A growing forum for coastal knowledge

Tim Chesher FIMarEST explains why he was motivated to set up the Coastal Science & Engineering Special Interest Group and outlines his plans for cross-SIG workshops and shared learning opportunities 

Tim Chesher FIMarEST sits on the IMarEST’s membership committee and often reflects on each interviewee’s unique knowledge. As a consultant engineer working along international coastlines, he sees the benefits when people pool knowledge.  

“Sometimes in consulting engineering we have to suddenly deal with something and we don't know where to start,” says Chesher. “Take the example of a project design for groynes on a beach here in the Gulf. With seismic Iran nearby, Abu Dhabi requires adherence to the seismic code. I was new to this and while I was researching, I thought how great it would be to have a SIG with members to consult.”  

Chesher set up the Coastal Science & Engineering Special Interest Group (CSESIG) as a forum for members to discuss advances in science and technology in the coastal zone.  

“The coastal zone is much more than a concentration of population, settlements and infrastructure. It’s also the point where human activity impacts most on the marine environment and where climate change is or will be visibly present,” says Chesher.  

The SIG draws its membership from many backgrounds including consulting engineering and science. Some are academics with a background in consultancy and others are regulators, work with NGOs, or they are specialist consultants. “We are quite well represented across graduate engineers and senior engineers, and even up to professor level. Of course, I’d still like to attract more members from the existing IMarEST membership into the SIG, and also to attract new IMarEST membership. It’s one of the reasons why we post updates on LinkedIn, to help promote both the SIG and IMarEST in general,” says Chesher. 

Casting and placement of a new blockwork quay wall at Umm Al Qwain, UAE

Planning in a pandemic

As the SIG was run online from its inception, it hasn’t been overly affected by the pandemic. The online format of meetings and workshops suits Chesher who is working from the Gulf. He started out in the UK working as a graduate numerical modeller in a specialist research organisation. Initially modelling tidal motion and wave propagation, he soon found himself managing bigger projects, managing teams, and then focusing on business development. After 30 years it was time for a change. “There's so much development in the Middle East and instead of the feasibility studies and preliminary designs that I often worked on in the UK, it’s about very rapid design and troubleshooting because clients want to build fast.”   

Around the same time, he started the SIG. “At our first SIG meeting, we compiled a hitlist of 20 subjects and we've only scratched the surface with the number of workshops that we’ve held. 18 months on, I’m keen to hold a re-boot meeting to remind everyone why we're all here and allow others to join in the community,” says Chesher. He also hints that finding a co-chair might help him with the scheduling of monthly meetings and quarterly workshops for the next year or two.   

The theme of the SIG’s first workshop was about safe beaches. “I’ve worked on two projects designing rock structures on the beach, with a requirement to ensure that the beach was safe. I had to understand what that actually meant and researched how to determine what's safer and less safe,” explains Chesher.  

Holding a workshop on safe bathing was a great opportunity for him to share his experience with other members, and kick-start a series of workshops that have also included extreme weather, and nature-based solutions. “It's not aiming to lobby or change policy or anything like that. We want to stimulate communication, debate, and report on all aspects that impact our Coastal Environment,” highlights Chesher.  

Construction of new rock groynes at Sir Bani Yas Island, UAE

SIG Crossover

Last month Chesher sat in on the Marine Mammals SIG meeting to discuss a collaborative workshop on marine noise and the impact on marine fauna that will take place in September. “The aim is to have a number of presentations on noise sources and generation, noise propagation simulation, background noise aspects, and the effect of noise on marine mammals and other species,” says Chesher. Although he accepts his knowledge is limited on how noise impacts marine mammals he has experience in noise modelling. “It’s incredible to see how we can all help each other,” he says.  

Chesher has met with other SIGS that share common interests such as the Operational Oceanography SIG, the Offshore Renewables SIG and the Marine Plastic SIG – and hopes to run a joint workshop on marine plastics towards the end of the year. “I know members who simulate dispersion of marine litter, so I'm sure a joint workshop with the marine plastic SIG on that subject would be excellent. Cross SIG activities are a nice way for members to learn about new topics and other SIGs.” 

His sights are also on the SIG supporting the next Operational Oceanography conference. Chesher sat in on one of the OOSIG panels on sea level rise and he thinks much knowledge can also be shared between CSESIG and Offshore Renewables by taking part in one of their conferences or larger workshops. “It's all about sharing knowledge and making sure people engage and develop their understanding,” says Chesher. 

Returning to his role as IMarEST membership interviewer, Chesher admits he enjoys coming across IMarEST members he has interviewed, recalling how he first met Marine Mammals SIG chair Niru Dorrian when he interviewed him for chartered scientist status. “Watching his and the careers of others develop is really wonderful,” says Chesher.  

Watching the CSESIG prosper will be an equally interesting journey as this SIG chair takes such pride from the sharing of knowledge.

Limited (and likely to be effective in the short-term only) sea level rise adaptation, Seychelles.

To become a member of the Coastal Science & Engineering SIG, log into your My  account, click on My Special Interest Groups and then tick the boxes of the SIGs you’d like to join. You can then also join the group on Nexus, our networking platform.