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Kathryn E L Smith, Ph.D.

Kathryn Smith is a Research Ecologist at the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center. Her research focuses on the impact of coastal erosion hazards on wetland and estuarine ecosystems.

Dr. Kathryn Smith’s research focuses on linking geospatial and geophysical data to assess environmental change in coastal wetlands, estuaries, and barrier islands. Kathryn is responsible for leading efforts in geospatial data analysis procedures,  examining the complex dynamics of coastal sedimentary processes, paired field and spatial modeling studies which assess the vulnerability of coastal ecosystems to storms and sea-level rise, and enhancing capabilities for paleoecological assessment of coastal habitats. In addition, Kathryn has maintained a teaching and graduate student advising role at the University of South Florida.