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
Coastal change-potential assessment of Sleeping Bear Dunes, Indiana Dunes, and Apostle Islands National Lakeshores to lake-level changes
Potential for shoreline changes due to sea-level rise along the U.S. mid-Atlantic region
Relative coastal change-potential assessment of Kenai Fjords National Park
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Point Reyes National Seashore (PORE) to sea-level rise
Relative Coastal Change-Potential Assessment of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park to sea-level rise
Exploring the persistence of sorted bedforms on the inner-shelf of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
The Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 3.0, an ArcGIS extension for calculating historic shoreline cange
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Golden Gate National Recreation Area to sea-level rise
Coastal vulnerability assessment of National Park of American Samoa (NPSA) to sea-level rise
Coastal vulnerability assessment of Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE) to sea-level rise
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 121
Coastal change-potential assessment of Sleeping Bear Dunes, Indiana Dunes, and Apostle Islands National Lakeshores to lake-level changes
A change-potential index (CPI) was used to map the susceptibility of the shoreline to future lake-level change within Apostle Islands, Indiana Dunes, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshores (NL) along Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The CPI in the Great Lakes setting ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to lake-level related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsPotential for shoreline changes due to sea-level rise along the U.S. mid-Atlantic region
Sea-level rise over the next century is expected to contribute significantly to physical changes along open-ocean shorelines. Predicting the form and magnitude of coastal changes is important for understanding the impacts to humans and the environment. Presently, the ability to predict coastal changes is limited by the scientific understanding of the many variables and processes involved in coastaAuthorsBenjamin T. Gutierrez, S. Jeffress Williams, E. Robert ThielerRelative coastal change-potential assessment of Kenai Fjords National Park
A change-potential index (CPI) was used to map the relative coastal change-potential of the shoreline to future sea-level changes within Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ) in south-central Alaska. The CPI ranks the following parameters in terms of their physical contribution to coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level change, historical shoreline change rateAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsCoastal vulnerability assessment of Point Reyes National Seashore (PORE) 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 Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern 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, meanAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsRelative Coastal Change-Potential Assessment of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
A change-potential index (CPI) was used to map the relative coastal change-potential of the shoreline to future sea-level fluctuation within Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP) in southeastern Alaska. The CPI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level change, historical shoreline changeAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsCoastal vulnerability assessment of Kaloko-Honokohau 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 Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park in Hawaii. 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 tAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsExploring the persistence of sorted bedforms on the inner-shelf of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Geological studies offshore of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina reveal subtle large-scale regions of coarse sand with gravel and shell hash (widths between 100 and 200 m and negative relief of ∼1 m) that trend obliquely to the coast. It was previously suggested that these regions serve as conduits for sand exchange between the shoreface and inner shelf during storm-associated downwelling. ConseqAuthorsBenjamin T. Gutierrez, George Voulgaris, E. Robert ThielerThe Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 3.0, an ArcGIS extension for calculating historic shoreline cange
No abstract available.AuthorsE. Robert Thieler, Emily A. Himmelstoss, Jessica L. Zichichi, Tara L. MillerCoastal vulnerability assessment of Golden Gate National Recreation Area 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 the legislative boundary of Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) in Northern 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 risAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsCoastal vulnerability assessment of National Park of American Samoa (NPSA) 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 National Park of American Samoa. 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 and meanAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress WilliamsCoastal vulnerability assessment of Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE) 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 Gateway National Recreation Area in New York and New Jersey. 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 ratesAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress Williams - Software
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