Till J.J. HanebuthView profile
Professor
Till J.J. Hanebuth is a Professor in the Department of Marine Science at Coastal Carolina University's Gupta College of Science. He leads the Coastal Geosystems Research Lab and is actively involved in numerous research projects focusing on coastal and marine geoscience. His work spans both fundamental research on sea level variability, river deltas, and continental shelf processes, as well as applied research addressing silting, erosion, and contamination issues. His educational background includes: Habilitation in Marine Geosciences from University of Bremen, Germany (2010) D.Sc. in Marine Geology from Chr.-Albrechts-University Kiel, Germany (2000) M.Sc. in Geology-Paleontology from Philipps-University Marburg, Germany (1996) B.Sc. in Geology-Paleontology from University of Hamburg, Germany (1993) Hanebuth's research interests span a broad spectrum of marine geoscience topics with a particular focus on coastal systems in the Anthropocene. His work examines how climate-related rising water levels, weather events, rapid urbanization, and land-use practices modify coastal environments. He investigates sea level variability, river delta dynamics, sediment and hydrodynamics on continental shelves, paleoceanography, and the impacts of human activities on coastal systems. His research often involves international collaborations across multiple continents including Germany, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Argentina. Analysis of Hanebuth's recent publications reveals a strong focus on continental shelf processes, sediment dynamics, and coastal change across diverse geographical regions including Southeast Asia, the Gulf of Cadiz, the Bengal Shelf, and the southeastern United States. His work frequently integrates geological, oceanographic, and anthropogenic factors to understand coastal evolution. A notable trend is the increasing attention to human impacts on coastal systems and the development of high-resolution records of environmental change using sediment cores and acoustic data. Hanebuth actively mentors students at all levels through the VIP (Vertically Integrated Projects) program. Undergraduate students progress through successive project-integrated courses building technical skills, while graduate students develop thesis research within his Coastal Geosystems Research Lab. He currently supervises one Ph.D., two MS, and one undergraduate student on the Bengal Shelf project examining monsoon, cyclones, tectonics, subsidence, and anthropogenic impacts. His laboratory offers students hands-on experience with advanced techniques including sediment coring, geochemical analysis, seismo-acoustic data processing, scanning electron microscopy, FTIR polymer measurement, Ground-Penetrating Radar surveying, and Real-Time Kinematic GPS elevation surveying. The lab collaborates with universities and institutions across South Carolina, other U.S. states, and internationally in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Argentina.
