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Dr. Sean Cornell |
Biography
Dr. Cornell is a geologist by training and teaches courses at Shippensburg University in geology, oceanography, and field studies. He also teaches summer courses at the field station including: Coastal Environmental Oceanography, and Coastal Zone Resources Management. He also recently completed a collaborative project to build a course with scientists from Penn State and the University of New Orleans. It is available online here: Coastal Processes, Hazards, and Society. His graduate coursework included extensive field work and research in invertebrate paleontology, invertebrate paleoecology, and tropical marine carbonate depositional systems.
This background provides a wealth of experience that he uses to teach and to mentor student research using the diverse living and geologic laboratories in the Chincoteague Bay region. Dr. Cornell mentors undergraduate and graduate student projects including M.S. theses in environmental geoscience, geophysics, coastal process monitoring, and sea level change. Dr. Cornell has collaborated with CBFS staff on the Toyota Together Green grant to develop restoration plans for Greenbackville salt marshes and shorelines. He also works with Dr. Adrienne Oakley (Kutztown University), and others to investigate topics ranging from the geologic history of the Assateague and Wallops barrier islands and Chincoteague Bay to monitoring anthropogenic impacts on impaired salt marshes and maritime forests. Dr. Cornell is also a contributing scientist to monitor the impacts of shoreline replenishment activities on Wallops Island to better inform resiliency planning efforts.
Representative projects listed below:
M.S. Student Research Projects
• Brett Gildner ‘17 Thesis Project: Investigating Maritime Forest Loss on Barrier Islands: A Case Study of Assateague Island, Virginia.
• Robert Koroncai ‘17 Thesis Project: Using Ground Penetrating Radar to Locate the Saltwater/Freshwater Interface of a Barrier Island, Wallops Island, Virginia.
• Brett Loski ‘15 Thesis Project: Sea Level Modeling and the Predicted Change of Coastal Wetland Systems of Wallop’s Island, Virginia
• Shannon Bell ’15 Semester Research Project: Sea Level Rise on Upshur Neck Peninsula, Eastern Shore, Virginia: Habitat Loss and Implications for Box Turtle Populations
Undergraduate Student Research Projects
• Antonelli, Jenna M., B.S. ’17 Project Title: Revisiting Barrier Island Beach Infiltration and in situ Porosity Measurements Four Years Post-Replenishment, Wallops Island, Virginia
• Peck, Patrick B.S. ’16 Project Title: Comparative Analysis of New and Established Oyster Castles off the Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia
• Kelsall, M., B.S. ’15 & Eppley, B, B.S.’16 Project Title: Pioneering Wetland Restoration and Coastal Monitoring of the First Integrated Coastal Observation Network (ICON) Wells at Greenbackville, Virginia
• Eric McGilliard B.S. ’12 Project Title: High resolution GIS mapping of shoreline change at Wallops Island, Virginia: a preliminary investigation of the impact of Hurricane Irene
• Katherine Criswell B.S. ’08, Ashley Reis B.S. ’07, and Sarah Stengl B.S. ’08 Project Title: Investigating Storm-Related Death Assemblages of the Horseshoe Crab Limulus polyphemus, at Wallops Island, Virginia.
This background provides a wealth of experience that he uses to teach and to mentor student research using the diverse living and geologic laboratories in the Chincoteague Bay region. Dr. Cornell mentors undergraduate and graduate student projects including M.S. theses in environmental geoscience, geophysics, coastal process monitoring, and sea level change. Dr. Cornell has collaborated with CBFS staff on the Toyota Together Green grant to develop restoration plans for Greenbackville salt marshes and shorelines. He also works with Dr. Adrienne Oakley (Kutztown University), and others to investigate topics ranging from the geologic history of the Assateague and Wallops barrier islands and Chincoteague Bay to monitoring anthropogenic impacts on impaired salt marshes and maritime forests. Dr. Cornell is also a contributing scientist to monitor the impacts of shoreline replenishment activities on Wallops Island to better inform resiliency planning efforts.
Representative projects listed below:
M.S. Student Research Projects
• Brett Gildner ‘17 Thesis Project: Investigating Maritime Forest Loss on Barrier Islands: A Case Study of Assateague Island, Virginia.
• Robert Koroncai ‘17 Thesis Project: Using Ground Penetrating Radar to Locate the Saltwater/Freshwater Interface of a Barrier Island, Wallops Island, Virginia.
