Education
Ph.D. (2002) University of California, Los Angeles, USA
M.Sc.(1995) National Taiwan University, Taiwan
B.Sc. (1993) National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan
 
Positions

Research Interests
Groundwater flow and fate and transport modeling in aquifer systems, groundwater inverse problems and experimental designs, geospatial heterogeneity reconstruction, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), saltwater intrusion modeling and management, surface water and groundwater conjunctive use, water resources optimization and management, multi-reservoir operations optimization and hydropower optimization, and coastal environmental modeling and management.

Classes Taught

1. CE 2200 Fluid Mechanics
2. CE 2250 Fluid Mechanics Laboratory
3. CE 4200 Hydrology
4. CE 4250 Ground Water
5. CE 7265 Advanced Subsurface Hydrology and Hydraulics
6. CE 7275 Modeling of Groundwater Management
7. CE 7700 Inverse Problems in Groundwater Modeling
8. CE 7750 Seminar (Seminar Coordinator)

Current and Past Funded Projects

1. (PI) USGS, Louisiana Water Resources Research Institute/Bayesian Model Averaging for Saltwater Intrusion Management Under Model Uncertainty, 03/2009-02/2010
2. (PI) Louisiana Board of Regents, Economic Development Assistantship, LSU/Lattice Boltzmann Modeling using High Performance Computing for Subsurface Saltwater Intrusion Simulation and Remediation, 08/2009-05/2013
3. (PI) USGS, Louisiana Water Resources Research Institute/Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) Laboratory Experiments on Saltwater Encroachment Tracking and Modeling in Saturated Heterogeneous Sediment, 03/2008-02/2009
4. (PI) LSU Faculty Research Grant Program/ Bayesian Model Integration and Uncertainty Analysis in Groundwater Inverse Modeling Development of Saltwater Intrusion Management Model for Coastal Aquifer Protection, 07/01/07-06/30/08
5. (PI) USGS, Louisiana Water Resources Research Institute/A Pilot Study on Modeling and Management of Hurricane-Accelerated Saltwater Encroachment in Coastal Aquifers, 03/2006-02/2007
6. (PI) NOAA, Louisiana Sea Grant College Program/Development of a Fate and Transport Model for Pathogen Tracking in Coastal Subsurfaces Impacted by Anthropogenic Pollutant Sources, 02/01/2006-01/31/2008 (Co-PI: Kelly A. Rusch)
7. (PI) U.S. Geological Survey & National Institute for Water Resources/Saltwater Intrusion Management with Conjunctive Use of Surface Water and Ground Water, 09/01/2005-08/31/2008 (Co-PI: Vijay P. Singh)
8. (PI) Louisiana Board of Regents, Research Competitiveness Subprogram/Development of a Generalized Parameterization Method under the Geostatistical Framework, 06/2005-05/2008
9. (PI) City of Chandler, Arizona/Development of Production Well Management Model, 07/16/05-11/15/06
10. (PI) LSU Faculty Research Grant Program/ Development of Saltwater Intrusion Management Model for Coastal Aquifer Protection, 07/01/05-06/30/06
11. (PI) LSU Summer Stipend/Modeling of Saltwater Encroachment in East Baton Rouge Parish, July 2005

