• Adjunct Faculty, Ocean Engineering
  • Professor, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management
Rusty Feagin

Research Interests

    • Coastal erosion
    • Engineering with nature
    • Coastal restoration
    • Engineering sustainable coasts

Awards & Honors

  • Texas Environmental Excellence Award, Civic/Community, highest environmental honor in State of Texas
  • Texas State Senate Proclamation No. 355, for dedication to coastal restoration 
  • Outstanding Graduate Professor, ESSM 
  • Lavern Weber Visiting Fellow, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University
  • Fitzwilliam College Visiting Fellow, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge

Selected Publications

  • Silva, R., Martínez, M.L., Odériz, I., Medoza-Baldwin, E., Feagin, R.A. 2016. Response of vegetated dune-beach systems to storm conditions. Coastal Engineering 109: 53-62.
  • Feagin, R.A., Figlus, J., Zinnert, J.C., Sigren, J., Martínez, M.L., Silva, R., Smith, W.K., Cox, D., Young, D.R., Carter, G. 2015. Going with the flow or against the grain? The promise of vegetation for protecting beaches, dunes, and barrier islands from erosion. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 13: 203-210.
  • Feagin, R.A., Irish, J.L., Möller, I., Williams, A.M., Mousavi, M.E, & Colón-Rivera, R.J. 2011. Engineering properties of wetland plants with application to wave attenuation. Coastal Engineering 58: 251-255. 
  • Feagin, R.A., Mukherjee, N., Shanker, K., Baird, A.H., Cinner, J., Kerr, A.M., Koedam, N., Sridhar, A., Arthur, R., Jayatissa, L.P., Lo Seen, D., Menon, M., Rodriguez, S., Shamsuddoha, M., & Dahdouh-Guebas, F. 2010. Shelter from the storm? Use and misuse of coastal vegetation bioshields for managing natural disasters. Conservation Letters 3: 1-11.
  • Feagin, R.A., Lozada-Bernard, S.M., Ravens, T., Möller, I., Yeager, K.M., & Baird, A.H. 2009. Does vegetation prevent wave erosion of salt marsh edges? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 106: 10109-10113.
  • Feagin, R.A. 2008. Vegetation’s role in coastal protection. Letters. Science 320: 176-177.