• Associate Professor, Ocean Engineering
  • Director, Graduate Programs
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Jens Figlus

Educational Background

  • Ph.D., University of Delaware – 2010
  • M.Eng, Civil Engineering, University of Delaware – 2007
  • Dipl.-Ing, Civil Engineering, University of Karlsruhe (TH) – 2005

Research Interests

    • Coastal and hydraulic engineering
    • Sediment transport processes
    • Beach, dune, and barrier island morphodynamics
    • Waves and nearshore dynamics
    • Innovative coastal protection systems against storm surge, flooding, and erosion
    • Nature-based solutions for sustainable coastal flood-risk reduction
    • Vessel wake dynamics

Awards & Honors

  • Fulbright Scholar
  • ASCE Excellence in Civil Engineering Education (ExCEEd) Fellow
  • Tulla Medal, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Karlsruhe, Germany
  • Faculty Fellow and Distinguished Partner with the Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas (IDRT)

Selected Publications

  • Figlus, J., McKee Smith, J., Tomiczek, T., and McFall, B. C. (2023). “Editorial: Natural and nature-based features for flood risk management.” Frontiers in Built Environment – Coastal and Offshore Engineering, 8.
  • Feagin, R.A., Innocenti, R.A., Bond, H., Wengrove, M., Huff, T.P., Lomonaco, P., Tsai, B., Puleo, J., Pontiki, M., Figlus, J., Chavez, V., and Silva, R. (2023). “Does vegetation accelerate coastal dune erosion during extreme events?” Science Advances 9/24.
  • Figlus, J. (2022). Chapter 21—Designing and implementing coastal dunes for flood risk reduction. In S. Brody, Y. Lee, & B. B. Kothuis (Eds.), Coastal Flood Risk Reduction (pp. 287–301). Elsevier.
  • Figlus, J., Sigren, J. M., Feagin, R. A., and Armitage, A. R. (2022). “The unique ability of fine roots to reduce vegetated coastal dune erosion during wave collision.” Frontiers in Built Environment – Coastal and Offshore Engineering, 8.
  • Whitley, A.E., Figlus, J., Valsamidis, A., and Reeve, D.E. (2021). “One-line modeling of mega-nourishment evolution.” Journal of Coastal Research, 37/6: 1224-1234
  • Figlus, J., Song, Y.-K., Maglio, C.K., Friend, P.L., Poleykett, J., Engel, F.L., Schnoeblen, D., and Boburka, K. (2021). “Particle tracer analysis for submerged berm placement of dredged material near South Padre Island, Texas.” Journal of Dredging, 19/1: 14-30.
  • Anarde, K., Cheng, W., Tissier, M., Figlus, J., and Horrillo, J. (2021). “Meteotsunamis accompanying tropical cyclone rainbands during Hurricane Harvey.” Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126/1, e2020JC016347
  • Anarde, K., Figlus, J., Sous, D., Tissier, A.M. (2020). “Transformation of infragravity waves during hurricane overwash.” Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 8, 545.
  • Almarshed, B., Figlus, J., Miller, J., and Verhagen, H. J. (2020). “Innovative coastal risk reduction through hybrid design: combining sand cover and structural defenses.” Journal of Coastal Research, 36/1:174-188.
  • Figlus, J., Song, Y.-K., Chardon-Maldonado, P., and Puleo, J. A. (2018). “Numerical Simulation of Post-Storm Recovery and Time-Averaged Swash Velocity on an Engineered Beach with Ridge-Runnel System.” International Journal of Offshore and Polar Engineering, 28/2: 143-153.
  • Sigren, J.M., Figlus, J., Highfield, W., Feagin R.A., and Armitage, A.R. (2018). “The Effects of Coastal Dune Volume and Vegetation on Storm-Induced Property Damage: A Hurricane Ike Case Study.” Journal of Coastal Research, 34/1: 164-173.
  • Harter, C., and Figlus, J. (2017). “Numerical Modeling of the Morphodynamic Response of a Low-Lying Barrier Island Beach and Foredune System Inundated during Hurricane Ike Using XBeach and CSHORE.” Coastal Engineering, 120: 64–74.
  • Figlus, J., Kobayashi, N., and Gralher, C. (2012). “Onshore Migration of Emerged Ridge and Ponded Runnel.” Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean Engineering, 138/5, 331-338.
  • Figlus, J., Kobayashi, N., Gralher, C., and Iranzo, V. (2011). “Wave Overtopping and Overwash of Dunes.” Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean Engineering, 137/1, 26-33.
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