Donya’s research focuses on understanding how waves and currents mobilize sand and other objects on the seafloor.
Her projects involve a wide range of scales from investigating incipient motion of individual sand grains up to modeling the evolution of barrier islands in response to tropical storms. In addition, she assesses the vulnerabilities of underrepresented communities to coastal hazards through stakeholder engagement.
Science and Products
Drs. Donya Frank-Gilchrist and Legna Torres-Garcia were funded to assess the feasibility for international collaborations on natural hazards investigations in the Caribbean
Drs. Donya Frank-Gilchrist and Legna Torres-Garcia of the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) are co-leading the project entitled “Stakeholder Engagement for Natural Hazards Investigations in the Caribbean (SENHIC),” jointly funded by the USGS Risk Community of Practice and the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.
SENHIC Project Milestones and Meetings
As part of the Stakeholder Engagement for Natural Hazards Investigations in the Caribbean (SENHIC) project, the USGS team aims to connect with scientists who are conducting natural hazards research in the Caribbean, build relationships with natural hazards researchers based in the Caribbean and those specializing in the region, and develop a framework for collaborating with international partners.
Stakeholder Engagement for Natural Hazards Investigations in the Caribbean (SENHIC)
USGS staff are connecting with natural hazards researchers based in the Caribbean and those specializing in the region to find out which natural hazards are of primary concern, learn about their mitigation efforts, and explore the potential for research collaboration.
Puerto Rico Natural Hazards | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico
The island of Puerto Rico is subject to numerous threats from natural hazards, including hurricanes, landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, coastal and inland flooding, environmental contaminants, and freshwater scarcity, among others. USGS science can help citizens better prepare for, mitigate, and adapt to these hazards. This website compiles USGS resources available for Puerto Rico to provide...
Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Landslides | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Deslizamientos de tierra
The Landslide Hazards Program from USGS works to help reduce the impact of landslides to people and infrastructure by furthering our understanding of causes of ground failure and by recommending strategies for risk mitigation. In Puerto Rico, USGS researchers have rigorously studied rainfall-induced landslides to provide maps that depict landslide susceptibility. Educational materials that...
Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Coastal | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Costas
This page is a collection of USGS coastal hazard research in Puerto Rico, including shoreline changes, coral reef assessments, and coastal flooding. A brief description of highlighted projects can be found below. All coastal hazard publications, data releases, and news for Puerto Rico can be accessed on this page. Esta página es una recopilación de investigaciones del USGS sobre los riesgos...
Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Water Resources | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Recursos de agua
The USGS monitors and studies water resources to deliver a wide range of data including streamflow conditions, groundwater information, lake and reservoir elevation, water quality, water use, and water availability, which can be accessed through the USGS National Water Dashboard. As of 2022, the USGS real-time water data network is comprised of 109 streamflow observation stations, 20 groundwater...
Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Ecosystems and Environmental Contaminants | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Ecosistemas y contaminantes ambientales
USGS researchers have studied environmental contaminants and pathogens to address questions involving exposure pathways and human-health implications. They also study climate change impacts and ecosystem health. On this page, read about ecosystems and environmental health research in Puerto Rico, including contaminants in tap water, and possible human exposures. Investigadores del USGS han...
Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Hurricanes | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Huracanes
Hurricanes are one of the most frequent natural hazards that Caribbean islands are prone to encounter. The frequency of storms and their intensity could increase with climate change. This page contains a variety of USGS research on hurricane impacts to Puerto Rico, dating back to 1989, when Hurricane Hugo impacted the island. Research topics include storm-induced landslides, as well as impacts on...
Science and Products
- Data
- News
Drs. Donya Frank-Gilchrist and Legna Torres-Garcia were funded to assess the feasibility for international collaborations on natural hazards investigations in the Caribbean
Drs. Donya Frank-Gilchrist and Legna Torres-Garcia of the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) are co-leading the project entitled “Stakeholder Engagement for Natural Hazards Investigations in the Caribbean (SENHIC),” jointly funded by the USGS Risk Community of Practice and the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.
- Science
SENHIC Project Milestones and Meetings
As part of the Stakeholder Engagement for Natural Hazards Investigations in the Caribbean (SENHIC) project, the USGS team aims to connect with scientists who are conducting natural hazards research in the Caribbean, build relationships with natural hazards researchers based in the Caribbean and those specializing in the region, and develop a framework for collaborating with international partners.Stakeholder Engagement for Natural Hazards Investigations in the Caribbean (SENHIC)
USGS staff are connecting with natural hazards researchers based in the Caribbean and those specializing in the region to find out which natural hazards are of primary concern, learn about their mitigation efforts, and explore the potential for research collaboration.Puerto Rico Natural Hazards | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico
The island of Puerto Rico is subject to numerous threats from natural hazards, including hurricanes, landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, coastal and inland flooding, environmental contaminants, and freshwater scarcity, among others. USGS science can help citizens better prepare for, mitigate, and adapt to these hazards. This website compiles USGS resources available for Puerto Rico to provide...Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Landslides | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Deslizamientos de tierra
The Landslide Hazards Program from USGS works to help reduce the impact of landslides to people and infrastructure by furthering our understanding of causes of ground failure and by recommending strategies for risk mitigation. In Puerto Rico, USGS researchers have rigorously studied rainfall-induced landslides to provide maps that depict landslide susceptibility. Educational materials that...Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Coastal | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Costas
This page is a collection of USGS coastal hazard research in Puerto Rico, including shoreline changes, coral reef assessments, and coastal flooding. A brief description of highlighted projects can be found below. All coastal hazard publications, data releases, and news for Puerto Rico can be accessed on this page. Esta página es una recopilación de investigaciones del USGS sobre los riesgos...Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Water Resources | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Recursos de agua
The USGS monitors and studies water resources to deliver a wide range of data including streamflow conditions, groundwater information, lake and reservoir elevation, water quality, water use, and water availability, which can be accessed through the USGS National Water Dashboard. As of 2022, the USGS real-time water data network is comprised of 109 streamflow observation stations, 20 groundwater...Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Ecosystems and Environmental Contaminants | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Ecosistemas y contaminantes ambientales
USGS researchers have studied environmental contaminants and pathogens to address questions involving exposure pathways and human-health implications. They also study climate change impacts and ecosystem health. On this page, read about ecosystems and environmental health research in Puerto Rico, including contaminants in tap water, and possible human exposures. Investigadores del USGS han...Puerto Rico Natural Hazards: Hurricanes | Peligros naturales de Puerto Rico: Huracanes
Hurricanes are one of the most frequent natural hazards that Caribbean islands are prone to encounter. The frequency of storms and their intensity could increase with climate change. This page contains a variety of USGS research on hurricane impacts to Puerto Rico, dating back to 1989, when Hurricane Hugo impacted the island. Research topics include storm-induced landslides, as well as impacts on... - Publications
- Multimedia