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Benjamin K Norris

My research interests span coastal, estuarine, and riverine settings, with a broad focus on the interplay of hydrodynamics (currents, waves, turbulence), morphodynamics (sediment transport), and coastal ecosystems (mangroves, coral reefs).

Dr. Benjamin Norris is a Mendenhall Postdoctoral Scholar and Research Oceanographer with the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center. His expertise spans coastal, estuarine, and riverine settings, with a focus on nearshore processes, wave dissipation, turbulence, sediment transport, and the hydrodynamics of aquatic vegetation. His research interests include the development of “green infrastructure”, or nature-based solutions for mitigating coastal hazards and erosion. His Mendenhall project focuses on modeling wave dissipation across coral reefs at sub-meter scales, with the purpose of developing cost-effective coral reef restorations to enhance the protective capacity of degraded reef ecosystems. Benjamin is skilled in field observation, remote sensing (GIS), computer programming (Matlab, Bash/Linux, C++), and numerical modeling (OpenFOAM, Delft3D).

Professional Experience

  • 2020 – Present: Mendenhall Postdoctoral Scholar, U.S. Geological Survey, Santa Cruz, California USA

  • 2019 – 2020: Eco-Hydrologist I, cbec eco-engineering, Sacramento, California USA

  • 2018 – 2019: GIS Specialist, University of Waikato, Hamilton New Zealand

  • 2018: Lecturer, University of Waikato, Hamilton New Zealand

  • 2012 – 2014: Junior Specialist, U.S. Geological Survey, Santa Cruz, California USA

Education and Certifications

  • 2019: Ph.D. Earth Sciences – University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

  • 2017: B.S. Earth Sciences – UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California USA

Science and Products

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An ad for an upcoming seminar with the title at top, image in middle, and speaker name and information at bottom.

Science Seminar Series

Welcome to the Pacific Coastal Marine Science Center (PCMSC) Seminar Series! Our seminars are on the first and third Tuesday of every month, usually from 10:00 – 11:00 am Pacific Time (1:00 - 2:00 pm Eastern) via Microsoft Teams. Please check each seminar announcement closely, as times may change. In addition, we also co-host a special “Coastal Change Hazards” seminar on the second Tuesday every...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
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Science Seminar Series

Welcome to the Pacific Coastal Marine Science Center (PCMSC) Seminar Series! Our seminars are on the first and third Tuesday of every month, usually from 10:00 – 11:00 am Pacific Time (1:00 - 2:00 pm Eastern) via Microsoft Teams. Please check each seminar announcement closely, as times may change. In addition, we also co-host a special “Coastal Change Hazards” seminar on the second Tuesday every...
Learn More
link
Coral head that looks like lettuce sits on sandy bottom in clear blue water and is surrounded by brightly colored fish.

Coral Reef Project

Explore the fascinating undersea world of coral reefs. Learn how we map, monitor, and model coral reefs so we can better understand, protect, and preserve our Nation's reefs.
By
Natural Hazards, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

Coral Reef Project

Explore the fascinating undersea world of coral reefs. Learn how we map, monitor, and model coral reefs so we can better understand, protect, and preserve our Nation's reefs.
Learn More
link
Sun sets over a mountain ridge.

Science Seminar Series Archives

A list of past science seminars hosted by the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

Science Seminar Series Archives

A list of past science seminars hosted by the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California
Learn More

Hindcast storm events in the Bering Sea for the St. Lawrence Island and Unalakleet Regions, Alaska

This study provides viable estimates of historical storm-induced water levels in the coastal communities of Gambell and Savoonga situated on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, as well as Unalakleet located at the head of Norton Sound on the western coast of Alaska. Gambell, Savoonga, and Unalakleet are small Native Villages that are regularly impacted by coastal storms but where little quantit
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

The influence of grain size, grain color, and suspended-sediment concentration on light attenuation: why fine-grained terrestrial sediment is bad for coral reef ecosystems

