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Nathaniel Plant, Ph.D.

I am the Center Director for the Saint Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, where I support scientists working on coastal research topics such as coastal hazards due to storms and sea-level rise; sediment availability and distribution; and response of coastal communities, wetlands, corals, and microbial ecosystems to extreme events and persistent changes to our coastal environment.

I have served in this capacity since October 2018, initially in an acting capacity and permanently since April 2019.    
  
Prior to becoming Center Director, my role with the USGS was as an oceanographer. Past research projects  included scientific applications to coastal management, such as assessing storm-induced and long-term coastal erosion or identification of future nesting habitat for endangered shore bird species. Throughout my research career, I have lived in a range of coastal communities in California, Mississippi, and Florida, as well as the Netherlands, and the Washington, DC area. I received my Ph.D. in Marine Geology from Oregon State University’s Oceanography program in 1998.