04/07/2020
By Erica Gavin
James Heiss has received as recent award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his new research, which aims to understand effects of extreme multi-hazard coastal storms, including surge, heavy precipitation and coastal erosion, on groundwater flow and mixing patterns in beach aquifers.
The study will provide critical information on impacts of an increasing occurrence of extreme weather events on coastal hydrogeology.
EEAS Department Chair Daniel Obrist said, "I am really excited and proud to see that all of our tenure-track faculty are succeeding in today’s highly competitive funding environment and have successfully secured funding from NSF! I am looking forward to seeing the results of this interesting study.
"Congratulations, James, for this substantial research award, and keep up the good work!"
The research is entitled: "Hydrologic Dynamics in a Coastal Aquifer During an Extreme Multi-Hazard Coastal Storm
Source." It received $784,214 in total (for WHOI and UML), with $496,454 for UML over three years from NSF Hydrologic Sciences. The goal of the project is to understand coastal aquifer response to storm surge, coastal erosion, and precipitation prior to, during, and following a large coastal storm. The field component of the study will take place at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, N.C. in fall 2020.