1. Tsai, F. T.-C. and X. Li, Reply to Comment on "Groundwater Inverse Modeling for Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation Using Bayesian Model Averaging and Variance Window" by Ye, M., D. Liu, S.P. Neuman, and P.D. Meyer, Water Resources Research. (under review)
2. Chen, J.-A., and F. T.-C. Tsai, A Comparative Study of Support Vector Machines and ARMA Model for Monthly Runoff Forecasting. (under review)
3. Tsai, F. T.-C., Co-generalized Parameterization for Estimating Hydraulic Conductivity in Groundwater Modeling. (under review)
4. Tsai, F. T.-C., Bayesian Model Averaging Assessment on Groundwater Management under Model Structure Uncertainty. (under review)
5. Servan-Camas, B., and F. T.-C. Tsai, Two-Relaxation-Time Lattice Boltzmann Method for Anisotropic Dispersive Henry Problem. Water Resources Research, 2009 (Accepted)
6. Tubbs, K. R., and F. T.-C. Tsai, Multilayer Shallow Water Flow using Lattice Boltzmann Model with High Performance Computing. Advances in Water Resources, 2009. (Accepted)
7. Cao, H., F. T.-C. Tsai, and K. A. Rusch, Salinity and Soluble Organic Matter on Virus Sorption in Sand and Soil Columns. Ground Water, 2009. (Accepted).
8. Cao, H., F. T.-C. Tsai, and K. A. Rusch, Fecal Bacteria Removal and Background Recovery within the Marshland Upwelling System. Environmental Engineering Science, 2009. (in press)
9. Cao, H., F. T.-C. Tsai, and K. A. Rusch, Impact of Salinity on MS-2 Sorption in Saturated Sand Columns - Fate and Transport Modeling. ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering, 135(10), 1041-1050, 2009.
10. Li, X., and F. T.-C. Tsai, Bayesian Model Averaging for Groundwater Head Prediction and Uncertainty Analysis Using Multimodel and Multimethod. Water Resources Research 45, W09403, 2009. doi:10.1029/2008WR007488.
11. Servan-Camas, B, and F. T.-C. Tsai, Saltwater Intrusion Modeling in Heterogeneous Confined Aquifers using Two-Relaxation-Time Lattice Boltzmann Method, Advances in Water Resources, 32(4), 620-631, 2009.
12. Tsai, F. T.-C., V. Kartiyar, D. Toy, and R.A. Goff, Conjunctive Management of Large-Scale Pressurized Water Distribution and Groundwater System in Semi-Arid Area Using Parallel Genetic Algorithm, Water Resources Management, 23(8), 1497-1517, 2009.
13. Tsai, F. T.-C., Indicator Generalized Parameterization for Interpolation Point Selection in Groundwater Inverse Modeling, ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 14(3), 233-242, 2009.
14. Servan-Camas, B., and F. T.-C. Tsai, Non-negativity and Stability Analyses of Lattice Boltzmann Method for Advection-Diffusion Equation, Journal of Computational Physics, 228(1), 236-256, 2009.
15. Tsai, F. T.-C. and X. Li, Groundwater Inverse Modeling for Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation Using Bayesian Model Averaging and Variance Window, Water Resources Research, 44(9), W09434, 2008, doi:10.1029/2007WR006576.
16. Tsai, F. T.-C. and X. Li, Multiple Parameterization for Hydraulic Conductivity Identification, Ground Water, 46(6), 851-864, 2008. 
17. Rahman, A., F. T.-C. Tsai, C. White, and C.S. Willson, Coupled Semivariogram Uncertainty of Hydrogeological and Geophysical Data on Capture Zone Uncertainty Analysis, ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 13(10), 915-925, 2008.
18. Servan-Camas B. and F. T.-C. Tsai, Lattice Boltzmann Method with Two Relaxation Times for Advection-Diffusion Equation: Third-Order Analysis and Stability Analysis, Advances in Water Resources, 31(8), 1113-1126, 2008
19. Rahman, A., F. T.-C. Tsai, C. White, D. Carlson, C.S. Willson, Geophysical data integration, stochastic simulation and significance analysis of groundwater responses using ANOVA in the Chicot Aquifer system, Louisiana, USA, Hydrogeology Journal, 16(4), 749-764, 2008.
20. Tan, C-C., C-P. Tung, and F. T.-C. Tsai, Applying Tabu Search and Zonation Methods to Identify Parameter Structure in Groundwater Modeling, Journal of The American Water Resources Association, 44(1), 107-120, 2008. 
21. Tu, M-Y., N-S. Hsu, F. T.-C. Tsai, and W. W-G. Yeh, Optimization of Reservoir Operations with Rule Curves and Hedging Rules Using Mixed-Integer Programming, Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 134(1), 3-13, 2008.
22. Bray, B., F. T.-C. Tsai, Y. Sim, and W. W-G. Yeh, Model Development and Calibration of a Saltwater Intrusion Model in Southern California, Journal of The American Water Resources Association, 43 (5), 1329-1343, 2007.
23. Tsai, F. T.-C., Enhancing random heterogeneity representation by mixing the kriging method with the zonation structure, Water Resources Research, 42, W08428, doi:10.1029/2005WR004111, 2006.
24. Tu, M-Y., F. T.-C. Tsai, and W. W-G. Yeh, “Optimization of Water Distribution and Water Quality by Hybrid Genetic Algorithm”, Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, ASCE, 131 (6): 431-440 Nov-Dec 2005.
25. Tsai, F. T.-C., N-Z. Sun, and W. W-G. Yeh, “Geophysical Parameterization and Parameter Structure Identification Using Natural Neighbors in Groundwater Inverse Problems”, Journal of Hydrology, 308, 269-283, 2005.
26. Tsai, F. T.-C., and W. W-G. Yeh, “Characterization and Identification of Aquifer Heterogeneity with Generalized Parameterization and Bayesian Estimation”, Water Resources Research, 40, W10102, doi:10.1029/2003WR002893, 2004.
27. Tsai, F. T.-C., N-Z. Sun, and W. W-G. Yeh, “Global-Local Optimization Methods for the Identification of Three-Dimensional Parameter Structure in Groundwater Modeling” Water Resources Research, 39(2) 1043, doi: 10.1029/2001WR001135, 2003.
28. Tsai, F. T.-C., N-Z. Sun, and W. W-G. Yeh, “A Combinatorial Optimization Scheme for Parameter Structure Identification in Ground-Water Modeling” Ground Water, 41(2), 156-169, 2003.
29. Barros, M. T. L., F. T.-C. Tsai, S. Yang, J. E. G. Lopes, and W. W-G. Yeh, “Optimization of Large-Scale Hydropower System Operations” Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, ASCE, 129 (3): 178-188 May-Jun 2003.

