Preserving the beaches in Hawaii is vital to the strength of the State’s tourism industry.
Dr. Mike Foley, a coastal engineer at Oceanit, was recently elected to the Hawaii Shore & Beach Preservation Association (HSBPA) Board of Directors. As an at-large director, Mike will serve to maximize the diversity of the board with a broad spectrum of sectors, disciplines, and expertise. With nine years of consulting engineering experience, he specializes in the design of environmental friendly coastal and hydraulic solutions that are intended to work synergistically with nature. Mike received his bachelor’s degree in environmental science/physics from The Colorado College and his master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering and Doctor of Philosophy degree in civil engineering focusing on coastal engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His dissertation research was on the design of offshore structures that break waves to protect shorelines and harbors while simultaneously providing recreational opportunities and ecological value as coral reefs.
HSBPA, the non-profit state chapter of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Organization, is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of Hawaii’s beaches and coastal environments by merging science and public policy.
Over the last 30 years, Oceanit has worked on numerous beach and coastal preservation projects throughout Hawaii and the Pacific. As the world braces for the impacts of climate change, Oceanit’s innovative culture encourages staff to explore non-traditional technologies to develop coastal sustainability approaches, including beach nourishment and other methods to preserve Hawaii’s coastal communities.
For more information about HSBPA, please visit their website at http://www.hawaiishoreandbeach.org or contact [email protected].
