Rob Thieler, PhD
I work on a variety of topics including coastal change hazards, sea-level rise impacts, continental shelf sedimentation, and applications of web and smartphone technology to coastal problems.
Dr. Rob Thieler is the Center Director of the U.S. Geological Survey's Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Rob conducts marine geologic research on the geologic framework and evolution of the coastal zone. This includes understanding relationships between geology, sediment transport, climate and sea-level change, and coastal erosion. Rob has conducted assessments of sea-level rise vulnerability for the U.S. and locations worldwide. He served as a Lead Author of a U.S. Global Change Research Program report on potential impacts of sea-level rise, and works with many federal and state agencies to develop science and policy plans for addressing coastal change hazards. Rob also studies habitat use and availability for beach-nesting and migratory shorebirds. Rob developed the widely-used DSAS software package for measuring coastal erosion and accretion and has recently developed smartphone applications for coastal science.
Research Interests
Coastal Change Assessment
I have a longstanding interest in coastal change assessment, particularly historical shoreline change. This includes developing new data, knowledge and tools (particularly the Digital Shoreline Analysis System, DSAS) that are widely used by the scientific community to document and interpret patterns of shoreline movement in response to changes in forcing, geologic constraints, and anthropogenic manipulation, as well as the coastal management community (many states use historical erosion rates as a basis for building setback laws or other policy). Major research questions include what statistical techniques adequately address the problems of nonlinear and non-uniform shoreline movement, trend reversals, and short-term variability that increase the magnitude of error in quantitative analyses. There are also important questions regarding the spatial variability of shoreline movement at different temporal scales. All of these issues are important when developing coastal hazard forecasts and informing coastal management decisions. Much of this information is derived and applied at a nationwide scale through our National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards project, and delivered through our Coastal Change Hazards web portal.
Sea-level Rise Hazards
My colleagues and I conduct research to assess the potential impacts of sea-level rise on coastal evolution and provide tools for coastal management decision making. Historical and recent observations of coastal environments and rates of change are combined with model simulations of coastal environments such as barrier islands and coastal aquifers.
Continental Shelf Geologic Processes
Part of my research involves continental shelf processes such as modern sedimentation, and placing the geologic record preserved in
Professional Experience
2017-Present, Center Director, U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., 1997, Geology, Duke University
M.S., 1993, Environmental Science, Duke University
B.A., 1987, Political Science, Certificate in Environmental Studies, Dickinson College
Abstracts and Presentations
2021 Eos, Science News by AGU Cape Cod: Shipwrecks, Dune Shacks, and Shifting Sands
2020 The Christian Science Monitor How one science hub grapples with diversifying STEM
2017 College of Wooster Osgood Memorial Lecture
2016 New York Times Strategic Retreat on Cape Cod
2015 Cape Cod Times Cape Wearing Away
2015 Cape Cod Times Sea-level Rise on Cape Cod Op-Ed
Science and Products
Catastrophic meltwater discharge down the Hudson Valley: A potential trigger for the Intra-Allerød cold period
Simulating the evolution of coastal morphology and stratigraphy with a new morphological-behaviour model (GEOMBEST)
Late Neogene and Quaternary evolution of the northern Albemarle Embayment (mid-Atlantic continental margin, USA)
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS) to sea-level rise
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Channel Islands National Park (CHIS) to sea-level rise
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO) to sea-level rise
Coastal vulnerability assessment of War in the Pacific National Historical Park to sea-level rise
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Cumberland Island National Seashore (CUIS) to sea-level rise
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Fire Island National Seashore to sea-level rise
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS) to sea-level rise
A new hypothesis and exploratory model for the formation of large-scale inner-shelf sediment sorting and "rippled scour depressions"
Coastal Vulnerability Assessment of Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) to Sea-Level Rise
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 121
Catastrophic meltwater discharge down the Hudson Valley: A potential trigger for the Intra-Allerød cold period
Glacial freshwater discharge to the Atlantic Ocean during deglaciation may have inhibited oceanic thermohaline circulation, and is often postulated to have driven climatic fluctuations. Yet attributing meltwater-discharge events to particular climate oscillations is problematic, because the location, timing, and amount of meltwater discharge are often poorly constrained. We present evidence from tAuthorsJeffrey P. Donnelly, Neal W. Driscoll, Elazar Uchupi, Loyd D. Keigwin, William C. Schwab, E. Robert Thieler, Stephen A. SwiftSimulating the evolution of coastal morphology and stratigraphy with a new morphological-behaviour model (GEOMBEST)
A new morphological-behaviour model is used to simulate evolution of coastal morphology associated with cross-shore translations of the shoreface, barrier, and estuary. The model encapsulates qualitative principles drawn from established geological concepts that are parameterized to provide quantitative predictions of morphological change on geological time scales (order 10 3 years), as well as shAuthorsD. Stolper, J. H. List, E. R. ThielerLate Neogene and Quaternary evolution of the northern Albemarle Embayment (mid-Atlantic continental margin, USA)
Seismic surveys in the eastern Albemarle Sound, adjacent tributaries and the inner continental shelf define the regional geologic framework and provide insight into the sedimentary evolution of the northern North Carolina coastal system. Litho- and chronostratigraphic data are derived from eight drill sites on the Outer Banks barrier islands, and the Mobil #1 well in eastern Albemarle Sound. WithiAuthorsD. Mallinson, S. Riggs, E. R. Thieler, S. Culver, K. Farrell, D. S. Foster, D.R. Corbett, B. Horton, J.F. WehmillerCoastal vulnerability assessment of Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS) to sea-level rise
A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within Virgin Islands National Park on St. John in the US Virgin Islands. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, historical shoreline changeAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsCoastal vulnerability assessment of Channel Islands National Park (CHIS) to sea-level rise
A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within Channel Islands National Park off the coast of California. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, historical shoreline change rates,AuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsCoastal vulnerability assessment of Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO) to sea-level rise
A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, historical shoreline change rates, mean tidal range andAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsCoastal vulnerability assessment of War in the Pacific National Historical Park to sea-level rise
A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within War in the Pacific National Historical Park (NHP) on the island of Guam. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, historical shorelineAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsCoastal vulnerability assessment of Cumberland Island National Seashore (CUIS) to sea-level rise
A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, historical shoreline change rates, mean tidalAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsCoastal vulnerability assessment of Fire Island National Seashore to sea-level rise
A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS), New York. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, shoreline change rates, mean tidal range and mAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, S. Jeffress Williams, E. Robert ThielerCoastal vulnerability assessment of Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS) to sea-level rise
A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS) in Mississippi and Florida. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, shoreline change rates, meanAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, Erika S. Hammar-Klose, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsA new hypothesis and exploratory model for the formation of large-scale inner-shelf sediment sorting and "rippled scour depressions"
Recent observations of inner continental shelves in many regions show numerous collections of relatively coarse sediment, which extend kilometers in the cross-shore direction and are on the order of 100m wide. These "rippled scour depressions" have been interpreted to indicate concentrated cross-shelf currents. However, recent observations strongly suggest that they are associated with sediment trAuthorsA.B. Murray, E. R. ThielerCoastal Vulnerability Assessment of Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) to Sea-Level Rise
A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within Padre Island National Seashore in Texas. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, shoreline change rates, mean tidal range and mean sigAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress Williams, Rebecca L. Beavers - Software
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