Mark Merrifield

Mark Merrifield is a Professor at the Integrative Oceanography Division within the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. He also serves as Director of the Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation. His research focuses on Coastal Oceanography, Internal Waves, Ocean Mixing, and Sea Level Variability. He holds a PhD in Oceanography from Scripps and an A.B. in Physics from UC Berkeley.

Education:

• PhD, Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
• A.B., Physics, UC Berkeley

Research interests include understanding the physical processes driving coastal changes, such as wave-driven shoreline dynamics, saltwater intrusion into freshwater systems, and the impacts of sea level rise on coastal infrastructure. His work integrates observational data with advanced modeling techniques to inform climate adaptation strategies. Recent studies emphasize compound flooding risks from tropical and extratropical cyclones, stochastic modeling frameworks, and deep learning applications for shoreline prediction.

His publications highlight advancements in coastal hazard assessment, including flood projections and the development of tools like the TESLA-XTC&TC emulator. He has contributed to global climate reports, such as the State of the Climate series, and collaborates on interdisciplinary projects addressing coastal resilience in vulnerable regions like Hawaii and California.

As director of the Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation, he oversees initiatives to bridge scientific research with community-driven solutions for climate-related coastal challenges. His team focuses on integrating hydrological, meteorological, and oceanographic data to improve predictive accuracy for coastal management.