Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science

William Merrell

Professor
George P. Mitchell Chair
Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science

E-mail: merrellw@tamug.edu

Phone: +1 (409) 740.4732

Fax: +1 (409) 740.4773

Bldg. 3029 (OCSB), Office 395

Website

Learn more about William Merrell

Publications

2014

Brody, S. D., Highfield, W. E., Merrell. W. J., Lee, Y. (Forthcoming). Recovery versus Protection-Based Approaches to Flood Risk Reduction: Working towards a framework for more effective mitigation in the United States. In Shannon Van Zandt and Walter Peacock (Eds). Handbook of Planning for Disaster Resilience. New York: Routledge Press.

Merrell, W. J. The Ike Dike, in Proceedings of CIGMAT-2012, Editors C. Vipulanandan and Shiva Sunder, August 1, 2013.

Merrell, W. J. Protecting the Urbanized Areas of the Upper Texas Coast from Hurricane Storm Surge: The Ike Dike, Proceedings of the SPEED Center Conference, Rice University.

Leonard Waterworth and William Merrell The Surge Suppression Imperative: Amassing the Substantial Risks to the Galveston Bay Region, in Proceedings of CIGMAT-2013, Editors C. Vipulanandan and Shiva Sunder, August 1, 2014.

William Merrell, Leonard Waterworth and Robert Whalin The Coastal Barrier System: Providing Comprehensive Protection from Surge, in Proceedings of CIGMAT-2013, Editors C. Vipulanandan and Shiva Sunder, August 1, 2014.

Robert Whalin, Thomas Richardson and William Merrell Protecting from Surge Probabilities not Possibilities: Using Statistically Significant Hurricane Characteristics to Model Surge Probabilities, in Proceedings of CIGMAT-2013, Editors C. Vipulanandan and Shiva Sunder, August 1, 2014.

Jonkman S.N., Mooyaart L, van Ledden M, Stoeten K, de Vries P. Lendering K.T., van der Toorn A., Willems A., Merrell W.J. (2014) Reconnaissance level studies on a storm surge barrier for flood risk reduction in the Houston – Galveston Bay. In: Lynett P. (ed.) Proceedings of the 34th Int. Conference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE)

2012

The Ike Dike: A Coastal Barrier Protecting the Houston/Galveston Region from Storm Surge, in Macro-engineering Seawater in/and Unique Environments. Arid Lowlands and Water Bodies Rehabilitation, Editors: Viorel Badescu and Richard B Cathcart, Publishing House: Springer-Verlag 2010.

The Ike Dike, in Proceedings of CJGMAT-2012~ Editors C. Vipulanandan and Shiva Sunder, August 5, 2012.

Protecting the Urbanized Areas of the Texas Coast from Hurricane Storm Surge: The Ike Dike Example, Proceedings of the SPEED Center Conference, Rice University.

2011

Merrell, W.J., Graham-Reynolds, L., Cardenas, A, Gunn, J.A., Hufton, A.J., The Ike Dike: A Coastal Barrier Protecting the Houston/Galveston Region from Hurricane Storm Surge, p. 691-716 in Macro-engineering Seawater in Unique Environments, Environmental Science and Engineering, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-14779-1_31 © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelbert 2011

2010

Galveston Futures: Developing a Disaster Resilient Community, with Tanveerful Islam and William Seitz, to appear in Journal of Geography and Regional Planning in Jan 2010

The Ike Dike: A Coastal Barrier Protecting the Houston/Galveston Region from Storm Surge, to appear in Macro-engineering Seawater in/and Unique Environments. Arid Lowlands and Water Bodies Rehabilitation, Editors: Viorel Badescu and Richard B Cathcart, Publishing House: Springer-Verlag 2010

2009

Islam and Merrell “Galveston Futures” Presented at the American Beach and Shore Preservation Conference. Galveston, Texas Islam and Merrell Texas Hurricanes NOAA Hurricane Conference. Washington, DC

Origin, Distribution, and Timing of Texas hurricanes: 1851-2006, with Tanveerful Islam, William Seitz and Robert Harriss, Natural Hazards Review, November 2009

The City of Galveston Community Recovery Committee: a Case Study of Citizen Involvement in Post Disaster Recovery Planning, with Jae-Young Ko, Poster at Estuaries and Coasts in a Changing World, Portland, Oregon

Awards & Recognition

2010: Distinguished Achievement Award. Texas A&M University - Association of Former Students.

2018: Texas A&M University System Regents Professor

2017: President Emeritus, Texas A&M University at Galveston

Mitigation 2017: National Hurricane Conference Outstanding Achievement Award

2015: Bay Area Houston Economic Development Quasar Award

2013: Galveston Chamber of Commerce Unsung Hero Award

1990: Distinguished Achievement Award; Geosciences and Earth Resources Council

1988: Distinguished Alumni Award; Sam Houston State University

1987: Distinguished Service Award; National Science Foundation

1987: Distinguished Member Award; Sigma Xi Texas A&M University

1984: Distinguished Service Award; National Science Foundation, Team Award for Ocean Drilling Program

1970: University Fellow; Texas A&M University

1967-1969: NDEA Fellow; Texas A&M University

1965-1967: Graduate Fellow; Sam Houston State College

1964: Physics Award, Most outstanding undergraduate student in physics

Rear Admiral (Retired); United State Maritime Service

Texas Academy of Sciences Oceanography Society

Alpha Chi

Sigma Pi Sigma

Phi Kappa Phi

Sigma Xi

Executive Leadership and Management Program - Federal Executive Institute

Professional Appointments

2002-present: George P. Mitchell Chair in Marine Sciences, Texas A&M University at Galveston

2013: Acting President, Texas A&M University at Galveston

2006-2011: Director, Center for Texas Beaches and Shores, Texas A&M University at Galveston

2002-2008: Partner, MerrellKatsouros LLP

1995-2002: President, The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment

1993-1995: Vice Chancellor for Strategic Programs, The Texas A&M University System

1992-1993: Vice President for Research Policy, Texas A&M University

1989-1991: President, Texas Institute of Oceanography

1987-1992: President, Texas A&M University at Galveston

1989-1992: Rear Admiral, United States Maritime Service

1987-1992: Coordinator of Marine Programs, The Texas A&M University System

1985-1987: Assistant Director, National Science Foundation

1985-2002: Professor, Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University

1985: Director, Division of Atmospheric and Marine Sciences, College of Geosciences, Texas A&M University

Current Graduate Students

Thesis advisor and Post-graduate Scholar Sponsor

Tanveerul Islam, Texas A&M University

Maarten Ruijs, Delft University of Technology

Kasper Stoeten, Delft University of Technology

Peter de Vries, Delft University of Technology

Rolf Kelderman, Delft University of Technology

Anniek de Milliano, Delft University of Technology

Refke Gunnewijk, Delft University of Technology

Tom Heeringa, Delft University of Technology

Geert Roukens, Delft University of Technology

Merijn Janssen, Delft University of Technology