Awards
2018 NSF Career Award Winner
2018 Young Investigator Award Winner—Award from Office of Naval Research
Department
Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
What is the impact of your research?
My research impacts the larger field of coastal sciences and engineering with regards to increasingly changing shorelines in response to extreme events, sea level rise, and climate change. More specifically, I am hoping to introduce and expand a geotechnical perspective on coastal sediment remobilization processes and coastal sediment characteristics through the development of novel methods, improved understanding of processes, and application in coastal engineering and for naval issues. I hope that my research contributes to an improved understanding and management of coastal environments, and to the development of more feasible and sustainable solutions for coastal engineering and naval applications.
What do you like most about the field of geotechnical engineering?
Soil seems simple at first sight, but is actually highly complex. Particularly, adding coastal processes leads to more open questions than answers. This makes it a great field for a young researcher. Additionally, I like that that the work is connected to pressing societal needs, and that there is a great communication between practice and research, helping with transitioning research findings into the “real world.”
What path did you take to get to this point in your career and research?
My education and training was rather diverse with degrees and training in geophysics, marine geotechnics, geosciences and physical oceanography, and with training residences in Germany, Canada, and different U.S. states and research projects around the globe. However, throughout my career, seabed properties, coastal sediments and sediment remobilization processes have been a common theme. This allowed me to develop a broad perspective, training in diverse methods, and wide professional network to find my niche in the interdisciplinary field of coastal geotechnical engineering.
When you are not researching, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I truly love being active outdoors. I walk my dogs daily, and ride my horse Onni multiple times per week. Obviously, I also try to get to the ocean as often as possible, and to do some stand up paddle boarding, kayaking or surfing. I am also considering myself a beginner gardener, but I still have a lot to learn.