INSTITUTE & SOCIETY NEWS

Making Waves

Ruth Hocker Director, Technical Community

In the Series Preface of my 1978 edition of Basic Coastal Engineering by Robert M. Sorenson, the editors observed that “ocean engineering is both old and new,” noting the long history of human engagement with coastal challenges alongside a then-emerging effort to unify the field under a common professional identity. Nearly fifty years later, coastal engineers continue to operate at that same intersection, where legacy practices meet rapidly evolving science, technology, and risk.

The “newness” of coastal engineering in 2026 lies in the unprecedented availability of global datasets, high-resolution remote sensing, and computational power. These advances have enabled sophisticated hindcasting, probabilistic hazard assessments, and integrated modeling frameworks capable of simulating compound flooding across watershed–coastal systems and other complex scenarios. Engineers are now routinely addressing the interaction of storm surge, precipitation, fluvial discharge, wave processes, and sea-level rise through multivariate, risk-based approaches. Emerging tools (including AI-enabled surrogate models and real-time digital twins, such as those highlighted at recent International Conference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE) sessions) offer promising pathways to reduce computational burden while enhancing predictive capability and operational decision-making.

At the same time, the “old” challenges persist and, in many cases, have intensified. Constraints on research funding, fragmented regulatory frameworks, accelerating climatological stressors, and competing development pressures continue to complicate implementation. These enduring constraints underscore the continued importance of coordinated leadership from organizations such as ASCE and COPRI, whose role in bridging research, policy, and practice is more critical than ever.

Quantifying the performance of nature-based solutions (NBS) represents one of the most pressing and technically complex frontiers in the field. Advancing the reliability and design integration of NBS requires robust eco-hydraulic modeling frameworks capable of resolving vegetation–flow–sediment interactions, as well as sustained investment in remote sensing and long-term monitoring. Mangrove research, in particular, has demonstrated the capacity of vegetated systems to attenuate wave energy, reduce surge, and promote vertical accretion under favorable conditions, but also highlights variability driven by species composition, geomorphic setting, and hydrodynamic forcing. Parallel efforts in Germany on riverine nature-based solutions—such as floodplain reconnection, large wood placement, and hybrid green–gray interventions—offer valuable analogs for quantifying system-scale hydraulic performance, ecological co-benefits, and adaptive capacity under changing flow regimes. Together, these bodies of work illustrate that advancing NBS from concept to standard practice will require not only improved modeling and data integration, but also the deliberate development of engineering guidance, performance metrics, and communication strategies that enable decision-makers to weigh risk, uncertainty, and long-term benefits

Equally important is the responsibility to equip practitioners with current, actionable standards and design methodologies that reflect these emerging insights. Recent work by the University of Hawaii and Louisiana State University (LSU) teams on debris damming has highlighted the significance of complex process interactions, demonstrating a powerful feedback loop between field observation, experimental research, and engineering application. Their findings have informed evolving guidance on blockage, load amplification, and failure mechanisms in hydraulic structures, underscoring how targeted research can directly influence practice. The partnership with ASCE has been instrumental in translating these insights into standards and manuals, strengthening both the technical rigor of design guidance and its accessibility to practitioners. This model, where research, practice, and standards development advance in tandem, should serve as a blueprint for addressing other emerging challenges, from compound flooding to nature-based infrastructure.

Looking ahead, the coastal engineering profession must move decisively to formalize these advances into practice. This will require sustained investment in interdisciplinary research, expanded collaboration across international case studies, and a renewed commitment to standards development that keeps pace with innovation. The civil engineering community, through ASCE-COPRI and its global partners, must lead in advocate int the codification of risk-based approaches, integrating nature-based solutions into design frameworks, and ensuring that practitioners are equipped with the tools and guidance needed to implement resilient, adaptive systems. The call to action is clear: we must accelerate the translation of knowledge into standards, standards into practice, and practice into measurable resilience outcomes for the communities we serve.

Submit public comment to oppose OMB's proposed changes to federal funding

ASCE vehemently opposes the proposed rule titled “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance,” recently released by the White House Office of Management and Budget. This rule would cause harm to scientific research and academia, professional societies and their member communities, and practicing scientists and engineers in all fields.

Read ASCE's full statement

CONFERENCES & EVENTS

Distinguished Achievement Awards & Call for Proposals

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Submission deadline: 15 September 2026

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CONTINUING EDUCATION

NEW Civil Engineering Certification Opportunities

ICCE Conference Discount – 25% off Application fees for Coastal, Ocean, Port and Navigation Board-Certifications

Following the interest generated at the 2026 ICCE Conference, all interested candidates are eligible for a limited-time 25% discount on application fees for the Board-Certified Coastal, Ocean, Port, and Navigation Engineer certifications!
Use code ICCE25 by July 17, 2026. Learn more about these certifications and apply today!

New Early-Mid Career Cross-Specialty Certification from CEC, Civil Engineer, Certified (CE-C)

ASCE and Civil Engineering Certification's (CEC) newest certification, Civil Engineer, Certified (CE‑C), help you stand out by validating the real-world knowledge and leadership abilities employers are looking for. Designed for early to mid-career professionals, CE-C shows you’re ready to take on greater responsibility, lead projects, and deliver results in today’s complex engineering environment. Learn more and apply today!

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