San Francisco Bight Coastal Processes Study

Researcher Biographies

Patrick Barnard
USGS, Coastal Geologist

Contact Info
Role: Principal Investigator, beach, nearshore and multibeam mapping and analysis, numerical modeling, and coastal evolution
Background: Patrick Barnard joined the USGS and initiated the Ocean Beach Coastal Processes study in October 2003. The study has since morphed into the much broader scope of the San Francisco Bight Coastal Processes Study. Along with Dan Hanes, Patrick manages this project, and leads field operations and research in beach, nearshore and multibeam mapping, sediment transport, and numerical modeling. Patrick received his B.A. in Geology from Williams College (1995), his M.S. in Coastal Geology from University of South Florida (1998), and his Ph.D. from UC Riverside (2003), where he studied landscape evolution in the High Himalayas. Patrick returned to the coast after completing his dissertation to work for the USGS and build on his background in coastal geology, geomorphology and sediment transport.

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Daniel M. Hanes
Coastal Oceanographer

Role: Co-Principal Investigator, nearshore processes, sediment transport modeling
Background: Dan Hanes joined the USGS in 2002 and lead the project: Coastal Evolution: Process-based, Multi-scale Modeling until his departure.  Prior to joining the Coastal and Marine Geology Program Dan was a Professor of Coastal and Civil Engineering at The University of Florida, where he specialized in coastal processes, sediment transport, and particle science and technology.  Dan received a B.A. (1977) in Applied Mechanics and Engineering Science, and an M.S. (1979) and Ph.D. (1983) in Oceanography from the University of California at San Diego (Scripps Institution of Oceanography).  Dan is the author or co-author of over 200 publications and conference presentations, and is co-editor of The Sea, Volume 9: Ocean Engineering Science (1990).

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Li Erikson
USGS, Coastal Engineer

Contact Info
Role: Video and instrument data analysis, numerical modeling
Background: Li Erikson is investigating the nearshore processes at Ocean Beach and is primarily responsible for extracting quantitative information from the still and video cameras located on the roof of the nearby Cliff House Restaurant. Li has been working at the USGS since May 2005 and comes with a rather broad background in environmental and coastal engineering.  Her early work focused on contaminated soils and pollutant transport in ground- and surface water.  For her M.S. (University of Rhode Island, 1998), she studied the flushing times of an embayment in the upper reaches of Narragansett Bay.  Her more recent interests, as exemplified in her doctoral dissertation (Lund Institute of Technology, Lund, Sweden, 2005), include surf and swash zone hydrodynamics in addition to dune erosion and beach changes.

Thomas Reiss
USGS, Research Oceanographer

Contact Info
Role: GPS survey specialist

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Ann Gibbs
USGS, Coastal Geologist

Contact Info
Role: Video camera operations and analysis