Educational Background

• Ph.D. Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering, 2008, University of Florida, Dept. Civil and Coastal Engineering
• M.S. Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering, 2004, University of Florida, Dept. Civil and Coastal Engineering
• B.S. Mathematics (MINOR Physics), 1999, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University Stuttgart, 1999

Professional Experience

Post-Doctorate Researcher, 2008-2011, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, IMS

Research Intern, 2006-2008, URS Corps.

Additional Duties

Director of the Indian River Lagoon Research Institute at Florida Tech

Research in coastal circulation / nearshore hydrodynamics

Founder/CEO of Engineering for the Earth, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which promotes sustainable design, building and engineering practices (2007-present)

Current Courses

• OCE 2901 Surf Engineering Analysis 
• OCE 3030 Fluid Mechanics
• OCE 3521 Hydromechanics / Wave Theory
• OCE 4522 Coastal Processes & Shoreline Design
• OCE 4563 Port & Harbor Design
• OCE 5525 Coastal Processes & Engineering
• OCE 5563 Port & Harbor Engineering
• ENS 3911 / 4911 Environmental Field Projects

Selected Publications

Journal Special Editions

• Real-Time Forecasting of Waves and Storm Surge, Guest Editor: Weaver, R.J., Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 2024

• Coastal Water Quality: From Science to Solutions, Guest Editors: Weaver, R.J. and Hunsucker, K.Z., Marine Technology Society Journal 52 (4), 5-5, 2018

• Marine Dredging Engineering: Environmental Dredging, Guest Editor: Weaver, R.J., Journal of Marine Science and Engineering , Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2019

Briefings to Congress/ Letters Entered into Congressional Record

• Weaver, R. J., (2019).”Written Testimony to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in sup-port for the COAST Act and the NEAR Act”, prepared for The Honorable Bill Posey and the Committeeon Science, Space, and Technology. Letter introduced into Congressional record February 27th, 2019.
• Weaver, R. J., Zarillo, G., Shenker, J., (2014). ” Indian River Lagoon Research Institute”, IRLRI Briefingto Congressman Posey, January 21, 2014.

