Jennifer L Miselis, Ph.D.
I study the geology of coastal margins, specifically how sediment availability and fluxes influence coastal evolution over a variety of time and space scales. My work, which spans the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, supports coastal management by providing insight into modern and future coastal behavior, the extent and quality of sediment resources, and spatial variability in ecosystem resilience.
I received a B.S. in Marine Science and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of South Carolina and a Ph.D. in Marine Science with a specialization in Coastal Geology from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. In 2008, I started an NRC Postdoctoral Research Associateship at the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. In 2010, I began working for the USGS at the Saint Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, where I explore how geologic variability influences coastal system change over a range of time scales. Using geophysics, remote sensing, and sediment sampling, I characterize coastal geology and identify relationships between geology and coastal system response to climate and storms. Also, I integrate observations with models to quantify the impact of existing variability on future coastal response.
Professional Experience
2010-present: Research Geologist, USGS, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
2008-2010: National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow, Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center
Education and Certifications
2008: Ph.D., Marine Science, Coastal Geology concentration, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary
2001: B.S. with Honors, Marine Science, University of South Carolina, Magna Cum Laude
2001: B.A. with Honors, Spanish, University of South Carolina, Magna Cum Laude
Science and Products
Storm Impacts - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Research Integration - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Predicting Future Beach Change - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Beach Change Envelope - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Beach Profiles - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Beach Recovery - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Geology and Sediment Availability - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Morphological Behavior - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Geologic and Morphologic Evolution of Coastal Margins
Coastal Multibeam Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in May 2021 from Seven Mile Island, New Jersey
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida (USGS - SPCSMC), conducted a geophysical survey nearshore Seven Mile Island, New Jersey, during May 2021. During this study, multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data were collected aboard the R/V Sallenger. Efforts were supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundat
Coastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in June 2021 from Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Grain-Size Data From Sediment Samples at Seven Mile Island, New Jersey and Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2019 From Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Coastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in September-October 2019 from Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2019 From Cedar Island, Virginia
Coastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in August 2019 from Cedar Island, Virginia
Coastal Bathymetry Data Collected in August 2018 from the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Coastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2018 Offshore of Seven Mile Island, New Jersey
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2018 From the Northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Coastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in August 2017 From the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in June 2018 From Fire Island, New York
Satellite-derived barrier response and recovery following natural and anthropogenic perturbations, northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Impacts of sediment removal from and placement in coastal barrier island systems
Executive SummaryOn June 24, 2019, Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to the directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to request their assistance in answering questions regarding coastal sediment resource management within the Coastal Barrier Resources System as defined by the Coastal Barrier
Quantifying thresholds of barrier geomorphic change in a cross-shore sediment-partitioning model
Barrier coasts, including barrier islands, beach-ridge plains, and associated landforms, can assume a broad spectrum of morphologies over multi-decadal scales that reflect conditions of sediment availability, accommodation, and relative sea-level rise. However, the quantitative thresholds of these controls on barrier-system behavior remain largely unexplored, even as modern sea-level rise and anth
Application of sediment end-member analysis for understanding sediment fluxes, northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Method for observing breach geomorphic evolution: Satellite observation of the Fire Island Wilderness breach
Sediment data from vibracores collected in 2016 from Fire Island, New York
A Bayesian approach to predict sub-annual beach change and recovery
Ground penetrating radar and differential global positioning system data collected in April 2016 from Fire Island, New York
Chirp subbottom profile data collected in 2015 from the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Natural and human-induced variability in barrier-island response to sea level rise
Morphologic evolution of the wilderness area breach at Fire Island, New York—2012–15
Coastal bathymetry data collected in May 2015 from Fire Island, New York—Wilderness breach and shoreface
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Storm Impacts - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Research Integration - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Predicting Future Beach Change - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Beach Change Envelope - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Beach Profiles - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Beach Recovery - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Geology and Sediment Availability - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Morphological Behavior - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Geologic and Morphologic Evolution of Coastal Margins
Coastal Multibeam Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in May 2021 from Seven Mile Island, New Jersey
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida (USGS - SPCSMC), conducted a geophysical survey nearshore Seven Mile Island, New Jersey, during May 2021. During this study, multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data were collected aboard the R/V Sallenger. Efforts were supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundat
Coastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in June 2021 from Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Grain-Size Data From Sediment Samples at Seven Mile Island, New Jersey and Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2019 From Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Coastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in September-October 2019 from Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2019 From Cedar Island, Virginia
Coastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in August 2019 from Cedar Island, Virginia
Coastal Bathymetry Data Collected in August 2018 from the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Coastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2018 Offshore of Seven Mile Island, New Jersey
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2018 From the Northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Coastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in August 2017 From the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in June 2018 From Fire Island, New York
Satellite-derived barrier response and recovery following natural and anthropogenic perturbations, northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Impacts of sediment removal from and placement in coastal barrier island systems
Executive SummaryOn June 24, 2019, Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to the directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to request their assistance in answering questions regarding coastal sediment resource management within the Coastal Barrier Resources System as defined by the Coastal Barrier
Quantifying thresholds of barrier geomorphic change in a cross-shore sediment-partitioning model
Barrier coasts, including barrier islands, beach-ridge plains, and associated landforms, can assume a broad spectrum of morphologies over multi-decadal scales that reflect conditions of sediment availability, accommodation, and relative sea-level rise. However, the quantitative thresholds of these controls on barrier-system behavior remain largely unexplored, even as modern sea-level rise and anth
Application of sediment end-member analysis for understanding sediment fluxes, northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Method for observing breach geomorphic evolution: Satellite observation of the Fire Island Wilderness breach
Sediment data from vibracores collected in 2016 from Fire Island, New York
A Bayesian approach to predict sub-annual beach change and recovery
Ground penetrating radar and differential global positioning system data collected in April 2016 from Fire Island, New York
Chirp subbottom profile data collected in 2015 from the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Natural and human-induced variability in barrier-island response to sea level rise
Morphologic evolution of the wilderness area breach at Fire Island, New York—2012–15
Coastal bathymetry data collected in May 2015 from Fire Island, New York—Wilderness breach and shoreface
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.