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O’BRIEN AWARD WINNERS: An interview with Nicholas C. Kraus By Julie D. Rosati I first began working with Nick Kraus all these reasons, it is fitting that Nick to horizon. The regularity of spacing and in 1984 at the Coastal Engineering received the O’Brien award (in 2004), size of the rips was awesome and almost Research Center (CERC, now the and it is my honor to present the follow- unbelievable. Rip currents, the longshore Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, CHL) ing interview with Nick. current, and tidal currents have therefore in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Nick was hired attracted me. One of my first projects in  What is your background in by Dr. Robert Whalin, former director Japan was to help formulate safety guide- coastal engineering? of CERC, and moved to Vicksburg from lines concerning the danger of swimming Japan where he had worked with the First, let me say that I was embar- near rip currents. The material developed Nearshore Environment Research Center rassed to have received the O’Brien by Dr. Andy Short in Australia was an in Tokyo. If you have ever worked with Award, considering past recipients and excellent go-by in this regard. In those Nick, you know that his vision (usually its name, and I’m embarrassed now days, I purposely rode large rip currents 1-5 years ahead of everyone else), energy, about this interview, but will do my best. (in a wet suit for buoyancy), and let me enthusiasm, and contagious can-do atti- I met Morrough P. O’Brien three times, tell you it is frightening to see the shore tude pervade every project he works on, for which I feel privileged. I came to the recede to almost nothing as the rip takes and touch every person involved. field of coastal engineering unintention- you offshore and puts many waves be- ally and by accident. I received a Ph.D. tween you and dry land. One can easily His career at CERC began with a in physics on an obscure theoretical understand how a person would panic if series of sediment transport field experi- subject from the University of Minnesota caught in a rip. ments at Duck, NC, and other sites (1984- and, after doing a post-doc there in 1973 1990), continued with further develop-  During your career, what are (they needed someone to teach classes, ment of the widely-applied GENESIS some changes you have noted in the likely), I left science to pursue martial shoreline change model and SBEACH areas of coastal management, coastal arts studies in Japan, an avocation. After dune erosion model, and extends to the engineering, and coastal science? four of 11 years in Japan, through an present-day in his work as leader of the unusual circumstance I was introduced to Well, as I noted in the welcoming ad- Coastal Inlets Research Program (CIRP, the coastal engineering pioneer, Profes- dress at the 1999 Coastal Sediments con- 1997-present). In addition to leading sor Kiyoshi Horikawa at the University ference, it seems there has been a change the CIRP, Nick typically works on his of Tokyo, and his multi-organizational towards coastal geomorphologists doing own research studies plus three or four research consortium, the Nearshore studies at the traditional shorter scales of applied research projects in support of Environment Research Center (NERC). motion of coastal engineers, and coastal U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District From there, my training in coastal science engineers doing studies at the traditional offices. One colleague commented, “You and engineering was hands-on. I owe my longer scales of geomorphologists. This can send Nick an email any hour of the formative professional experience to Dr. trend of interdisciplinary work and day or night, and he responds back with Tamio Sasaki, Professor Horikawa, and broadening of perspectives on time scales an answer within 5 minutes!” others in the NERC group, who exhibited and space scales of coastal change has You may have met Nick at Coastal patience and flexibility. Mainly, I learned continued. Sediments or Coastal Dynamics confer- by reading and through field work,  Where do you see the next chal- ences, which he either co-chaired or particularly just throwing myself in the lenges for our coasts and its steward- served on the organizing committees water. I was a good swimmer, so that’s ship? from 1985 to 2007. Nick has also served why they probably kept me around – for as Shore & Beach editor from 1988-2003 deploying instruments in the surf zone I think the other O’Brien interviews and is presently the Shore and Beach when the water was over their heads have been much more profound than I book review editor. In fact, Nick was (laughing). can be in answering this type of question. the editor for this Hurricane Ike issue of If you pin me down, and I guess you are  Can you mention a favorite at- Shore and Beach. Nick shares many com- doing that, I would say the continuing traction for you