Interview with Streisand Scholar ​​Marie-Pierre (MP) Delisle

CSW|Streisand Center interviewed Streisand Scholar ​​and PhD Candidate Marie-Pierre (MP) Delisle about their research and experience in coastal engineering, work at the Coastal Flood Lab, and why people need to care about the safety of our coastal communities.

How did you start working on/researching wave runup and sediment transport on beaches?

During my junior year of undergrad at UCLA, I reached out to (my current advisor) Dr. Timu Gallien who had recently joined the UCLA Civil & Environmental Engineering Department. Growing up along the California coast, I have always been fascinated by the ocean and I was intrigued by Dr. Gallien’s coastal flooding research. I was also looking for a way to dip my toes into research while balancing the demands of being a student-athlete (swimming) at UCLA and majoring in civil engineering. Dr. Gallien agreed to mentor me through independent research and within a few weeks of processing and analyzing field data I was hooked. This initial data set spiked my curiosity about the swash zone, the region of the beach where the ocean waves run up along the shoreline and then recede into the ocean, so much so that I continued research through my final year of undergrad and decided to pursue a PhD with Dr. Gallien.

What have you been working on at the Coastal Flood Lab, particularly any related work as a Streisand Scholar?

Processes occuring in the swash zone are critical to how our coastlines and coastal flooding behavior will evolve with climate change, but there are significant gaps in our swash zone understanding as it is a highly complex region that poses significant research challenges. The relationship between surface (i.e., swash) and subsurface (i.e., salinated beach groundwater) flows occurring in the swash zone are typically neglected from coastal hazard assessment. However, my research, which focuses on the interactions between swash, beach groundwater, and sediment transport, demonstrates that swash-beach groundwater dynamics must be included to accurately predict coastal flooding. Most recently, I developed a novel numerical model (called SedOlaFlow) that can resolve both surface and subsurface flows in the swash zone to explore the impacts of rising ocean (and beach groundwater levels) on coastal flooding behaviors and magnitudes.

What about this work is most important to you?

The coast is an extremely valuable resource that will face significant and rapid changes due to climate change and sea level rise. My research expands our knowledge of swash zone processes to better prepare and protect our vulnerable coastal communities from the impacts of climate change. It’s important to me that my research will directly contribute to the protection and safety of our coastal communities.

What do people need to know about protecting our coastal communities?

There isn’t a “one size fits all” approach to protecting our coastal communities. Climate change will not have a uniform impact on coastlines and mitigation strategies that work along one coastline may exacerbate coastal hazards at another. It’s important that in designing solutions to enhance and protect our coastal communities we consider the long-term sustainability and impact on the entire ecosystem.

What mentorship work have you also done while at CFL?

During my time as a graduate student at UCLA, I’ve been a graduate student mentor with the Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity (CEED) where I lead a group of freshmen through their first research experience and project. I have also been heavily involved with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) both at UCLA and nationally. As the Director of GradSWE at UCLA, I created a research mentorship program at UCLA that matched undergraduate and graduate students together to foster a supportive and empowering community. As CFL has expanded, I’ve had the opportunity to mentor several students through the transition from undergraduate to graduate school and research which has been a highlight of my PhD experience.

What’s the most challenging part of your work?

Unlike solving a math problem or taking a test, there is no strict answer in research. The uncertainty of not knowing whether a particular research method or analysis strategy will work is definitely intimidating (and at times very frustrating), but it makes the research breakthroughs that much more rewarding!

What does your spring research look like? What will you be working on this upcoming year?

Lots of numerical modeling and writing! I’ll be graduating with my PhD in the spring, so it is definitely pedal to the metal for the next few months to wrap up my current research investigating the dynamics controlling the swash-beach groundwater relationship and submit my dissertation.

Top to bottom image captions: (1) MP collecting GPS-RTK data (horizontal and vertical elevation) that will be used in drone image processing. (2) Streisand Scholar ​​Marie-Pierre (MP) Delisle. (3) CFL members at the 37th International Conference on Coastal Engineering in Sydney, Australia in December 2022. (4) MP with the drone remote, waiting to launch the drone for data collection.