Hannah Henry

She/her

Institution while in the program: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Study area: Coastal geomorphology

Graduate Degree: Ph.D.

Bio: 

Hannah Henry is a PhD student in Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill studying coastal hazards, barrier island evolution, and climate adaptation. Her research combines geomorphic modeling, spatial analysis, and stakeholder engagement to understand how coastal communities can prepare for storms, sea-level rise, and long-term landscape change. She works with the CASCADE modeling framework to simulate barrier island futures and inform management decisions. Hannah is passionate about applied science that supports both people and ecosystems.

Main lessons/takeaways from the ASI fellowship:

“The program deepened my ability to think about coastal hazards through multiple lense; physical, social, and cultural. I gained skills in cross-cultural scientific collaboration, learned to communicate technical concepts across disciplines, and developed a more nuanced understanding of how local context shapes effective adaptation strategies. Most importantly, I learned that meaningful coastal science requires listening to communities and co-developing solutions rather than imposing top-down approaches.”

Connect on LinkedIn

Visit Hannah’s Website