Melia Talagi

 

Assistant Professor of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering
Office: Holmes Hall 380
Phone: (808) 956-2554
E-mail:  meliaki@hawaii.edu

Areas of Specialty and Research Interest

  • Geotechnical engineering and soil-structure interaction

Education

  • Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2018
  • M.Sc. in Civil Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2014
  • B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2011

Experience

  • Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa,  Jan 2025 – Present
  • Managing Member, Geotechnical Engineer , Iloa Geotech, LLC | Honolulu, HI, February 2022 – December 2024
  • Lecturer University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2018 -2023

Courses Taught at UH (in the last five years)

  • CEE 355: Geotechnical Engineering I (S’25)
  • CEE 455: Geotechnical Engineering II
  • CEE 696: Selected Topics in Civil Engr

AFFILIATIONS

  • American Society of Civil Engineers
  • Geo-Institute
  • International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
  • Society of Native Hawaiian Engineers | Board Member, Treasurer 2021 – 2025
  • American Indian Science and Engineering Society | Faculty Advisor

HONORS AND AWARDS 

  • University of Hawaii at Manoa Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Merit Scholarship (2018)
  • Kresser ARCS® Award in Engineering (2016)
  • Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship (Honorable Mention) (2016)
  • L. Stephen Lau Water Research Endowed Scholarship (2015)
  • East-West Center Alumni Scholars Award (2014)
  • ‘Imi Na’auao Scholarship (2014)
  • 2nd Place Student Poster Competition, Geosynthetics Conference 2013, Long Beach, CA (2013)
  • Chi Epsilon (Honor Society for Civil Engineering Students where only the top third are eligible)

PUBLICATIONS 

  • Talagi, M.K.I (2025). Numerical Model of Hypothetical Energy Piles and Energy Storage in Hawaii. Proc. of 3rd Intl. Conf. on Energy Geotechnics, Paris, France. Abstract Submitted.
  • Iwamoto, M.K. (2018). A Landslide Warning System for a Soil Slope on Oahu (Doctoral dissertation, University of Hawaii at Manoa).
  • Iwamoto, M.K. and Ooi, P.S.K. (2018). Calibration of a transient hydrological model useful for developing a landslide warning system. Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting, Paper 18-03919.
  • Iwamoto, M.K., Ooi, P.S.K., Nicks, J.E. and Adams, M.T. (2015). Composite Properties from Instrumented Load Mini-Piers Reinforced with Geotextiles. Geotechnical Testing Journal, Vol. 38, No. 4, July.
  • Iwamoto, M.K., Ooi, P.S.K., Nicks, J.E. and Adams, M.T. (2014). Use of fully softened versus peak strength to predict the capacity of footings on geosynthetic reinforced soil. International Journal of GEOMATE, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Sl. No. 11), March:771-778.
  • Iwamoto, M.K., Ooi, P.S.K., Adams, M.T. and Nicks, J.E. (2014). Composite properties from instrumented load tests on soil columns reinforced with geotextiles. Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting, Paper 14-3140.
  • Iwamoto, M.K., Ooi, P.S.K., Nicks, J.E. and Adams, M.T. (2013). Use of fully softened versus peak strength to predict the capacity of footings on geosynthetic reinforced soil. Proc. Of Third Int. Conf. – GEOMATE 2013, Geotechnique,
    Construction Materials and Environment, Nagoya, Japan: 252-257.

PRESENTATIONS 

  • Elements of a Landslide Warning System 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers – Hawaii Section Dinner Meeting, Hawaii, USA
  • Calibration of a Transient Hydrological Model Useful for Developing a Landslide Warning System 2018 TRB Annual Meeting, AFP60 Committee Meeting | Washington D.C.
  • A landslide warning system for a soil slope on Oahu, Hawaii 2018 ARCS Foundation Scholar Presentations | Honolulu, HI
  • Composite properties from instrumented load tests on soil columns reinforced with geotextiles 2014 TRB Annual Meeting, Poster Presentation | Washington D.C.
  • Use of fully softened versus peak strength to predict the capacity of footings on geosynthetic reinforced soil 2013 GEOMATE 2013 Conference | Nagoya, Japan
  • Shear Strength Parameters of Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Using Mini-Pier Tests 2013 Geosynthetics Conference 2013 | Long Beach, CA
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