Coastal Geologist
My name is Justin Shawler, and I am a coastal geologist. My professional and research interests are in coastal change and land use science and policy.
I currently am a Research Physical Scientist at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory. I support the Joint Airborne Lidar and Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX) on projects related to coastal mapping, sediment budgets, coastal inlets, and the drivers of coastal geomorphic change.
I previously worked as a coastal scientist for the State of Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) in the Shoreline and Waterway Management Section. There I focused on applied research and analysis of coastal navigation (dredge) and beach nourishment projects. DNREC is involved in a number of beneficial re-use projects for sandy and muddy coastal sediment. I primarily worked on beach change analysis and data-driven dredging and nourishment prioritization projects.
I recently (January 2022) earned a PhD at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).
Any opinions expressed here are solely mine.
Current and Recent Work: 1) Optimizing and prioritizing dredging operations using simple, data-driven metrics (DNREC), 2) aligning dredging with opportunities for ecosystem restoration and other beneficial uses (DNREC); and 3) the formation of beach and dune ridges (VIMS.
Past Work: 1) cross-shore barrier island stratigraphy and modeling, 2) changes in coastal sediment fluxes to barrier islands, 3) human impacts on coastal sedimentation, 4) parks and recreation planning, and 5) state-level education policy making.