Peer Reviewed

• Nezhad, S.K., Barooni, M., Velioglu Sogut, D., Weaver, R.J., (2023) Ensemble Neural Networks for the Development of Storm Surge Flood Modeling: A Comprehensive Review, Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11(11), 2154; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11112154.
• Rech, S., Hunsucker, K., and Weaver, R.J., (2023). ”Modeling Benthic Community Settlement and Recruitment on Living Dock Restoration Mats”, Environments, 10 (8), 138.
• Despeignes, A., Sharma, A., Beltran, R., Rech, S., Hunsucker, K., White, R.T., Weaver, R.J., Kachouie, N.N., (2023). ”The Impact of Benthic Organisms to Improve Water Quality in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida” Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 234 (8), 546.
• Di Ciccio, M., Zarillo, G., and Weaver, R., (2023). ”Resolving Spectral Signatures of Physical Properties in an Estuary”, Modern Env. Sci. Eng. 8 (6) 319-332 (ISSN 2333-2581)
• Lodge, C.T.; Weaver, R.J. Coupling a Parametric Wave Solver into a Hydrodynamic Circulation Model to Improve Efficiency of Nested Estuarine Storm Surge Predictions. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10, 1117. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10081117
• Gilligan, M.; Hunsucker, K.; Rech, S.; Sharma, A.; Beltran, R.; White, R.T.; Weaver, R. Assessing the Biological Performance of Living Docks—A Citizen Science Initiative to Improve Coastal Water Quality through Benthic Recruitment within the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10, 823. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10060823 
• Provost, L.A.,Weaver, R., and Kachouie, N. N., (2021) ”Statistical Modeling of Fine SedimentsDredged Using a Variable Area Dredging Suction Head to Improve Water Quality”, Hydrology, 8,98.https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology8030098
• Hunsucker, K.Z., Melnikov, A., Gilligan, M., Gardner, H., Erdogan, C.,Weaver, R., and Swain, G. , ”Ca-thodically Protected Steel as an Alternative to Plastic for Oyster Restoration Mats”. (2021) EcologicalEngineering, ECOLENG-D-20-01167R1.
• Maglio, C.,Weaver, R., Trefry, J., Bostater, C., Shenker, J., Johnson, K., Trulock, S., Ousley, J., Cotter,P., DeMarco, P. M., Trocine, R., Fox, A., and Fox, S. (2021), ”Environmental benefits realized during navigation maintenance dredging: A Case Study in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida”, Volume 19, No.1, pp 1-13. January 2021 (ISSN 2150-9409).
• Boyd, S.C. and Weaver, R.J., ”Replacing a third-generation wave model with a fetch based parametric solver in coastal estuaries”.(2021), Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 251, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2021.107192
• Taeb, P. and Weaver, R.J. , ”An operational coastal forecasting tool for performing ensemble modeling”. (2019), Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science,ECSS 2018 247.
• Weaver, R.J., Hunsucker, K., Sweat, H., Meyers, A., Bethurum, A., Devlin, A., Grenevicki, A., Kaylee, K., Kate, L., Sabrina, B., Meyers, M. L., Lieberman, K., Bruner, S., Devlin, I., Grenevicki, A., and Kraver, T., (2018), "A Study of Oyster Recruitment on Pile Mounted Mats and Shell-Filled Bags near the Eau Gallie River Mouth in the IRL", Marine Technology Society, 52 (4).
• Provost, L.A., Weaver, R.J., Waite, T.D., and Grisanti, H.C., (2018) ”Fabrication and Testing of a Variable Area Dredge Coupled with an Inline Slurry Treatment System”, Marine Technology Society, 52 (4).
• Colvin, J., Lazarus, S., Splitt, M., Weaver, R.J., and Taeb, P., ”Forcing and parameterizations for wind setup in a coastal estuary”, (2018), Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
• Weaver, R.J., Stehno, A., Bonanno N., Sager, A., Kenny, A., Zehnder, J.A., "Scale Model Design of Oyster Reef Structures as Part of a Showcase Living Shoreline Project", (2017), Shore & Beach
• Weaver, R. J., Taeb, P., Lazarus, S., Splitt, M., Holman, B., and Colvin, J., ”Sensitivity of estuarine circulation to spatial and temporal resolution of input meteorological forcing of a cold front passage”, (2016), Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
• Saberi, A., Weaver, R. J.,”Simulating Tidal Flushing Response to the Construction of a Low-Crested Weir Connecting Port Canaveral to the Banana River, Florida,” (2016), Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
• Weaver, R. J., Johnson, J. E., Ridler, M., (2015) ”Wind Driven Circulation in a Shallow Micro-Tidal Estuary: the Indian River Lagoon”, Journal of Coastal Research
• Dietrich, J.C., Trahan, C.J., Howard, M.T., Fleming, J.G.,Weaver, R.J., Tanaka, S., Yuf, L., Luettich Jr., R.A., Dawson, C.N., Westerink, J.J., Wells, G., Lu, A., Vega, K., Kubach, A., Dresback, K.M., Kolar, R.L., Kaiser, C., Twilley, R.R. (2012) ”Surface Trajectories of Oil Transport along the Northern Coastline of the Gulf of Mexico”, Continental Shelf Research
• Eggleston, D., Haase, A.,Luettich, R.,Weaver, R., Puckett, B. J., (2012) ”Estuarine Circulation and Predicted Oyster Larval Dispersal Among a Network of Reserves”,Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
• Kennedy, A. B., Gravois U., Zachry, B., Luettich, R., Whipple, T., Weaver, R., Fleming, J., Chen, Q., Avissar, R. (2010) ”Rapidly Installed Temporary Gauging for Waves and Surge during Hurricane Gustav.” Continental Shelf Research
• Weaver, R. J. and Slinn, D. N. (2010). ”Influence of bathymetric fluctuations on coastal storm surge.” Coastal Engineering.

