Coastal Processes, Hazards and Society

Tim Bralower was born in Armonk, NY but moved to London at the age of four. Tim attended Oxford University and received a BA in Earth Science. Tim followed his undergraduate degree with a PhD in Earth Science at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. Although a classically trained marine geologist, Tim's specialty is calcareous nannoplankton, a group of marine plankton that leave an exquisite fossil record. The nannoplankton allow us to tell time or date ancient sediments back to 225 million years ago, and, in addition, inform us about environments in the past. Recently Tim has focused his research on ancient time periods when climate warmed rapidly. In particular, he is interested in what happens to life during these episodes.

Dinah Maygarden, Research Associate and Director of the Coastal Education Program in the Pontchartrain Institute for Environmental Sciences at the University of New Orleans, received a B.Sc. from the University of Wales and a M.A., Science Teaching from the University of New Orleans. Dinah has worked in these and other capacities for 20 years at UNO. She works to secure funding to implement educational projects that address science education needs, particularly those pertaining to increasing young people's and teachers' understanding of Louisiana's coastal zone.

Brent Yarnal grew up north of San Francisco in Sonoma County, California. He got his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Davis, master's degree from the University of Calgary, Alberta, and doctorate from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia. Although his graduate training was in physical geography focusing on climatology, geomorphology, and glaciology, today his research bridges the physical and social sciences and integrates climate change, natural hazards, and the use of environmental information in decision-making. He is especially interested in what makes individuals, groups, and communities vulnerable to climate extremes and coastal hazards.