about the coastal monalities with Professor M.P. O’Brien, and central challenge is reconciliation area? including having numerous interests (as of the rights of private property owners a physics researcher, student and teacher Tamio Sasaki had recently completed and the public. From Roman Law on of martial arts, coastal engineer, English his Ph.D. dissertation on rip currents. Ear- water rights, one must distinguish what writing, and management and leadership ly on, he took me to the top of a coastal has common ownership (can be used by process maven), a strong role in mentor- cliff on the Pacific Ocean coast of Japan, all nations), what belongs to the public ing students and young people, and a love a stunning view of large rip currents (through government), and what belongs of coastal research, especially inlets. For stretching along the shore from horizon to the private citizen. I hope I didn’t make Shore & Beach  Vol. 77, No. 2  Spring 2009 Page 77 Form Approved Report Documentation Page OMB No. 0704-0/88 Public reporting burden for the collection of infonnation is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including th.e tim~ for reviewi~g instructions, searching exis~ing data ~ource~, gathe~ng and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regardmg thts burden est1mate or any other aspect o~ th1~ collectiOn .of mformat10n, vinA cl u2d2i2n0g2 s-u4g3g0e2s. tiRoenssp foonrd reendtus csihnogu tlhdi sb be uarwdeanre, ttoh aWt naoshtwinigthtostna nHdeinadgq aunayr toerths eSre prrvoicveissi, oDn iorefclatowra, tneo f opre rInsofonr smhaatlilo bne O supberjeactito tnos aa npde nRaletpyo frotsr, fa11~ h~ n5g J etof fceorsmopnl yDa W~IitSh Ha 1cgohlwleacyb,o Snu o1tfe .m 1f2o0r4m, aAbrolnm gItf ~11n does not display a currently valid OMB control number. I. REPORT DATE 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 2009 N/A 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER An Interview with Nicholas C. Kraus 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Rosati /Julie D. 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Coastal and REPORT NUMBER Hydraulics Laboratory 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S ACRONYM(S) I I. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S REPORT NUMBER(S) 12. DISTRJBUTION/ AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for public release, distribution unlimited. 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Interview with Nicholas C. Kraus, Coastal Inlets Research Program (CIRP) Program Manager at the US Army Engineer Reearch and Development Center, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory 15. SUBJECT TERMS 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF IS. NUMBER 19a.NAMEOF ABSTRACT OF PAGES RESPONSIBLE PERSON a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS PAGE uu 3 unclassified unclassified unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std ZJ9-18 and approaches emerge from nowhere is a delight.  What’s your favorite beach and favorite type of beach material? I like the south shore beaches of eastern Long Island, New York, where I learned to swim. My family moved to Long Island from New York City when I was in sixth grade and a weak swimmer. Prior to swimming in the Atlantic, I had assumed all the world’s oceans tasted like chlorine (laughing). My high-school mates taught me how to swim through playing around in the water. Also, I like the barrier beaches and lagoons in north- ern California. It’s enjoyable to see the different wildlife on these beaches. Both Figure 1. Nick Kraus standing on the beach west of Shinnecock Inlet, NY, locations have typically have pebbles and November 2000. gravel in the swash zone of these sandy beaches. this up (laughing). These rights need to more interesting and also more useful to  Since this is for Shore & Beach, be resolved for long-term stewardship of society than trying to solve problems I what article do you find yourself using the coast, recognizing regional continuity might dream up. and referencing over and over again? of sand movement.  Who were the people before you I became an ASBPA member while If you don’t mind, another important who most influenced your work in in Japan. At that time, the 1970s and and somewhat neglected science-type coastal engineering or were the inspi- early 1980s, Peter Graber, an attorney in challenge I’d like to mention is the con- ration for your career? California and an ASBPA director, was nection of the nearshore and the ocean I learned through reading papers and publishing a series of articles under the – put more oceanography into coastal books, so there were many international general title “The Law of the Coast In a processes. I don’t think we are done influences. Besides Professor Horikawa, Clamshell.” I think there were 26 of these with that. who is extremely hard-working and al- articles covering federal-state boundaries  If you were to advise a young most impossible to dare to emulate, one in various