Ethan J Theuerkauf
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Ph.D. in Marine Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2016
M.S. in Marine Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2012
B.S. in Geology, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Principal Investigator of the Great Lakes Coastal Geology Research Group. My group studies the geological evolution of coastal environments, such as beaches, dunes, barrier islands, wetlands, and estuaries. Emphasis is placed on process-based investigations into the dynamics of these environments and how they might evolve in the future with changing conditions. Our research is field-based and aimed at discerning the geomorphology, sedimentology and geologic history of coastal environments. We use these data to parameterize coastal change models as well as to assist coastal managers in decision-making.
Coastal geomorphology
Sedimentology
- Connecting Hydrodynamics and Nearshore Geological Evolution (CHaNGE)
- High-resolution sediment budget study along the Illinois coast
- Modelling regional sediment transport processes in the Great Lakes
- Developing carbon budgets for Great Lakes coastal wetlands
- Washover fan evolution along a transgressive barrier island in North Carolina
Theuerkauf, E.J. and Rodriguez, A.B., 2017. Placing barrier island transgression in a blue-carbon context. Earth’s Future. doi: 10.1002/2017EF000568
Theuerkauf, S.J., Puckett, B.J., Theuerkauf, K.W., Theuerkauf, E.J., and Eggleston, D.B., 2017. Density-dependent role of an invasive marsh grass Phragmites australis, on ecosystem service provision. PloS one. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173007
Theuerkauf, E.J., Stephens, J.D., Ridge, J.T., Fodrie, F.J. and Rodriguez, A.B., 2015. Carbon export from fringing saltmarsh shoreline erosion overwhelms carbon storage across a critical width threshold. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 164, pp.367-378. doi: 10.1016/j.ecss.2015.08.001
VanDusen, B.M., Theuerkauf, E.J., Fegley, S.R. and Rodriguez, A.B., 2016. Monitoring overwash using water-level loggers resolves frequent inundation and run-up events. Geomorphology, 254, pp.32-40. doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.11.010
Ridge, J.T., Rodriguez, A.B., Fodrie, F.J., Lindquist, N.L., Brodeur, M.C., Coleman, S.E., Grabowski, J.H. and Theuerkauf, E.J., 2015. Maximizing oyster-reef growth supports green infrastructure with accelerating sea-level rise. Scientific reports, 5. doi: 10.1038/srep14785
Theuerkauf, E.J., Rodriguez, A.B., Fegley, S.R., and Luettich, R.A., (2014), Sea-level anomalies exacerbate beach erosion. Geophys. Res. Lett., 41(14), 5139-5147. doi: 10.1002/2014GL060544
Rodriguez, A. B., Fodrie, F. J., Ridge, J. T., Lindquist, N. L., Theuerkauf, E. J., Coleman, S. E., Grabowski, J.H., Brodeur, M. C., Gittman, R. K., Keller, D. A., and Kenworthy, M. D. (2014), Oyster reefs can outpace sea-level rise. Nature Climate Change, 4: 493-497. doi:10.1038/nclimate2216
Theuerkauf, E. J. and Rodriguez, A. B. (2014), Evaluating proxies for estimating subaerial beach volume change across increasing time scales and various morphologies. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms, 39: 593–604. doi: 10.1002/esp.3467
Theuerkauf, E. J. and J. T. Ridge (2014), Researchers Bring Local Science Into Classrooms, Eos Trans. AGU, 95(5), 41.
Fodrie, F. J., Rodriguez, A. B., Baillie, C. J., Brodeur, M. C., Coleman, S. E., Gittman, R. K., Keller, D. A., Kenworthy, M. D., Poray, A. K., Ridge, J. T., Theuerkauf, E. J., Lindquist, Niels. L. (2014), Classic paradigms in a novel environment: inserting food web and productivity lessons from rocky shores and saltmarshes into biogenic reef restoration. Journal of Applied Ecology. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12276
Theuerkauf, E.J., Rodriguez, A.B., (2012). Impacts of Transect Location and Variations in Along-Beach Morphology on Measuring Volume Change. Journal of Coastal Research 28, 707-718.
Theuerkauf, E.J., Rodriguez, A.B., 2012. Reply to: Rudolph, G.L., 2012. Discussion of: Theuerkauf, E.J.and Rodriguez, A.B., 2012. Impacts of Transect Location and Variations in Along-Beach Morphology on Measuring Volume Change. Journal of Coastal Research, 28(3), 707–718; Journal of Coastal Research, 28(6), 1654–1656. Journal of Coastal Research: Volume 28, Issue 6: pp. 1657 – 1658.
The Scientific Research and Education Network (SciREN)
SciREN was co-founded by the PI of the Great Lakes Coastal Geology Research Group, Ethan Theuerkauf. SciREN is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit dedicated to sharing the results of STEM research with K-12 educators. To date, SciREN has connected hundreds of STEM researchers with educators throughout the southeast United States.
Lake Michigan Citizens Observing and Surveying the Shoreline Project (COaStS)
COaStS is a collaboration between the Illinois State Geological Survey and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program. Citizens throughout northeastern Illinois are monitoring beach changes at public and private beaches. These data capture geomorphic evolution at temporal and spatial scales that are difficult to achieve with other techniques. Engaging citizens in this research is also helping communicate the dynamics of our Lake Michigan shoreline.