Sean Smith

Sean Smith is an Associate Professor in the School of Earth and Climate Sciences at the University of Maine, with a joint appointment at the Sen. George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions. His work focuses on watershed geomorphology, environmental impacts of human activities, and land-sea connections. He leads the Watershed Process and Estuary Sustainability (WPES) Research Group, addressing challenges like coastal pollution and dam management.

• Education: PhD in watershed processes and geomorphology from Johns Hopkins University, MS in fluvial geomorphology from the University of Maryland.
• Research Interests: Stream dynamics, sediment budgets, dam impacts, and coastal resilience.

Recent Grants:

• 2020: Maine Water Resources Research Institute grant on forest harvest impacts on cold-water streams.
• 2020: USGS grant for harmful algae bloom research in Maine.

Awards: 2017 Best Technical Note in the Journal of Hydraulic Engineering.

He advises graduate students (e.g., Bea Van Dam, Hannah Horecka) and collaborates with agencies like the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES). His research spans interdisciplinary projects such as the Future of Dams in New England and Safe Beaches and Shellfish Beds initiatives.