin studied what causes coastal events like red tide (Karenia brevis). His research combined machine learning, which helps spot patterns and makes predictions, with physics-based models that simulate how the environment works, creating new ways to detect and track harmful algal blooms.
“My biggest roadblock as a Ph.D. student was coming up with a research question that was impactful, new and interesting,” Chin said. “I originally wouldn’t have considered myself a chemist or physical oceanographer, but those were exactly the areas I had to dive into, and it was a fun challenge.”
His research quickly turned into a steady cycle: gathering available data, reviewing previous studies and zeroing in on what mattered most to resource managers and government agencies. Along the way, Chin found a supportive community at the Center for Coastal Solutions (CCS) and in Kaplan’s Watershed Ecology Lab.
“The CCS has been a really valuable source of knowledge,” Chin said. “A lot of my work builds on what CCS researchers have done in water quality. And everyone in the center works on projects they genuinely care about. That kind of passion creates a collaborative environment where people are always willing to help, and it’s led to great friendships outside of research.”
Kaplan described Chin as a supportive and uplifting lab mate who helps foster a strong sense of community within the lab. That spirit extended beyond academic work, whether co-building a garden with lab mates, cooking meals to share or inspiring younger students through outreach events.
“My network during my Ph.D. was one of the most fulfilling, genuinely caring and fun groups of people I’ve ever worked with,” Chin said. “You get what you put in, and the people at the Center for Coastal Solutions and the Watershed Ecology Lab will always be there to support you, personally and professionally. My proudest achievement is the relationships I built.”
David Kaplan, Ph.D., CCS associate director, echoed that sentiment.
“I’ve learned so much from serving as Nick’s advisor. I’m extremely proud of him, not only for his scientific achievements, but for being such a kind and generous human being. I can’t wait to see what he will accomplish as a postdoctoral researcher with the UF Water Institute.”
Answering a lifelong calling: Hyun Dong Kim’s journey
When Hyun Dong Kim was six, he often tagged along with his father, a coastal and ocean engineering professor, to his research lab, where he helped university students build three-dimensional basins. That early curiosity about water, waves and the science behind them grew into an enduring fascination, one that most recently led to earning his second Ph.D. in civil and coastal engineering from the University of Florida on August 8.
“I like to dig deep into physics and engineering to create better solutions for a cleaner Earth,” Kim said. “I also love teaching and connecting with students. That’s why I keep coming back to academia.”
His commitment to protecting the coast really took off in high school when a big oil spill struck his home country, South Korea. That disaster motivated him to dig deeper into the challenges of restoring and protecting marine environments. He earned his bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from the University of California, Los Angelos and his master’s degree in the same field from the University of Delaware. He then completed a Ph.D. in civil engineering at Osaka University, where he used artificial intelligence to study beach nourishment — all while gaining industry experience through a consulting company.
Even after finishing his first Ph.D., Kim wanted to get a better grasp of the scientific principles upon which his work was built. That’s what brought him to the University of Florida, where he teamed up with Xiao Yu, Ph.D., an associate professor in civil and coastal engineering. Under Yu’s mentorship, he looked into how water flows through underwater plants and how that affects things like waves, sediment movement and shoreline stability, insights critical to designing resilient coastal infrastructure.
“I was interested in working with Dr. Yu because I knew he would help me grow,” Kim said. “My strength was in approaching problems from a technical engineering perspective, but I wanted to improve in the mathematical and theoretical side, and he’s very strong in that area.”
The growth was clear to Yu.
“Hyun Dong is a very motivated and goal-driven researcher,” Yu, a CCS affiliate faculty member, said. “During his Ph.D., he built strong skills in both understanding science and using computer models, and he tackled tough questions about how water flows through underwater plants and how those plants interact with each other and with other structures. His dedication and unwavering focus have brought him to this significant milestone.”
At UF, Kim hit the ground running. He served as president of the Coastal, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute (COPRI) and the Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA), was active in student and professional communities, and became the youngest board member of the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC). He also mentored six students, leaving a lasting impression.
“Hyun has been a phenomenal mentor,” Katie Schoenberger, a graduate student of the Kaplan Lab, said. “He was easy to talk to and very excited to teach me new things as we worked together. For part of my project, I could not figure out how to implement particle image velocimetry, or PIV, in my project, so Hyun learned about it and came back with answers. He went above and beyond to help me during my entire master’s project, and I owe a lot of it to him and his generosity to me.”
Another promising mentee, Sebin Oh, is set to join Hyun Dong Kim as a Ph.D. student once he finishes his master’s at UF, thus continuing the legacy of research and discovery. For Kim, mentorship was deeply personal, shaped by Yu’s example.
“I love Xiao’s style because he’s more than an advisor — sometimes a friend, sometimes a life mentor,” Kim said. “As a former international student himself, he understands my journey. Of all my achievements at UF, I’m most proud to graduate as one of his students. I hope to follow in his footsteps.”
He’s already putting this goal into action, joining Old Dominion University as an assistant professor of coastal engineering. He’s excited to bring the same passion, curiosity and dedication to mentoring in his new role that have been a hallmark of his career from the start.