CIMM welcomes Kiki Patsch as she speaks on the “Beaches on the Edge,” Wednesday, January 16th, 6:30PM. Refreshments are served and the lecture begins at 7PM. Free for CIMM Members, $7 non-members, $5 seniors/students and military personnel.

Dr. Patsch's past and current research focuses on coastal geomorphology and processes, shoreline hazard assessment, sediment budgets analysis, sea cliff and beach erosion, reductions in the natural supply of sediment to the coast, and coastal armoring along the California coast. Dr. Patsch is co-author of the book, Living with the Changing California Coast, published by the University of California Press, Berkeley which covers the processes and hazards associated with California’s geologically dynamic and heavily populated shoreline. As part of this book, Patsch developed a GIS for the entire coastline of California, mapping and taking inventory of such information as shoreline hazard level, shoreline armoring, sea cliff erosion rates, and shoreline environment. Through her work, Dr. Patsch aims to bridge the gap between policy makers, scientists, engineers, and private citizens on issues related to the coastal zone.

Dr. Kiki Patsch is currently developing regionally based, socially relevant research projects and programs with fellow faculty members as well as undergraduate students and pushing the boundaries of our knowledge of the dynamic coastal zone in the framework of environmental science and resource management. Our beaches and coastal environments are an important natural resource that needs to be studied and preserved. California’s beaches alone generate billions of dollars annually to California's economy, not to mention the US economy on a whole. With a dynamic sea level threatening to erode our beaches and sea cliffs, coastal zone planning and resource management will need our attention in the coming years.