The Next Wave: ASBPA's Student Achievers | Going Coastal

November 24, 2023

The future is bright with these two winners!

In this episode of the Going Coastal podcast, hosts Marissa Torres and Deborah Fernandes shine the spotlight on two exceptional ASBPA Student Award Winners: Cheyenne Twilley and Narayan Kumar. Cheyenne, awarded the Student Coastal Advocate Award, is recognized for her aspirations to deepen her understanding and influence in federal coastal policy and advocacy. This award enables her to intern with the ASBPA and become a key member of the Government Affairs Committee, where her passion for coastal issues can truly make an impact. Narayan, recipient of the Nicholas Kraus Coastal Scholar Award, is celebrated for his dedication to advancing coastal science. His award facilitates an internship with the ASBPA, offering him a pivotal role in the Science and Technology Committee. Join us as we delve into their journeys, explore their future plans, and discuss how these awards will shape their contributions to coastal science and advocacy.

Show Transcription
This transcription was generated by a computer. Please excuse any errors.
Jon Miller, Marissa Torres, Deb Fernandes

Jon Miller developed his love of all things coastal during summers spent vacationing at the Jersey Shore. He was fortunate enough to get turned on to a career in coastal engineering during his time as an undergrad at Stevens Institute of Technology. When he was offered an opportunity to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Florida under Bob Dean, he jumped at the opportunity. After completing his PhD (and a brief detour in Australia), Jon was offered the opportunity to return to Stevens. Now a Research Associate Professor, Jon leads Stevens Coastal Engineering Research Group and serves as the NJ Sea Grant Coastal Processes Specialist. In his time at Stevens, Jon has mentored over 75 graduate and undergraduate students, and currently serves as the faculty advisor to both the ASBPA and ASCE COPRI student chapters. Jon serves on the Board of Directors of ASBPA, and has been involved with the Student and New Professional Group (now chapter) since its inception. In his spare time, Jon enjoys spending time at the beach with his family and coaching both of his kids in basketball. Heather B. Wade - is a coastal planner and policy specialist with the Oregon Coastal Management Program and a current Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University studying urban and regional science, coastal resiliency and management. Heather received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and master’s degree in urban and regional planning with an emphasis on environmental hazards management. Heather’s research focuses on the interconnections between planning, coastal management, and hazards reduction with an emphasis on local coastal planning implementation. In her free time, she likes to work in the garden, go camping with her family, and paint with her kids Isaac and Isabel. Marissa J. Torres is a Research Engineer with the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. At the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) - one of seven research labs within the ERDC - she has worked on a variety of research topics, including tidal dynamics, nearshore tide and wave modeling, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) post-processing methods, and snow hydrology. Prior to starting with CRREL, Marissa received her BS and MS in Ocean Engineering from the University of Rhode Island, where she focused on coastal flood and storm surge modeling. Outside of work, she enjoys backpacking, biking, kayaking, snowboarding, and snow-shoeing around New Hampshire and Vermont.