- About
- With 500+ faculty, staff and students and three campus locations, the Batten School & VIMS are equipped to tackle pressing challenges through research, education and advisory service.
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- Research & Advisory
- Purple marsh crabs are significantly disrupting carbon cycling in salt marshes along the East Coast of the U.S., according to a study led by Batten School & VIMS scientists.
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- Batten School
- The R. Todd Stravitz Scholars Program will provide full tuition support for students pursuing the new bachelor’s degree in coastal & marine sciences at the Batten School & VIMS.
  
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- Engage
- Popular, free camps enable rising third through eighth graders to learn about the Chesapeake Bay, coastal ecosystems and environmental stewardship.
  
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- News & Events
- National TRAP Program funds large-scale cleanup of discarded fishing gear, first round of subawards totaling more than $1.4M supports 11 projects focused on removing derelict fishing gear from coastal waters in nine U.S. states and Palau.
  
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- Giving
- As an expression of parental pride in their daughter, Taylor Spencer ‘83 and Martha Spencer recently established an undergraduate field research endowment at the Batten School & VIMS.
  
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Matt Kirwan

Associate Professor

Email: [[kirwan]]
Phone: (804) 684-7054
Interests: Coastal landscape evolution, geomorphology, ecology
Office: Andrews Hall 229
Section: Coastal & Ocean Processes
Links: {{https://mattkirwanmarsh.com/, Lab Website}}, {{https://twitter.com/theswampboss, Twitter}}

Education

B.S., College of William and Mary, 2002

Ph.D., Duke University, 2007

About

I aim to better understand how physical, biological, and anthropogenic processes influence the evolution of coastal landscapes. Most of my work takes place in salt marshes and other coastal environments, where knowledge of these “eco-geomorphic” feedbacks is often important for human welfare and ecosystem management. This work currently focuses on applying concepts of eco-geomorphology to better predict: 1) how coasts respond to sea level rise, 2) carbon-climate feedbacks, and 3) the impact of humans on coastal resilience.