[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 59 (Friday, April 26, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN HONOR OF DR. GARY B. GRIGGS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 26, 2013

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Gary B. Griggs, who 
is celebrating 45 years of expanding and sharing our understanding of 
the coastal and marine environment as a Distinguished Professor of 
Earth Sciences at the University of California Santa Cruz.
   Dr. Gary B. Griggs is the Director of the University of California 
Santa Cruz Institute of Marine Sciences. A leader in the field of 
marine and coastal geology, his research is focused on the coastal zone 
and ranges from coastal evolution and development, through shoreline 
processes, coastal hazards and coastal engineering, and sea level rise. 
He is a talented interpreter of complicated coastal science and has a 
long track record of effectively translating his findings for 
policymakers. He has also been a champion of raising public awareness 
about these important issues across the Monterey Bay region and beyond. 
He has authored numerous academic and popular articles and books, 
including Living with the Changing California Coast and Then & Now: 
Santa Cruz Coast.
   Griggs joined the UCSC faculty in 1968. He has been Director of the 
Institute of Marine Sciences and Long Marine Laboratory since 1991. The 
Long Marine Lab is known throughout the marine research community for 
innovative marine mammal research in areas of nearshore invertebrate 
marine biology, ecology, and issues surrounding ocean health.
   As Director, he spearheaded the development of the Seymour Marine 
Discovery Center at Long Marine Laboratory, an educational center 
organized around the understanding of marine science. For the last 13 
years, the Seymour Center has offered innovative educational programs 
for community members of all ages including school, youth and college 
programs, teacher workshops, and an extensive range of visitor and 
member programs.
   In 2001, he led the launch of the Center for Ocean Health, a premier 
research facility for coastal conservation, policy, and research. The 
Center for Ocean Health has brought together some of the world's 
leading coastal and marine scientists, government and non-government 
coastal conservation and policy experts, and public education leaders. 
Their projects and partnerships are addressing a wide range of issues 
including complex coastal water science and policy issues, troubled sea 
otter populations in Alaska and California, and the socio-economic 
impacts of storms and sea level rise on coastal communities.
   In 2009, the California Coastal Commission named Gary Griggs as a 
California Coastal Heroes. He was recognized for his efforts to promote 
popular understanding of the California coast and for his leadership in 
the development of a major marine research and education center at Long 
Marine Laboratory. In 2010, Professor Griggs was elected as a Fellow of 
the California Academy of Sciences, an international center for 
scientific education and research at the forefront of efforts to 
understand and protect the diversity of Earth's living things.
   Dr. Griggs has actively sought to break down silos between the 
academia and government. He has actively supported collaboration 
between marine scientists and decision-makers. The UC Santa Cruz marine 
campus at the edge of Monterey Bay physically embodies this 
collaborative approach and shares space with the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration's Southwest Fisheries Science Center as well 
as with the State of California's Oiled Wildlife Veterinary Care and 
Research Center.
   Recently, his research projects have focused on documenting and 
understanding coastal erosion processes including temporal and spatial 
variations in rates of retreat; evaluating the effectiveness of coastal 
protection structures and the impacts of coastal engineering projects 
(seawalls, jetties, breakwaters) on coastal processes and beaches; 
evaluating beach processes and quantifying littoral cell budgets and 
human impacts on these budgets; impacts of extreme events such as El 
Ninos) on coastlines; the impacts of sea level rise on California's 
beaches and coastline; and coastal policies to reduce the impacts of 
hazards and sea level rise.
   Mr. Speaker, I once again want to thank Dr. Griggs for his 
leadership on ocean and coastal science and policy and recognize him 
for serving as an inspirational and accomplished leader for my 
community.

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