Robert G. Dean, emeritus professor of coastal engineering at the University of Florida, passed away this past week at the age of 84. While his name might not ring a bell, three texts that he wrote have become the gold standard, the go to when it comes to beach nourishment.
Another coastal scientist who has addressed groups in Quogue, Robert S. Young, states, “It is hard to walk into a coastal engineering consulting firm or an engineering program at a major university and not find a Bob Dean student.”
According to the New York Times, “The techniques he advanced are routine today almost everywhere on developed coastlines; without them, many beach towns would be without beaches.
The SDBF is indebted to the legacy of Robert G. Dean. May he rest in peace.