Sediment has been shown to be a major stressor to coral reefs globally. Although many researchers have tested the impact of sedimentation on coral reef ecosystems in both the laboratory and the field and some have measured the impact of suspended sediment on the photosynthetic response of corals, there has yet to be a detailed investigation on how properties of the sediment itself can affect light
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Measurements of slope currents and internal tides on the Continental Shelf and slope off Newport Beach, California

An array of seven moorings housing current meters and oceanographic sensors was deployed for 6 months at 5 sites on the Continental Shelf and slope off Newport Beach, California, from July 2011 to January 2012. Full water-column profiles of currents were acquired at all five sites, and a profile of water-column temperature was also acquired at two of the five sites for the duration of the deployme
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Pre-USGS Publications

Norris, B.K., Mullarney, J.C., Bryan, K.R., Henderson, S.M., 2020, Relating Millimeter-scale Turbulence to Meter-scale Subtidal Erosion and Accretion across the Fringe of a Coastal Mangrove Forest: Earth Surfaces Processes and Landforms. DOI: 10.1002/esp.5047.
Norris, B.K., Mullarney, J.C., Bryan, K.R., Henderson, S.M., 2019, Turbulence within Natural Mangrove Pneumatophore Canopies: Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 124, 2263–2288. DOI: 10.1029/2018JC014562.
Norris, B.K., Mullarney, J.C., Bryan, K.R., Henderson, S.M., 2017, The effect of pneumatophore density on turbulence: a field study in a Sonneratia-dominated mangrove forest, Vietnam: Continental Shelf Research, 147, 114–127. DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2017.06.002.
Mullarney, J., Henderson, S.M., Norris, B.K., Bryan, K.R., Fricke, A.T., Sandwell, D.R., 2017, A question of scale: How turbulence around aerial roots shapes the seabed morphology in mangrove forests of the Mekong Delta: Oceanography, 30, 34–47. DOI: 10.5670/oceanog.2017.312.
Mullarney, J.C., Henderson, S.M., Reyns, J.A.H., Norris, B.K., Bryan, K.R., 2017, Spatially varying drag within a wave-exposed mangrove forest and on the adjacent tidal flat: Continental Shelf Research, 147, 102–113. DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2017.06.019.
Henderson, S.M., Norris, B.K., Mullarney, J.C., 2017, Wave-frequency flows within a near-bed vegetation canopy: Continental Shelf Research, 147, 91–101. DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2017.06.003.
Liénard, J., Lynn, K., Strigul, N., Norris, B.K., Gatziolis, D., Mullarney, J.C., Bryan, K.R., Henderson, S.M., 2016, Efficient three-dimensional reconstruction of aquatic vegetation geometry: Estimating morphological parameters influencing hydrodynamic drag: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 178, 77–85. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2016.05.011.

Science and Products

  • Science
    link
    An ad for an upcoming seminar with the title at top, image in middle, and speaker name and information at bottom.

    Science Seminar Series

    Welcome to the Pacific Coastal Marine Science Center (PCMSC) Seminar Series! Our seminars are on the first and third Tuesday of every month, usually from 10:00 – 11:00 am Pacific Time (1:00 - 2:00 pm Eastern) via Microsoft Teams. Please check each seminar announcement closely, as times may change. In addition, we also co-host a special “Coastal Change Hazards” seminar on the second Tuesday every...
    By
    Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
    link

    Science Seminar Series

    Welcome to the Pacific Coastal Marine Science Center (PCMSC) Seminar Series! Our seminars are on the first and third Tuesday of every month, usually from 10:00 – 11:00 am Pacific Time (1:00 - 2:00 pm Eastern) via Microsoft Teams. Please check each seminar announcement closely, as times may change. In addition, we also co-host a special “Coastal Change Hazards” seminar on the second Tuesday every...
    Learn More
    link
    Coral head that looks like lettuce sits on sandy bottom in clear blue water and is surrounded by brightly colored fish.