1. Tsai, F. T.-C. and W. W-G. Yeh, Chapter 5: Model Calibration and Parameter Structure Identification in Characterization of Ground Water Systems, in Ground Water Management Manual (M. Aral and S. Taylor ed.) American Society of Civil Engineers. Accepted, 2009.
2. Tsai, F. T.-C. and X. Li, Chapter 18: Conditional Estimation of Distributed Hydraulic Conductivity in Groundwater Inverse Modeling: Indicator-Generalized Parameterization and Natural Neighbors, in Practical Hydroinformatics: Computational intelligence and technological developments in water applications, Water Science and Technology Library, Vol 68, edited by RJ Abrahart, LM See, adn DP Solomatine, Springer, 2008, 615p.

1. Tubbs, K. R., and F. T.-C. Tsai, A GPU Accelerated Lattice Boltzmann Model for Shallow Water Flow and Mass Transport, Sixth International Conference for Mesoscopic Methods in Engineering and Science (ICMMES), Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China, July 13-17, 2009.

2. Tubbs, K. R., and F. T.-C. Tsai, Simulation of Multilayer Shallow Water Fluid Flow using Lattice Boltzmann Modeling and High Performance Computing, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Kanasa City, Missouri, May 17-21, 2009.

3. Tsai, F. T.-C., and M. Pillala, Subsurface Characterization Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Kanasa City, Missouri, May 17-21, 2009. 

4. Tsai, F. T.-C., A. Rahman, X. Li, Groundwater Management and Uncertainty Analysis Using Bayesian Model Averaging, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Kanasa City, Missouri, May 17-21, 2009.

5. Tubbs, K. R., and F. T.-C.. Tsai, Lattice Boltzmann Modeling Using High Performance Computing for Shallow Water Fluid Flow and Mass Transport, American Geophysical Union 2008 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 15-19, 2008.

6. Tsai, F. T.-C., and M. Pillala, Electrical Resistivity Tomography Using MODFLOW, American Geophysical Union 2008 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 15-19, 2008.

7. Tsai, F. T.-C. and X. Li. (2008). Saltwater Intrusion and Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Proceedings of the 20th Salt Water Intrusion Meeting (SWIM), 4 pp, Naples, Florida, June 23-27, 2008.