Proceedings

• Hoch, C., Weaver, R. J., Webb, B., Resio, D., Ward, N., Lodge, C., Hopkin, O., Bouhassira, R., Kachouie, N.. (2023). PREDICTING NEAR-BED SEDIMENT TRANSPORT THROUGH PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY, Proceedings of the 37th International Conference on Coastal Engineering, Sydney, Australia. 37 (9), p.1-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9753/icce.v37.papers.9.
• Wissmach, E., Ninesling, M., Weaver, R. J.. (2023). BIOMIMICRY OF NATURAL REEF HYODYNAMICS IN AN ARTIFICIAL SPUR AND GROOVE REEF FORMATION, Proceedings of the 37th International Conference on Coastal Engineering, Sydney, Australia. 37 (3). p. 1-12. DOI: 10.9753/icce.v37.papers.3.
• Taeb, P.,Weaver, R.J., and Lazarus, S., “A seven-member ensemble, coastal hydrodynamic forecast tool and its application to the Indian River Lagoon system”, (2019). ASCE Coastal Sediments Proceedings19, Tampa/St. Pete, Florida,1475-1488. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/9789811204487_0128
• Maglio, C. K., Weaver, R .J., Trefry, J. H., Bostater, C. R., Shenker, J. M., Johnson, K. B, Trulock, S. F., Ousley, J. D. Cotter, P. F. and DeMarco, P. M., (2016), ”Environmental benefits realized during navigation maintenance dredging: A Case Study in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida”, Proceedings of the Twenty-First World Dredging Congress, WODCON XXI, Miami, Florida, USA.
• Sheng, Y. P., Davis, J. R., Figueirdo, R., Liu, B., Liu, H., Luettich, R., Paramygin, V. A., Weaver, R., Weisberg, R. Xie, L., Zheng, L. (2012). ”A Regional Testbed for Storm Surge and Coastal Inundation Models - An Overview.” Proc. Estuarine and Coastal Modeling.
• Weaver, R. J. and Luettich, R. A. (2010). ”2d vs. 3d storm surge sensitivity in ADCIRC: Case study of hurricane Isabel.” Proc. Estuarine and Coastal Modeling.
• Niedoroda, A. W. , L. Hatchet, H. Das, A. Cox, R. Weaver, S. Baig and S. Saiffe. 2007., The Hurricane Katrina Storm Surge in Mississippi, ASCE Coastal Sediments 07, New Orleans, L.A., USA
• Weaver, R. J. and D. N. Slinn. 2006., "Real-Time and Probabilistic Forecasting System for Waves and Surge in Tropical Cyclones", Proceedings of the 30th International Conference on Coastal Engineering, San Diego, CA., USA
• Weaver, R. J. and D. N. Slinn. 2004., "Effect of Wave Forcing on Storm Surge", Proceedings of the 29th International Conference on Coastal Engineering, Lisbon, Portugal 

Technical Reports

• Weaver, R. J., (2019). ”STABILITY ANALYSIS FOR ARTIFICIAL REEF STRUCTURE PROPOSED FORBROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, USA COAST”, Prepared for: Chris O’Hare, ReefCells.org, pp. 1-12.
• Hearin, J. M., Swain, G.,Weaver, R.J., Hunsucker, K. Z., Erdogan, C., Braga, C., Wassick ,A., (2018). ”APHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE MID-REACH MITIGATION REEF SET NUMBER”, pp.1-7.
• Weaver, R.J., Trefry, J. H., Bostater, C. R., Shenker, J. M., Johnson, K. B., Maglio, C. M. Trocine, R. P.,Fox, A. L., Fox, S. L. (2015). ” Assessment of muck movement, discharge water quality and biological impacts at FIND Dredging Site IR-1: Sebastian River to Wabasso Bridge ” Prepared for Florida InlandNavigation District. Project No. ICW-IR-14-01. October 2015, pp 1-63.
• Weaver, R. J., (2014). ”Independent review of report by Davidson Laboratory: “Water Level Oscillationsin Response to Vessel Passages through Fresh Kills Reach Carteret, New Jersey”, TR-2870”, Preparedfor: C.M.E. Associates, pp. 1-4.

