Gary B Griggs
| Title | Director, Institute of Marine Sciences, Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences |
| Division | Physical & Biological Sciences |
| Department | Marine Sciences, Institute of, Earth & Planetary Sciences |
| Affiliations | Ocean Sciences Department |
| Phone | 831-459-2464, 831-459-5006 |
| FAX | 831-459-4882 |
| Web Site | Institute of Marine Sciences Seymour Marine Discovery Center |
| Office | Earth & Marine Sciences A317 |
| Campus Mail Stop | Ocean Sciences |
Research Interests
Gary Griggs' research is focused on the coastal zone and ranges from coastal evolution and development, through shoreline processes, coastal hazards and coastal engineering, and sea level rise. Recent research projects have focused on documenting and understanding coastal erosion processes including temporal and spatial variations in rates of retreat; evaluating the effectiveness of coastal protection structures and the impacts of coastal engineering projects (seawalls, jetties, breakwaters) on coastal processes and beaches; evaluating beach processes and quantifying littoral cell budgets and human impacts on these budgets; impacts of extreme events such as El Ninos) on coastlines; the impacts of sea level rise on California's beaches and coastline; and coastal policies to reduce the impacts of hazards and sea level rise.Biography, Education and Training
B.A., Geological Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara (1965)Ph.D., Oceanography, Oregon State University (1968)
Honors, Awards and Grants
1974-75: Fulbright Fellow- Institute of Oceanographic Research, Athens, Greece1998: University of California, Santa Cruz, Division of Natural Sciences- Outstanding Faculty Award (teaching-research-service)
2001: Distinguished Alumnus Award- Geological Sciences Department, University of California Santa Barbara
2003: American Shore and Beach Preservation Association: Joe Johnson Coastal Research Award
2006: University of California Santa Cruz Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award
2006: University of California Santa Cruz Pioneer Faculty Award
2007: Ed Ricketts Award for Sustained Research in Marine Science- Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
2009: California Coastal Commission/Sunset Magazine California Coastal Hero award.
2010: Elected to California Academy of Sciences.
Selected Publications
Griggs, G.B. 2010. Introduction to California’s Beaches and Coast. (book). University of California Press, 311pp.Griggs, G.B. and Ross, D.S., 2006. Santa Cruz Coast- Then and Now. (book) Arcadia Publishing Co., Charlotte, S.C. 95pp.
Griggs, G.B., Patsch, K.B. and Savoy, L.E., 2005. LIVING WITH THE CHANGING CALIFORNIA COAST (book). University of California Press: 540pp.
Russell, N.L. and Griggs, G.B. 2012. Adapting to Sea Level Rise- A Guide for California’s Coastal Communities. California Energy Commission-Public Interest Environmental Research Program and California Ocean Sciences Trust: 52p.