Kara Doran
Kara Doran is an oceanographer with the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center. Her area of expertise is understanding and forecasting storm impacts to sandy coastlines.
For the last decade, she has been part of the National Assessment of Storm-Induced Coastal Change Hazards project. Her work in this project includes:
- Producing real-time forecasts and scenario-based predictions of coastal total water level and geomorphic change during storms
- Analysis of lidar-derived measures of coastal change
Since 2018 she has acted as the coastal change hazards liaison to the USGS Storm Team and has worked in partnership with other federal agencies such as US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide the nation scientifically rigorous information to assess national vulnerability to coastal change hazards.
Professional Experience
Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal & Marine Geology Science Center, 2010 to present
Researcher, Jacobs Technologies contracted to the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal & Marine Science Center, 2007-2010
Education and Certifications
M.S. Marine Science, University of South Florida
B.S. Physics, Grove City College
Science and Products
Hurricane Ike: Observations and analysis of coastal change
Extraction of lidar-based dune-crest elevations for use in examining the vulnerability of beaches to inundation during hurricanes
Hurricane Gustav: Observations and analysis of coastal change
Hurricane Rita and the destruction of Holly Beach, Louisiana: Why the chenier plain is vulnerable to storms
Science and Products
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Hurricane Ike: Observations and analysis of coastal change
Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with the storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical processes of interest are the wind field, storm surge, and wave climate. Not only does wind cause direct damage to structures along the coast, but it is ultimately responsible for much ofAuthorsKara S. Doran, Nathaniel G. Plant, Hilary F. Stockdon, Asbury H. Sallenger, Katherine A. SerafinExtraction of lidar-based dune-crest elevations for use in examining the vulnerability of beaches to inundation during hurricanes
The morphology of coastal sand dunes plays an important role in determining how a beach will respond to a hurricane. Accurate measurements of dune height and position are essential for assessing the vulnerability of beaches to extreme coastal change during future landfalls. Lidar topographic surveys provide rapid, accurate, high-resolution datasets for identifying the location, position, and morphAuthorsH.F. Stockdon, K.S. Doran, A. H. SallengerHurricane Gustav: Observations and analysis of coastal change
Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with a storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical processes of interest are the wind field, storm surge, currents, and wave field. Not only does wind cause direct damage to structures along the coast, but it is ultimately responsible for mAuthorsKara S. Doran, Hilary F. Stockdon, Nathaniel G. Plant, Asbury H. Sallenger, Kristy K. Guy, Katherine A. SerafinHurricane Rita and the destruction of Holly Beach, Louisiana: Why the chenier plain is vulnerable to storms
Hurricane Rita devastated gulf-front communities along the western Louisiana coast in 2005. LIDAR (light detection and ranging) topographic surveys and aerial photography collected before and after the storm showed the loss of every structure within the community of Holly Beach. Average shoreline change along western Louisiana's 140-km-long impacted shore was −23.3 ± 30.1 m of erosion, although shAuthorsAsbury H. Sallenger, C. W. Wright, Kara Doran, K. Guy, Karen Morgan - News
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