    Coral Reef Project

    Explore the fascinating undersea world of coral reefs. Learn how we map, monitor, and model coral reefs so we can better understand, protect, and preserve our Nation's reefs.
    By
    Natural Hazards, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
    link

    Coral Reef Project

    Explore the fascinating undersea world of coral reefs. Learn how we map, monitor, and model coral reefs so we can better understand, protect, and preserve our Nation's reefs.
    Learn More
    link
    Sun sets over a mountain ridge.

    Science Seminar Series Archives

    A list of past science seminars hosted by the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California
    By
    Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
    link

    Science Seminar Series Archives

    A list of past science seminars hosted by the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California
    Learn More
  • Publications

    Hindcast storm events in the Bering Sea for the St. Lawrence Island and Unalakleet Regions, Alaska

    This study provides viable estimates of historical storm-induced water levels in the coastal communities of Gambell and Savoonga situated on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, as well as Unalakleet located at the head of Norton Sound on the western coast of Alaska. Gambell, Savoonga, and Unalakleet are small Native Villages that are regularly impacted by coastal storms but where little quantit
    By
    Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

    The influence of grain size, grain color, and suspended-sediment concentration on light attenuation: why fine-grained terrestrial sediment is bad for coral reef ecosystems

    Sediment has been shown to be a major stressor to coral reefs globally. Although many researchers have tested the impact of sedimentation on coral reef ecosystems in both the laboratory and the field and some have measured the impact of suspended sediment on the photosynthetic response of corals, there has yet to be a detailed investigation on how properties of the sediment itself can affect light
    By
    Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

    Measurements of slope currents and internal tides on the Continental Shelf and slope off Newport Beach, California

    An array of seven moorings housing current meters and oceanographic sensors was deployed for 6 months at 5 sites on the Continental Shelf and slope off Newport Beach, California, from July 2011 to January 2012. Full water-column profiles of currents were acquired at all five sites, and a profile of water-column temperature was also acquired at two of the five sites for the duration of the deployme
    By
    Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

    Pre-USGS Publications

    Norris, B.K., Mullarney, J.C., Bryan, K.R., Henderson, S.M., 2020, Relating Millimeter-scale Turbulence to Meter-scale Subtidal Erosion and Accretion across the Fringe of a Coastal Mangrove Forest: Earth Surfaces Processes and Landforms. DOI: 10.1002/esp.5047.
    Norris, B.K., Mullarney, J.C., Bryan, K.R., Henderson, S.M., 2019, Turbulence within Natural Mangrove Pneumatophore Canopies: Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 124, 2263–2288. DOI: 10.1029/2018JC014562.
    Norris, B.K., Mullarney, J.C., Bryan, K.R., Henderson, S.M., 2017, The effect of pneumatophore density on turbulence: a field study in a Sonneratia-dominated mangrove forest, Vietnam: Continental Shelf Research, 147, 114–127. DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2017.06.002.
    Mullarney, J., Henderson, S.M., Norris, B.K., Bryan, K.R., Fricke, A.T., Sandwell, D.R., 2017, A question of scale: How turbulence around aerial roots shapes the seabed morphology in mangrove forests of the Mekong Delta: Oceanography, 30, 34–47. DOI: 10.5670/oceanog.2017.312.
    Mullarney, J.C., Henderson, S.M., Reyns, J.A.H., Norris, B.K., Bryan, K.R., 2017, Spatially varying drag within a wave-exposed mangrove forest and on the adjacent tidal flat: Continental Shelf Research, 147, 102–113. DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2017.06.019.
    Henderson, S.M., Norris, B.K., Mullarney, J.C., 2017, Wave-frequency flows within a near-bed vegetation canopy: Continental Shelf Research, 147, 91–101. DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2017.06.003.
    Liénard, J., Lynn, K., Strigul, N., Norris, B.K., Gatziolis, D., Mullarney, J.C., Bryan, K.R., Henderson, S.M., 2016, Efficient three-dimensional reconstruction of aquatic vegetation geometry: Estimating morphological parameters influencing hydrodynamic drag: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 178, 77–85. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2016.05.011.