Philip J. Bresnahan

Associate Professor

Philip J. Bresnahan
My Department

Community-engaged scholar focused on excellence in applied science, innovative engineering, and inclusive education for coastal water resource and resilience issues. Our research group—named the Coastal Ocean Applied Science & Technology (COAST) Lab—seeks to contribute to coastal resilience by: (1) inventing and deploying networked sensors and platforms—typically low-cost and open-source—, (2) engaging reciprocally with coastal communities and municipal leaders in the study and real-time dissemination of critical information, and (3) working toward improved ocean, climate, and coastal literacy for students of all ages. Ultimately, our work is targeted at investigating, teaching, and mitigating the effects of natural and human-caused coastal hazards (especially sea level rise/flooding, warming, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and eutrophication). Please see https://people.uncw.edu/bresnahanp for more.

Education

· PhD in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego (2015)
· MS in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego (2010)
· BS in Chemical Engineering (summa cum laude), Lehigh University (2008)

Specialization in Teaching

· UNCW Advanced Oceanography (OCN 350; Fall 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, Spring 2023)
· UNCW Introduction to Oceanography (OCN 150; Fall 2020, 2021, 2023, Spring 2021, 2023)
· UNCW Smart Coasts (OCN 479; Fall 2022, 2024)
· UNCW Field Methods in Oceanography (OCN 390; Spring 2021)
· Participation in and organizational support for Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Data Labs Workshop (2–5 June 2024).
· Applied Coastal Science & Engineering (Summer 2021, 2022, 2023). Invited to design and teach intensive pre-college research course for NC School of Science and Mathematics Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics program.
· Center for Teaching Excellence Course Design Institute participant (summer 2022)

Research Interests

· Low-cost and open-source environmental sensor development and application
· Coastal sensor networks
· Public participation in environmental research (AKA citizen science)
· Coastal water resources, risks, and resilience (including especially sea level rise/flooding, warming, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and eutrophication)
· Community engagement

Professional Service

· UNCW Marine & Coastal Sciences Council (elected member 2021–present; Vice Chair 2023–24; Chair 2024–present)
· UNCW Center for Marine Science Strategic Planning Committee (2024–present)
· UNCW Dept. of Earth & Ocean Sciences Welcoming & Belonging Committee (co-founder/member, 2024–present)
· UNCW Dept. of Earth & Ocean Sciences Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (2021–24; Chair 2021–23)
· UNCW Marine & Coastal Sciences Council Subcommittee for Policies, Procedures, and Membership (Chair 2023–24)
· UNCW Dept. of Earth & Ocean Sciences Faculty Hiring Committee (Chair 2023–24)
· UNCW Center for Marine Science Makerspace Faculty Coordinator (2020–present)
· UNCW Dept. of Earth & Ocean Sciences Marketing & Public Relations Committee (2022–23)
· Established and chaired UNCW Dept. of Earth & Ocean Sciences ad hoc Committee on Cape Fear CC Transfer Partnership (Chair 2021–23)
· UNCW Dept. of Earth & Ocean Sciences Events & Awards Committee (2021–23; Chair 2021–22)
· UNCW Dept. of Earth & Ocean Sciences Chair’s Advisory Committee (Elected 2021)
· UNCW College of Arts & Sciences Crews Scholarship Review Committee (2021, 2023, 2024)
· UNCW Pod leader for NSF and WHOI–sponsored Unlearning Racism in Geoscience (URGE) program (2021)
· Grant review panelist for NSF (2024), NASA (2023)
· Southeast Coastal and Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) Education and Outreach Committee member (2024–present)
· Pier2Peer Mentor for NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (2024)
· Peer reviewer for: Limnology & Oceanography: Methods, Ocean Science, Continental Shelf Research, Oceanography, Sustainability, Methods in Oceanography, Frontiers in Marine Science, IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, PLOS ONE, Results in Engineering, Flow Measurement and Instrumentation
· Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network Science Working Group member (2021–2024)
· Proposal reviewer for NSF OCE (2024), USCRP (2024), NSF OTIC (2021), NOAA OAP (2020), WHOI Sea Grant (2019)

Honors & Awards

· Departmental Citizenship Award, Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, UNCW (Inaugural recipient, 2023). “To recognize exemplary behavior of a Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences faculty member based on overall and well-rounded contributions to all three evaluative areas (Teaching, Research+Scholarship, Service) in combination with outstanding collegial behavior.”
· Invited as one of four speakers for the National Science Foundation Frontiers in Ocean Science Symposium (2020) and as a return alumnus panelist (2021).
· Dissertations Symposium in Chemical Oceanography (DISCO) XXIV Invitee (2014).
· Scripps Student Symposium award for best talk (2014).