coastal states. I don’t believe person thinking of studying coastal of my first coastal contacts in the United anyone has published more in Shore & engineering or science, what would States was Professor Robert Wiegel at Beach than Peter Graber. I don’t refer- you say to them? UC Berkeley, a giant in the field and a ence these articles, but the concept of a former Shore & Beach editor who ad- marine boundary and general area of law Great field! Almost anything we do is vised me when I became editor. I hope I of the coast influenced my perspective. new, because every location involves a am slightly as good an example to others Shore & Beach articles that I do reference different balance of forces and boundary as such people were to me. Also, I’d like are storm reports and site histories. For conditions. There is no coastal turnkey to mention Dr. Choule Sonu as an early example, recently, I referenced authori- project or study. All are interesting and inspiration. His 1968 paper in the Inter- tative articles on the Galveston seawall challenging, and all well-done studies are national Coastal Engineering Conference written in 1938 and 1961, which were publishable. Shore & Beach encourages Proceedings “Collective Movement of helpful in establishing background for papers submitted by students, by the way. Sediment” was a great influence on me the Hurricane Ike issue we are produc- Recently, I have been dabbling in simple and sparked my early and sustained inter- ing now. ecological modeling of the population est in nearshore morphology change. dynamics of Piping Plover, a federally If you don’t mind, perhaps this is a listed threatened migratory shore bird.  In thinking about your career good time to tell an insider editorial story There seems to be no end of subjects for in coastal engineering, what are the that might be of interest to Shore & Beach the student of the coast ― “student” in things you’ve done that you are most readers. Past Shore & Beach editors had the wide and enduring sense. proud of? accumulated a collection of old issues. When you became a new editor, as I did  When did you decide to go into Well, I’d like to forget a lot of things in late 1998, the previous editor (in my the coastal engineering field? I’ve done (laughing). I’ve been fortu- case, it was Professor Paul Komar) would nate to have worked with many creative As I mentioned, my being in the mail boxes containing the old issues. It people, some collaborations continuing coastal area was not a conscious profes- was engrossing and entrapping to read 20-30 years such as with Professors Hans sional decision. Its attraction is the chal- the old issues, but the collection was Hanson and Magnus Larson of the Uni- lenge of trying to help others with their very incomplete. My editorial assistant, versity of Lund, Sweden (oh, and with coastal problems, which is to me much Holley Messing, got the idea and took it you, too, Julie). Watching new insights Page 78 Shore & Beach  Vol. 77, No. 2  Spring 2009 upon herself to complete the collection by making interlibrary requests, then copying the originals as they were sent to us. In this regard, Linda Vida, director at the UC Berkeley Water Resource Center Archives, was invaluable and trusting in loaning precious copies of unique issues. I had known Linda for a long time, but I am sure that Professor Wiegel was in the background vouchsafing for us. Anyway, from that point, Holley starting making PDF files of the issues and compiling a list of key words for all major articles. This was a multi-year part-time effort, one way or the other supported by the Corps of Engineers R&D programs. The project was eventually adopted by the ASBPA executive directors Kate and Ken Gooderham, and it was finished in a compilation on CD by ASBPA director Lesley Ewing that is available for purchase at www.asbpa.org. To conclude the story, I’d like to acknowledge the past editors of Shore & Beach for tenaciously holding on to and transferring old issues of Shore & Beach, and to Holley for pursuing capture of the entire series. The CD collection of Shore & Beach articles that start in 1933 is a valuable resource documenting the management, politics, engineering, and science of the United States coast.  Do you have any final words of advice to young students who are in high school or just starting college about why they should consider a fu- ture career in coastal engineering or coastal management? Yes! You can do field work, lab experiments, mathematics, conceptual Interested in contributing to Shore & Beach? modeling, and numerical modeling. Your Authors’ guidelines are available online choice, or do them all! The coastal sci- at www.asbpa.org under “Publications.” ence and engineering fields are open ended. Lessons learned need to be trans- Send queries and manuscripts to ferred around the world to allow society [email protected] and nature to coexist on the coast in a sustainable way. Shore & Beach  Vol. 77, No. 2  Spring 2009 Page 79