Hi there! I’m Michelle, a coastal scientist.
I am a Postdoctoral Reseach Associate at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) | College of William & Mary within the Coastal Geology Lab. By training, I am a physical geographer with a research emphasis on coastal processes, beach-dune management, and GIS/remote sensing. I completed my Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 2024.
My research interests address questions and topics such as:
- How do natural and anthropogenic stressors affect coastal dune systems with respect to development, recovery, and overall resilience?
- How can we optimize management strategies to support healthier, more resilient coasts in a time where sea levels are rising and natural hazards are increasing?
- How do coastal processes differ according to spatiotemporal scale, and what does this mean for future research?
- How can we effectively communicate and collaborate with stakeholders at the local, state, and federal level to manage our coastlines?
TLS setup for topographic surveying 
Assessing vegetation and rougness element metrics on Debordieu Island, SC 
Vegetation quadrat for dune vegetation assessment 
Comparing pre- and post-storm lidar pointclouds 
Equipment retrieval near Gargatha Inlet, VA 
Single beam sonar data collection near Wallops Island, VA 
Dune walkover post-storm, Debordieu Island, SC 
Topographic surveying on the Isle of Palms, SC 
Dune erosion from king tides on the Isle of Palms, SC 
Nourishment activity on Dauphin Island, AL 
Beach access point on Edisto Island, SC 
Examination of sediment retention from groin, Edisto Beach SC 
Ridge and runnel at Myrtle Beach State Park, SC 
Boneyard Beach, Jekyll Island, GA 
Newly nourished and planted dune, Hunting Island State Park, SC
Michelle E. Harris, Ph.D. 