Coastal engineer and scientist, conducting research on topics of coastal flood risk, resilience and adaptation. My current focus is on approaches and tools for assessing, financing and implementing nature-based solutions for reducing risk on the coastline.

Lloyds Tercentenary Research Foundation Post-doctoral Fellow, based at UC Santa Cruz, researching the role of coastal ecology in flood risk reduction. I am working with the insurance industry to help them assess the contribution of coastal wetlands and reefs to risk reduction from storms and hurricanes. The ultimate aim of this work is to estimate the value of these habitats in risk reduction, and develop standards and financial mechanisms to enhance their consideration within long-term risk reduction and adaptation plans.

Coastal habitats are known to play a protective role during natural disasters as observed during Hurricanes Katrina (2005), Wilma (2005) and Sandy (2012). However, little guidance is available on how and when such protection is afforded. In my research within the SNAPP Coastal Defenses Working Group, I am synthesizing current knowledge on the ecological and engineering aspects of this subject, towards ultimately providing coastal managers world-wide with guidelines on managing coastal habitats for effective flood risk reduction.

I consulted for WCS-Papua New Guinea as part of an AUSAID funded Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Project, investigating coastal CCA options for the provinces of Manus and New Ireland, including the use of coastal habitats like mangroves and coral reefs in improving CCA capacities.

Was involved in an experimental project on the "Vortex Induced Vibrations of Cylinders in Currents and Waves"