PhD in Coastal Climate Change Adaptation at TU Delft

Project Overview

This PhD project focuses on improving coastal resilience to climate change by investigating the growth of coastal dunes in urban environments. As part of the European CORRAL project, it aims to co-design nature-based solutions that enhance socio-ecological-technological transformations supporting coastal protection. The project centers on developing a "Dune Park" in Scheveningen inspired by the Zandmotor pilot, employing vegetation strategies to trap wind-driven sediment and promote natural dune elevation as a defense against sea-level rise.

What You Will Do

• Study natural processes governing dune growth in an urban coastal setting.
• Lead a fieldwork program using GPS surveys, drones, and remote sensing to measure vegetation dynamics and morphological changes.
• Simulate vegetation and dune evolution utilizing the AeoLiS model.
• Disseminate findings and modeling outcomes to stakeholders to highlight the site’s development and dune landscape potential for sustainable coastal defense.

Expected Outcomes

Gain deeper understanding of sediment-vegetation interactions underpinning dune development, validate modeling approaches for coastal morphology evolution, and demonstrate scalable nature-based solutions for climate-adaptive coastal infrastructure.

Why This Matters

Coastal zones face increasing threats from climate change-induced sea-level rise and extreme weather. This research enables innovative, sustainable coastal defense methods that maintain ecological integrity and enhance community preparedness, offering a blueprint for global urban coastline adaptation.