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Postdocs Contributing to Climate-Change Studies at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

By Patrick Barnard September / October 2014

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Three new postdoctoral researchers have joined the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California. Their efforts support the Climate Change Impacts to the U.S. Pacific and Arctic Coasts project.

Kingsley Odigie is a University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)/USGS Postdoctoral Scholar working with USGS research oceanographer Peter Swarzenski and USGS research geologist Jon Warrick. He is investigating the impacts of climate change on coastal flooding near river mouths and on groundwater aquifers along the California coast. Kingsley completed his Ph.D. in environmental toxicology with Professor Russ Flegal at UCSC. His dissertation, Pyrogenic Remobilization of Toxic Metals, is on the use of lead isotopic compositions and trace element inventories to study the impacts of wildfires on remobilization of contaminants and their subsequent impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Before his graduate studies, Kingsley graduated from San José State University with a double major in microbiology and forensic science, and a minor in chemistry. Outside work, he loves to spend time with his family and friends.

Above: Kingsley Odigie, currently a University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)/USGS Postdoctoral Scholar, takes groundwater-well measurements before deploying a CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) probe at the Younger Lagoon Reserve in Santa Cruz, California, in December 2012. Photograph by Priya Ganguli, USGS/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. [larger version]

Patrick Limber is a USGS Mendenhall Research Fellow developing an approach for predicting multi-decadal cliff retreat due to climate change. He works primarily with USGS research oceanographer Li Erikson and USGS research geologist Patrick Barnard. Pat’s expertise lies in large-scale, long-term coastline evolution, beach and sea-cliff dynamics, nonlinear dynamics, and coastal management. Pat recently completed postdoctoral research with Assistant Professor Pete Adams at the University of Florida. Before that, he got his B.A. in environmental science from State University of New York (SUNY)-Purchase College, his M.S. in Earth science with Professor Gary Griggs at UCSC, and his Ph.D. in Earth and ocean sciences with Professor Brad Murray at Duke University. His dissertation is titled Beach and Sea Cliff Dynamics as a Driver of Rocky Coastline Evolution. Between studies at UCSC and Duke, Pat gained valuable experience working for the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management. A native North Carolinian and avid guitar player, Pat has settled in nearby Felton with his fiancé, Katie, who is a coastal manager.

Above: USGS Mendenhall Research Fellow Patrick Limber measuring bluff heights at Fort Funston (San Francisco, California) in September 2014. [larger version]

Sean Vitousek is also a Mendenhall Research Fellow working primarily with Li Erikson and Patrick Barnard. He is developing an approach for predicting multi-decadal sandy beach evolution due to climate change. Sean’s expertise lies in numerical modeling, computational efficiency, nearshore processes, and internal waves. Sean got his B.S. from Princeton University in civil and environmental engineering, his M.S. from the University of Hawai‘i in geology and geophysics with Professor Chip Fletcher, and his Ph.D. from Stanford University in civil and environmental engineering with Associate Professor Oliver Fringer. His dissertation is titled Towards Internal Wave Resolving Simulations of the Ocean. Having grown up on the Big Island of Hawaii, Sean is an avid surfer and beach volleyball player. He now lives just up the street from the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center with his wife, Sylvia.

Above: USGS Mendenhall Research Fellow Sean Vitousek before his wedding in June 2014 on the Big Island of Hawaii, where he grew up. [larger version]

Climate Change Impacts to the U.S. Pacific and Arctic Coasts USGS

USGS Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program USGS

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September / October 2014

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in this issue:

Natural Methane Seepage Is Widespread on the U.S. Atlantic Ocean Margin

Field Investigations of Hurricane Sandy's Impacts on Fire Island, New York

Seafloor Mapping off the Delmarva Peninsula

#StrongAfterSandy—A Congressional Briefing Hosted by the USGS

This Woman ROCKS!

Tripod Brings Data from the Deep Seafloor of the South China Sea

Instruments near Martha’s Vineyard Measure Seafloor Bottom Shear Stress

Coastal Streams in Central California Reflect the Region’s Drought

USGS Scientist Participates in National Geographic’s BioBlitz 2014

Twenty Years of Ask-A-Geologist

Advancing Data Sharing Capabilities—2014 DeSouza Award

Postdocs Contributing to Climate-Change Studies

Feds Feed Families Food Drive

Sept. / Oct. Publications