• Brett Loski ‘15 Thesis Project: Sea Level Modeling and the Predicted Change of Coastal Wetland Systems of Wallop’s Island, Virginia
• Shannon Bell ’15 Semester Research Project: Sea Level Rise on Upshur Neck Peninsula, Eastern Shore, Virginia: Habitat Loss and Implications for Box Turtle Populations
Undergraduate Student Research Projects
• Antonelli, Jenna M., B.S. ’17 Project Title: Revisiting Barrier Island Beach Infiltration and in situ Porosity Measurements Four Years Post-Replenishment, Wallops Island, Virginia
• Peck, Patrick B.S. ’16 Project Title: Comparative Analysis of New and Established Oyster Castles off the Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia
• Kelsall, M., B.S. ’15 & Eppley, B, B.S.’16 Project Title: Pioneering Wetland Restoration and Coastal Monitoring of the First Integrated Coastal Observation Network (ICON) Wells at Greenbackville, Virginia
• Eric McGilliard B.S. ’12 Project Title: High resolution GIS mapping of shoreline change at Wallops Island, Virginia: a preliminary investigation of the impact of Hurricane Irene
• Katherine Criswell B.S. ’08, Ashley Reis B.S. ’07, and Sarah Stengl B.S. ’08 Project Title: Investigating Storm-Related Death Assemblages of the Horseshoe Crab Limulus polyphemus, at Wallops Island, Virginia.
Recent Publications and Honors
Oakley, A.J., Cornell, S.R., Bochicchio, C., Carney, J., and Sabetta, M., (2015). Using Groundwater Data
Sondes to Produce High-Quality In Situ Tide and Wave Hydrographs along Wallops Island, Virginia. Journal of Coastal Research. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-14-00101.1
Cornell, S. R., & Oakley, A., 2012, Surface and Sub-Surface Mapping in the Coastal Zone of Wallops Island
NASA Flight Facility, Monitoring Storm Response and Sea-Level Rise: Year 1 Report- March 2011- December 2012, Report of Field Activities, Submitted to NASA Wallops Flight Facility Environmental Group Research Mentor, Mr. Joshua Bundick, Wallops Island, Virginia.
Peck, P.M., and Cornell, S.R., 2016, Analysis of Engineered Oyster Reefs Using 3D Structure From Motion
Photogrammetry: Preliminary Approach, Methods, and Techniques for Quantifying Reef Growth, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 48. No. 2.
Cooper, A.T., Oakley, A.J., Cornell, S.R., and Bochicchio, C.J., 2016, Investigating the Development of a Bay Promontory Salt Marsh in Greenbackville, VA through Vibracoring. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 47. No. 3. p. 118.
Cornell, S.R., Oakley, A.J., Venn, C., Whisner, J.K., 2015, Monitoring Impacts of Sea-Level Rise and Anthropogenic Impacts on a Mid-Atlantic Mainland Salt Marsh in Greenbackville, Chincoteague Bay, Virginia. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 47. No. 3. p. 126.
Sondes to Produce High-Quality In Situ Tide and Wave Hydrographs along Wallops Island, Virginia. Journal of Coastal Research. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-14-00101.1
Cornell, S. R., & Oakley, A., 2012, Surface and Sub-Surface Mapping in the Coastal Zone of Wallops Island
NASA Flight Facility, Monitoring Storm Response and Sea-Level Rise: Year 1 Report- March 2011- December 2012, Report of Field Activities, Submitted to NASA Wallops Flight Facility Environmental Group Research Mentor, Mr. Joshua Bundick, Wallops Island, Virginia.
Peck, P.M., and Cornell, S.R., 2016, Analysis of Engineered Oyster Reefs Using 3D Structure From Motion
Photogrammetry: Preliminary Approach, Methods, and Techniques for Quantifying Reef Growth, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 48. No. 2.
Cooper, A.T., Oakley, A.J., Cornell, S.R., and Bochicchio, C.J., 2016, Investigating the Development of a Bay Promontory Salt Marsh in Greenbackville, VA through Vibracoring. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 47. No. 3. p. 118.
Cornell, S.R., Oakley, A.J., Venn, C., Whisner, J.K., 2015, Monitoring Impacts of Sea-Level Rise and Anthropogenic Impacts on a Mid-Atlantic Mainland Salt Marsh in Greenbackville, Chincoteague Bay, Virginia. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 47. No. 3. p. 126.
