Faculty Spotlight: Sid Narayan

As a young man growing up in the coastal city of Chennai, India, Dr. Siddharth (Sid) Narayan, currently an Assistant Professor in the ECU Department of Coastal Studies, demonstrated extreme courage. No, he didn’t tussle with a Bengal tiger, although the situation may have been as risky. In a place of nearly 12 million people, he bravely pedaled his bicycle through chaotic traffic, dodging cars, buses, motorbikes, rickshaws, and pedestrians, for the chance to spend time at the beach – to soak up the ambiance of the golden stretch of sand and splashing waves of the Bay of Bengal. The coast and the lush, tropical setting of his hometown appealed to him and he chose to stay in the area to attend SRM Institute of Science and Technology where he earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering. Here, he was introduced to the coast not as a place to visit but as a topic to study and he made the decision to see as many of the world’s coastlines as possible.

In pursuit of this endeavor, and with a scholarship to further his education in coastal engineering and management, he bid a fond farewell to Chennai, and moved to Trondheim, Norway. The difference couldn’t have been more stark – sparse population, snow-capped mountains, verdant rolling fields, 12 hours of winter darkness, and 24 hours of summer sun. But the dramatic change of scenery grew on him, and a decade later he claims this ancient Nordic city is one of the most beautiful places he’s lived. Sid spent a year at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands, and a semester in Southampton, UK, to study coastal processes and adaptation with some of the foremost experts in the world on the subject. Graduation was followed by a brief stint conducting experimental research in fluid mechanics at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in his home city. He then returned to the University of Southampton for a PhD in coastal engineering with a focus on coastal flooding. For the past four years, he has been at University of California, Santa Cruz, initially as a Postdoctoral Scholar and then as a Research Scientist.

Sid’s early affinity for the coast is what spurred his interest in learning more about it. “I’ve always been fascinated by the coast,” he says. “There are so many moving parts that appeal to me. I like the fact that there are different angles to look at with any topic that you choose.” 

Sid’s research centers on coastal hazards and coastal adaptation – how people adapt to hazards on the coastline. Recently, he has been focused on ecosystem-based adaptation – understanding how wetlands like marshes and mangroves or oyster reefs and coral reefs can be used to help prevent flooding and damage to people and property. “The objective is to work with the conservation side of the coin as well as the flood risk and adaptation side of the coin to see if there’s a sweet spot where coastlines can be preserved, and risk to people can be reduced,” he explains.

Whether conducting research on his own, with colleagues, or with conservation non-government organizations, he appreciates being an academic for the balance between the flexibility to follow his passion while at the same time adhering to scientific rigor in whatever topic he researches. And the best moments occur when he can observe the application of his research – whether it involves effective coastal adaptation or the preservation of coastal ecosystems.

When considering the challenges of inter-disciplinary research, he says while he finds collaborating with colleagues in other disciplines to be insightful, it can sometimes lead to confusion. Through their education and work experience, scientists develop their own terminology and have particular ways of explaining concepts or ideas. “It can involve different words for different disciplines, and it has the potential to become somewhat of a communication barrier,” he says.

He favors the writing and publishing aspects of his research – sharing his findings in journals, governmental guidance documents, and multi-media outlets. “The process of framing a research question and finding a place to apply it, gets me excited.”

What has surprised him most about his research? That ecosystems can actually work in reducing flooding. And the way people adapt to changes in nature and climate. “I used to assume that if a place became too dangerous, people would leave, but they don’t. There are human angles we have yet to understand when evaluating adaptation strategies.”

The main challenge lies in keeping our natural coastlines and ecosystems in place while also keeping our coastal communities safe. “It involves solving two problems at the same time. In addressing the interactions between coastal engineering, ecology, and morphology, the goal is to generate non-conventional solutions which eventually become mainstream practice.”

The Coastal Studies Institute and northeastern North Carolina will benefit greatly from Sid’s expertise in hydrodynamic and inundation modeling and his desire to further the understanding of the role of nature-based solutions in reducing coastal risks. He will continue to investigate the interaction of humans and natural coastal ecosystems, with an emphasis on making science relevant and applicable to policy and decision-makers.

“The Outer Banks is the perfect place to do research,” he says. “It is situated right where everything is happening. There’s already a great group of people here actively involved in coastal research and I’m looking forward to becoming a part of that by continuing my research.”

He said so long to the quirky vibe and charm of Santa Cruz, and he’s already been smitten by the unique beauty of the Outer Banks. “The light seems different here. It’s more subtle and muted,” he says.

Sid’s happy for the opportunity to continue spending time at the beach. And he intends to pedal his bicycle there.