8. Tsai, F. T.-C., H. Cao, and K.A. Rusch, Viral Fate and Transport Modeling under Salinity Impact, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Honolulu, Hawaii, May 12-16, 2008.
9. Tsai, F. T.-C., X. Li, Maximum Weighted Log-likelihood Estimation for Parameterization Selection Uncertainty, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Honolulu, Hawaii, May 12-16, 2008.
10. Li, X., F. T.-C. Tsai, Groundwater head prediction and uncertainty propagation using Bayesian multi-model multi-method, MODFLOW and More: Ground Water and Public Policy, The Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, May 18-21, 2008.
11. Tsai, F. T-C., and X. Li. (2008). Saltwater Intrusion for “1,500-Foot” Sand, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, short paper in 2^nd Annual Louisiana Groundwater Symposium, 6 pp, March 6, 2008.
12. Li, X., and F. T-C. Tsai. (2008). Uncertainty Propagation Using Bayesian Multi-Model Multi Parameterization Method, abstract in 2^nd Annual Louisiana Groundwater Symposium, 1 pp, March 6, 2008.
13. Servan-Camas, B, and F. T.-C. Tsai, Lattice Boltzmann Method for Heterogeneous and Anisotropic Advection-Dispersion Equation in Porous Medium Flow.American Geophysical Union 2007 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 10-14, 2007. (Outstanding Student Paper Award) 
14. Tubbs, K. R., F. T.-C.Tsai, C. White, G. Allen, and J. Tohline, Monitoring of Saltwater Intrusion is a Sediment Model Using Electrical REsistivity Tomography in High Performance Computing Environment, American Geophysical Union 2007 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 10-14, 2007.
15. Tsai, F. T.-C., and X. Li, Parameter Estimation and Parameterization Uncertainty Using Bayesian Model Averaging, American Geophysical Union 2007 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 10-14, 2007.
16. Servan-Camas, B., K. Tubbs, and Frank T.-C. Tsai, "Lattice Boltzmann Method in Saltwater Intrusion Modeling", ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Tampa, Florida, May 15-19, 2007.
17. Cao, H., F. T.-C. Tsai, and K. A. Rusch, "Model for Sorption and Transport of MS-2 in Saturated Sediments under Impacts of Salinity and Soluble Organic Matter", ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Tampa, Florida, May 15-19, 2007.
18. Tsai, F. T.-C., and X. Li, "Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation using Bayesian Model Averaging and Generalized Parameterization", American Geophysical Union 2006 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 11-15, 2006.
19. Servan-Camas, Borja, and F. T.-C. Tsai, "Saltwater Intrusion Simulation in Hegerogeneous Aquifer Using Lattice Boltzmann Method", American Geophysical Union 2006 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 11-15, 2006.
20. Tubbs, K., F. T.-C. Tsai, C. White, G. Allen, and J. Tohline, "Numerical Investigations of Electrical Resistivity Tomography using Lattice Boltzmann Modeling and Adjoint-State Method", American Geophysical Union 2006 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 11-15, 2006. (Outstanding Student Paper Award)
21. Elrawady, M.H., and F. T.-C. Tsai, “Saltwater Intrusion Barrier Development and Management in Coastal Aquifer System., American Institute of Hydrology 25th Anniversary Meeting, Baton Rouge, LA, May 21-24, 2006.
22. Li, X., and F. T.-C. Tsai, “Aquifer Heterogeneity Estimation and Uncertainty Analysis Using a Multi-Parameterization Method, 4th Annual Groundwater Symposium, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Omaha, Nebraska, May 21-25, 2006.
23. Rahman, A., and F. T.-C. Tsai, “Geophysical Data Integration and Conditional Uncertainty Analysis on Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation”, 4th Annual Groundwater Symposium, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Omaha, Nebraska, May 21-25, 2006.
24. Tsai, F. T.-C., “Bayesian Model Averaging on Parameterization Non-uniqueness and Conditional Uncertainty Analysis, presented at the American Geophysical Union 2005 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 5-9, 2005.
