Spotlight on Galveston District's Samantha Lambert

Samantha Lambert, a hydraulic and coastal engineer

with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston

District, has always had a love for math.

In fact, the Texas A&M graduate began her career with

the Corps as a Department of the Army intern and says she

uses math every single day.

In her position, which she's held since June 2007,

Lambert is responsible for overseeing the hydraulic

modeling of navigation and coastal projects, including work

on the Brazos Island Harbor and Freeport feasibility studies

and other Continuing Authorities Program projects and

Dredged Material Management Plans.

"The USACE Galveston Hydraulics and Hydrology

Section is working to use the latest software and technology

to solve problems," said Lambert. "I really enjoy when I get

to do some of the modeling for various projects in-house,

which requires me to use my math skills to solve complex

navigation problems along the Texas coast."

Lambert recently completed work for a beach

renourishment study at South Padre Island, Texas, and

is currently working on a desktop sediment study for

Brazos Island Harbor with plans to do the surge analysis in

Galveston.

"On projects where I don't do the modeling in-house, I

get to coordinate with the USACE Engineering, Research

and Development Center," said Lambert. "Some of the

different studies include surge analysis, ship simulations,

sediment studies, hydrodynamic and salinity studies, studies

on sea level rise, and effects of vessel traffic on shoreline."

For the Brazos Island Harbor Feasibility Study, Lambert

said a precedent was set for the Corps when engineers had

to solve how they would simulate two oil rigs navigating

through a channel.

"It was a challenge to figure out how to simulate them

and it involved coordination with ERDC, the Galveston

District, the Port of Brownsville, and private industry," said

Lambert. "It's fascinating to observe pilots driving the ship

simulator to test out the design vessels in the various channel

alternatives for different channel deepening and widening

projects."

Lambert says she's always busy and has a wide variety of

different projects to work on, which keeps her work exciting.

She also says she finds the people in the Galveston District

very supportive.

"It's fulfilling to see how all the different sections and

branches work together to finish such large-scale studies," she

said.

Lambert is currently working with her supervisor, Michael

Sterling, Ph.D., and project managers to increase district

hydraulic modeling experience using the latest coastal

modeling tools.

"This work will be great for the district because we will

have the expertise in-house and it will save us money and

time," said Lambert.

Lambert completed a Bachelor of Science in Ocean

Engineering from Texas A&M College Station. She is

certified as a floodplain manager.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling and

distance running, having completed 20 marathons and five

ultra marathons.