Invited Talks

• (2023) "Earth Day at Aquarina: What Can We Do To Create A Positive Impact?" Aquarina COmmunity, MElbourne Beach, FL. 
• (2018), " Our Indian River Lagoon: Problem, Solutions and Timeline, Sea Oaks Community, Vero beach, FL
• (2014), ”Circulation, Climate Change and Resilience”, Lagoon Action Assembly, Florida Institute of Technology, May 2014
• (2014), ”Indian River Lagoon Research Institute”, IRLRI Congressional Briefing, January 21, 2014
• (2012), ”Our Backyard Laboratory for Water Quality Solutions: The IRL, Lagoonal Circulation, and Engineering/Biological Solutions to Water Quality”, Spacecoast Science Cafe, Fall 2012, Invited Oral Presentation/Discussion
• Weaver, Lazarus, Splitt (2016), "Forecasting of Hurricane Matthew and for future storms", Board of Trustees Meeting, Florida Institute of Technology. 

Recognition & Awards

• 2020 Engineering Unleashed Fellow
• 2017 Florida Tech Rising Star
• AAUS Certified
• NAUI DiveMaster Cert.
• Sigma Pi Sigma
• Pi Mu Epsilon

Research

• Real Time Forecasting of Waves and Storm Surge
• 3D hydrodynamics and development and validation of 3D capabilities in ADCIRC
• Phytoremediation of eutrophic waters in coastal lagoons
• Indian River Lagoon Experiment (IRLEX) 2012
• Circulation modeling for IRL and coastal waters
• Remediation of coastal lagoons
• Sand bypassing solutions for hardened inlets
• 3D wave forcing for ADCIRC
• 3D surface mixing for circulation models
• Managed system for flushing Banana River
• Removal of fine grained sediments and Muck

Doctoral Dissertation:

• 2019. Taeb, ”A coastal estuarine ensemble forecasting system”

Master of Science Theses:

• 2014. Todd, ”3D Barotropic Hindcast of Water Levels and Vertically Distributed Currents Generated by Hurricane Gustav: Implementing Vertically Distributed Wave Forcing in ADCIRC+SWAN(ADSWAN)”
• 2015. Saberi, ”Impact of Constructing a Low Crested Weir in Cape Canaveral on Flushing in the Banana River”
• 2016. Baboolal, ”A Physical and Computational Study of Semi-Hemispherical Artificial Reef Breakwater Designs to Optimize Efficiency for Use as Shoreline Protection and Marine Habitat”
• 2017. Kledzik, ”Hydrodynamic Resistance of a Surfboard: An Analytical, Empirical, and Statistical Analysis”
• 2017. Stehno, ”A Physical and Computational Comparison of Floating Breakwater Design Efficiencies for Habitat Restoration in the Indian River Lagoon”
• 2018. Provost, ”Development, Testing, Analysis, and Efficiency of a Variable Area Dredge in Combination with a Mobile Ferrate-Based Treatment Facility”
• 2018. Grisanti, ”Controlled Intake Area Dredging for Fine Sediment Removal to ImproveWater Quality in the Indian River Lagoon”
• 2019. Lahlou, ”Experimental and Numerical Analysis of the Drag Force on Surfboards with Different Shapes”
• 2019. McCarthy, ”Wind Power and Aquaculture: A Natural Fit”
• 2020. Christiansen, ”Living Docks: Structural Implications and Determination of Force Coefficients of Oyster Mats on Dock Pilings in the Indian River Lagoon”
• 2020. Boyd, ”Improving the Efficiency of Coupled Hydrodynamic Predictions by Implementing a Fetchbased Parametric Wave Model”
• 2020. Soucy, ”Alternative Material Selection for Oyster Restoration with an Emphasis on Living Docks” 
• 2020. Austin, ”Effect of Simulated Mangrove Forest Width on Shoreline Stabilization at Multiple Tidal Water Levels”
• 2021. McClain, ”Design and Analysis of a Pipe and Pump System Constructed to Connect Port Canaveral to the Banana River”
• 2021. Katrina, ”Near-Shore Sediment Transport Under Cnoidal Waves Using Particle Image Velocimetry"
• 2021. Lodge, "Coupling a Parametric Wave Model into Hydrodynamic Ocean Circulation Forecasts to Improve Efficiency of Nested Estuarine Storm Surge Predictions"
• 2023. Komita, ”Engineering Design and Permitting for a Pilot Inflow Project to Improve Water Quality in the Indian River Lagoon”
• 2023. Wissmach, ”Biomimicry of Natural Reef Hydrodynamics in an Artificial Spur and Groove Reef Formation Proposal”
• 2023. Hoch, ”PREDICTING NEAR-BED SEDIMENT TRANSPORT: DEVELOPING AN ESTIMATE FOR SEDIMENT TRANSPORT USING SHIELDS PARAMETER AND URSELL NUMBER”
• 2024. Normington, ”MODIFICATION OF BOTTOM FRICTION AND AIR-SEA DRAG COEFFICIENT FOR IMPROVED STORM SURGE PREDICTION WITHIN A COASTAL ESTUARY”
• 2024. Walker. "Computational Fluid Dynamics through Perforated Monopiles"
• 2024. Reddy. "Numerical modeling studies for selection of suitable disposal locations for combined common Effluent Treatment Plant discharges into deep waters off Hazira coast, Surat, Gujarat"