25. Tsai, F. T.-C., “On Prior Parameter Structure Investigation to Parameter Uncertainty”, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Anchorage, Alaska, May 15-19, 2005.
26. Tsai, F. T.-C., “A Bayesian Approach to Estimate Aquifer Heterogeneity with Generalized Parameterization”, American Geophysical Union 2004 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 8-12, 2003. Dec. 13-17, 2004.
27. Tsai, F. T.-C., “Aquifer Characterization and Parameter Heterogeneity Estimation with a Coupled Zonation-Geostatistical Method and Natural Neighbors”, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Salt Lake City, Utah, June 27-July 1, 2004.
28. Tsai, F. T.-C., Y. Sim, and W. W-G. Yeh, “A Coupled Zonation-Kriging Method for Parameter Structure Identification in Groundwater Modeling: A Case Study of a Seawater Intrusion Problem, the Alamitos Barrier in Southern California Coastal Plain”, American Geophysical Union 2003 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 8-12, 2003.
29. Tsai, F. T.-C., N-Z. Sun, and W. W-G. Yeh, “Parameter Structure Identification in Groundwater Modeling: A Universal Parameterization Method”, ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 23-26, 2003.
30. Tsai, F. T.-C., N-Z. Sun, and W. W-G. Yeh, “Three-Dimensional Parameter Structure Identification: A Case Study of the Central Part of the Western San Joaquin Valley, California”, American Geophysical Union 2002 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 6-10, 2002.
31. Sun, N-Z., W. W-G. Yeh, and F. T.-C. Tsai,”Model Structure Identification: From the Reliability of Model Prediction to the Robustness of Experimental Design”, American Geophysical Union 2002 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 6-10, 2002.
32. Sun, N-Z., F. T.-C. Tsai, and W. W-G. Yeh, “Parameter Structure Identifiability and Experimental Design in Groundwater Modeling”, 4th International  Conference on Inverse Problem in Engineering, Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 26-31 May 2002.
33. Tsai, F. T.-C., N-Z. Sun, and W. W-G. Yeh, “Parameter Structure Identification with Natural Neighbor Parameterization in Groundwater Modeling”, American Geophysical Union 2001 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 10-14, 2001.
34. Tu, M-Y., F. T.-C. Tsai, and W. W-G. Yeh, “Optimization of Water Distribution and Water Quality by Genetic Algorithm and Nonlinear Programming”, American Geophysical Union 2001 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 10-14, 2001.
35. Tsai, F. T.-C., N-Z. Sun, and W. W-G. Yeh, “A Combinatorial Optimization Scheme For Parameter Structure Identification In Ground-Water Modeling”, MODFLOW 2001 and Other Modeling Odysseys Conference Proceedings, Vol.(I), 123-129, Golden, Colorado, Sep.11-14, 2001. (Outstanding Student Paper Award)
36. Yang, S., F. T.-C. Tsai, Y-H. Sun, and W. W-G. Yeh, “A Multicommodity Formulation for Multisources Water Distribution Network”, Proceedings of the 26th Annual Water Resources Planning and Management Conference, ASCE, Tempe, Arizona, June 6-9, 1999.
37. Lai, J-S., G-F. Lin, and F. T.-C. Tsai, “A Study on the Equilibrium Slope of a Check Dam”, Watershed Management Conference, Hong Kong, 1998.
38. Liu, K.-F.., W.-Y. Chang, and F. T.-C. Tsai, Flow Field Within a Pressured Thin Cylindrical Tube, 7th Hydraulic Engineering Conference, Taiwan, July 1994.

Awards and Honors

• LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation Undergraduate Teaching Award, 2008
• Outstanding Achievement Award, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, LSU, 2006
• UCLA Department Outstanding Doctor of Philosophy Degree Award, 2002
• Best Student Paper Award in MODFLOW 2001 and Other Modeling Odyssey Conference, Golden, Colorado, 2001
• UCLA Dissertation Year Fellowship, 2001-02

• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• Environmental Water Resources Institute (EWRI) of ASCE
• American Geophysical Union (AGU)
• International Ground Water Modeling Center (IGWMC)
• International Water Resources Association (IWRA)
• American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE)