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Visiting Scientist Brings Expertise in Coastal-Evolution Modeling
Edwin Elias has recently joined the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)'s Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) as a visiting scientist from Delft Hydraulics in the Netherlands. Edwin will carry on the visiting-scientist exchange between Delft Hydraulics and the USGS as part of the cooperative Agreement that brought Giles Lesser to work with Guy Gelfenbaum, Chris Sherwood, and others in CMGP on sediment-transport and morphological modeling (see related Sound Waves article, "Visiting Delft Engineer Brings Modeling Expertise to USGS"). Edwin worked as a researcher and advisor in Delft Hydraulics' Marine and Coastal Infrastructure section. Currently stationed in Menlo Park, Calif., Edwin will work with Guy and Andrew Stevens and Giles on modeling sediment transport and morphological change in the Columbia River estuary, to help the States of Washington and Oregon and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers better understand erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment at this important river mouth. In addition, Edwin will work with Guy and Jon Warrick, Eric Grossman, Jessie Lacy, and David Finlayson to set up hydrodynamic and morphological models of Puget Sound and of selected study areas within the sound. Edwin will also be spending time in Santa Cruz, Calif., working with Dan Hanes, Patrick Barnard, and Li Erikson on modeling the San Francisco Bay entrance. A specific aspect of this research concerns the investigation of processes and mechanisms inducing coastal-erosion problems at adjacent Ocean Beach. Edwin's experience at Delft Hydraulics has focused on coastal morphodynamics. Before working at Delft Hydraulics, Edwin studied at Hogeschool Zeeland, where he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering (Constructions). At the Delft University of Technology, he obtained a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering (Coastal Engineering). His final thesis covered the validation and calibration of the Delft3D modeling system, using data from an extensive field-measuring campaign (COAST3D) at Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands. In October 2006, Edwin will defend his Ph.D. thesis, titled "Morphodynamics of Texel Inlet," at Delft University. This thesis deals with the morphodynamic behavior of the largest tidal inlet of the Dutch Wadden Sea under the influence of large-scale human interventions over a wide range of temporal scales. Long-term evolution of the inlet was analyzed by using 400 years of bathymetric observations, and a detailed analysis of governing processes and mechanisms for sediment transport was accomplished by integrating field and model data. People interested in coastal evolution, morphological modeling, or use of the Delft3D model in their coastal research are kindly invited to contact Edwin at eelias@usgs.gov or (650) 329-5475.
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in this issue:
Biologists Count Parasites to Assess Health of Marsh Researcher Studies Effects of African Dust on Human and Coral Health Water Temperature Restricts Distribution of Coho Salmon in Redwood Creek
Scientists and Educators Support "Watershed Watchers" Program George Crekos' 30-Year Career Celebrated Geography Students Speak Out at Science Symposium
National Wetlands Research Center Staff Win Awards for Publications
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