Research & Project Interests

• NPF / NPS, PI: Create Marine Hazard Warning System for Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve (TIMU), (10/01/2023-09/30/2026).
• State of Florida DOE, PI: Restoring Lagoon Inflow Phase III Task 1: Engineering (07/01/2022-06/30/2023).
• State of Florida DOE, PI: Restoring Lagoon Inflow Phase II Task 1: Modeling & Engineering (07/01/2020-06/30/2021).
• State of Florida DOE, PI: Restoring Lagoon Inflow Task 1: Modeling & Engineering (07/01/2019-06/30/2020).
• USACE / CRP, CO-PI: Nearshore Sediment Transport and Sediment Budgets Over Decadal Scales DUNEX (12/2019-12/2021)
• Brevard County, PI: County Muck Dredging Meetings (03/2019-05/2020)
• KEEN (Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network), CO-I: Reframing Making Spaces in Engineering Education (12/2018-12/2021)
• USACE / CRP: Development and Coupling of a Parametric Wave Model to Improve Efficiency of High - Resolution Storm Surge Modeling Allowing an Ensemble Approach Using ADCIRC (W912HZ18P0133 BAA 18-0074), (10/2018-09/2020)
• State of Florida DEO/Brevard Zoo/Brevard County, PI: Living Shoreline Design and Implementation (DEO HL037) (07/01/2016-06/31/2017).
• State of Florida FDEP/Brevard County: Feasibility of muck removal at fixed locations in the IRL and subsequent treatment to remove nutrients and contaminants , (08/01/2015-09/31/2016).
• F.I.N.D.: Assessment of muck movement, discharge water quality and biological impacts at FIND Dredging Site IR-1: Sebastian River to Wabasso Bridge, (11/01/2014-08/31/2015).
• EPA IRL NEP (SJRWMD): Development of Bioremediation and Habitat Restoration Platforms to Improve Lagoon Water Quality, Restore Seagrasses, and Rebuild Bivalve Populations,  (10/01/2014-09/30/2015).
• EPA IRL NEP (SJRWMD): Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program Education Coordination, 210K, (10/01/2014-09/30/2017).
• NWS-CSTAR: An Ensemble-Based Approach to Forecasting Surf, Set-Up, and Surge in the Coastal Zone, (07/01/2014-06/30/2017).
• NCAR COMET: Ensemble prediction of estuary set-up and set-down using operational WRF winds and their error characteristics. Component 2: Hydrodynamic modeling, (05/31/2012-05/31/2013).