FIU Future Shorelines Project

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  Randall W. Parkinson (PI)

  Research Associate Professor, FIU Institute of Environment

  Dr. Randall W. Parkinson is a coastal geologist specializing in the effects of climate change and urbanization on the built and natural environment. He is a Registered Professional Geologist (P.G.) with more than 35 years' experience working along the coasts of the northern Gulf of Mexico, Florida peninsula, Georgia Bight, Costa Rica and wider Caribbean. Dr. Parkinson's research interests in the natural environment are focused on the effects of past, present, and future sea-level rise on the inner continental shelf, barrier islands, indigenous shell works, wetlands, oyster bioherms, lagoons and estuaries. He is especially interested in the processes of above- and below-ground sediment and soil accumulation that effect surface elevation, hydroperiod, and landscape evolution under conditions of accelerating Anthropocene sea level rise. Dr. Parkinson is also experienced in conducting vulnerability assessments and preparing adaptation action plans for coastal areas subject to climate change stressors (i.e., sea level rise, increasing storminess).

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  Levente Juhasz (co-PI)

  Research Assistant Professor, Assistant Director of GIScience, FIU GIS Center

  Levente earned his PhD degree with a Geomatics focus from the University of Florida. He also holds an MSc in Geography from the University of Szeged, Hungary. Previously, he was a visiting scientist at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in Ispra, Italy, and at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences in Villach, Austria. He also served as a data scientist for a geospatial startup, Mapillary. Levente's research is mainly concerned with data quality of user-generated content, understanding user behavior in online communities, and spatial analysis of social media and other online platforms. His innovative research on location-based games, geospatial web and environmental data science has been featured on numerous outlets, including Bloomberg, GIS Lounge, Tech Insider as well as in international outlets.

  He is a courtesy faculty member at the Department of Earth & Environment and teaches Environmental GIS in the Professional Masters in Environmental Science & Policy Program as well as Geospatial Intelligence in the MA in Global Affairs Program.

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  Jennifer Fu (co-PI)

  Founding Director, FIU GIS Center

  Jennifer directs the FIU Library's Geographic Information Systems Center (GIS Center), Maps & Imagery User Services (MIUS), and the Digital Collections Center (DCC). She is responsible for the development, administration, and supervision of GIS technology implementation campus-wide. Jennifer also coordinates GIS-related research projects and instruction in the GIS Center, and is the founding director of the FIU GIS Certificate Program. She earned her Master's in Information Science and Policy from SUNY at Albany.

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  Wencong Cui

  Geospatial Developer, FIU GIS Center

  Cui earned his PhD from the Department of Geography at Texas A&M University, he focuses on Geographic Information Science (GIS) and spatiotemporal statistical modeling. He also holds a master's degree in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has more than four years research experience on machine learning, data mining with real-world big data and data-driven geography. He is also proficient in programming languages, especially Python and JavaScript with full stack development experience and creative ideas, his open source web app project, "Back Home", has more than 3000 users per month. Cui loves playing drums and traveling.

• Parkinson, R.W., Juhász, L., Wdowinski, S., Seidel, V., Fu, Z.J. (2025). Sea level rise submergence simulations suggest substantial deterioration of Indian River Lagoon ecosystem services by 2050, Florida, U.S.A. Regional Environmental Change . 25(2), 54. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-025-02389-7 [Preprint available at https://doi.org/10.31223/X5P71D ]
• Parkinson, R.W., Juhász, L., Xu, J., Fu, Z.J. (2024). Future Shorelines: A Living Shoreline Site Selection and Design Decision Support Tool that Incorporates Future Conditions Induced by Sea Level Rise. Estuaries and Coasts . 47. pp. 2641–2654. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-024-01425-9
• Parkinson, R.W.; Juhász, L; Fu, Z.J.; Xu, J. (2024). A novel geospatial living shoreline site suitability decision support tool that incorporates future conditions based upon locally derived sea-level rise scenarios. GOMCON 2024 Conference . Tampa, FL (Feb 19-22, 2024).
• Parkinson, R.W. (2024). Horizontal Rates of Wetland Migration Appear Unlikely to Keep Pace with Shoreline Transgression under Conditions of 21st Century Accelerating Sea Level Rise along the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern USA. Coasts. 4(1), pp. 213-225. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts4010012
• Juhász, L.; Xu, J.; Parkinson, R.W. (2023). Beyond the Tide: A Comprehensive Guide to Sea Level Rise Inundation Mapping using FOSS4G. Geomatics . 3(4), pp. 522-540. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/geomatics3040028
• Parkinson, R.W.; Juhász, L.; Fu, Z.J.; Xu, J. (2023). A site suitability tool that models future conditions using locally derived NOAA SLR scenarios. 2023 Living Shorelines Tech Transfer Workshop. Galveston, TX (Oct 24-25, 2023)

• Digital elevation model (IRL)
• Tidal (MHHW) surface (IRL)
• Tidal surface sampling points (IRL)
• Parcel data (IRL)
• Project area of interest
• Demographic index (EPA EJScreen)

Living Shoreline Site Assessment Tool: Indian River Lagoon

The pilot project

Visit tool

Our partners