Dr. Thomas Piechota
Professor, Co-Director, Grand Challenges Initiative, Director of Academic Affairs
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Fowler School of Engineering; Environmental Science, Schmid College of Science and Technology
Expertise:
Water Resources, Hydrology, Climate Change, Remote Sensing, Urban Hydrology
Office Location: Keck Center for Science and Engineering Swenson Hall, Room N325
Phone: 714-628-2897
Email: piechota@chapman.edu
- Scholarly Works:
- https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EF005447
https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology11120219
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06841-y
https://doi.org/10.3390/w16030450
https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9120227
https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071651
https://doi.org/10.3390/w13233377
https://doi.org/10.3390/w13223211
- Education:
- Northern Arizona University, Bachelor of Science
University of California, Los Angeles, Master of Science
University of California, Los Angeles, Ph.D.
Biography
At Chapman from 2016 to current, Dr. Thomas C. Piechota is currently a Professor of
Engineering and Environmental Science and Policy at Chapman University. From 2016
to 2021, he served as Chapman’s first Vice President for Research, where he led efforts
to expand the university’s research programs. Under his leadership, Chapman earned
the prestigious Carnegie R2 designation for high research activity, and research funding
tripled. His work bridges science and real-world solutions, with a focus on sustainability,
climate change, and water resources. In addition, he has served as Interim Dean of
the Fowler School of Engineering from 2023 to 2025.
Dr. Piechota holds degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Northern Arizona University and UCLA. He has led major research projects funded by the National Science Foundation, contributed to national climate assessments, and co-led a top-ranked team in the international Solar Decathlon. A licensed Professional Engineer and Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, he has published over 100 scholarly works with more than 4,000 citations. He continues to serve on national review panels and community advisory boards, bringing science and engineering into action.
Dr. Piechota holds degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Northern Arizona University and UCLA. He has led major research projects funded by the National Science Foundation, contributed to national climate assessments, and co-led a top-ranked team in the international Solar Decathlon. A licensed Professional Engineer and Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, he has published over 100 scholarly works with more than 4,000 citations. He continues to serve on national review panels and community advisory boards, bringing science and engineering into action.
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Recent Creative, Scholarly Work and Publications