Lynn A. Leonard

Lynn A. Leonard is a Professor of Geology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) in the Department of Geography & Geology within the College of Arts and Sciences. She serves as Director of both the Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program and the Coastal Hydrology and Sedimentology Lab.

Her educational background includes a BS from College of William and Mary (1986), MS from Duke University (1988), and PhD from University of South Florida (1994).

• Research focuses on sediment transport dynamics in coastal environments
• Specializes in flow dynamics in vegetated systems like Spartina marshes
• Studies depositional processes in tidal wetlands and estuarine systems
• Investigates oyster bed restoration for water quality improvement
• Examines impacts of dredging on coastal processes

Dr. Leonard has supervised numerous graduate students through UNCW's Geology and Marine Science programs, with thesis topics spanning sediment mobility, marsh dynamics, and estuarine processes along the North Carolina coast.

Her current research is supported by funding from NOAA-CICEET and the US Army Corps of Engineers, focusing on practical applications for coastal management and wetland conservation in southeastern North Carolina.