
BIOGRAPHY
After finishing her PhD in Coastal Morphodynamics at the University of Plymouth (UK) in 2010, Amaia moved to Mexico as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute of Engineering of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Since 2012, she has been a Research Scientist at the Institute of Oceanographic Research at the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), located in Ensenada (Baja California, Mexico). She holds Level 2 status in the National Research System (SNII) of CONACYT in Mexico, equivalent to Associate Professor. She has led many national (SENER-CONACyT, Ciencia Básica-CONACyT, INFR-CONACyT, SEP-PRODEP, internal UABC) and international (UC-MEXUS) research projects, involving nearshore hydrodynamics, beach morphodynamics and sediment transport processes. She has been the main supervisor of 2 PhD, 10 MSc, and 2 BSc theses. Currently, she supervises 3 PhD students. Additionally, she is the author/coauthor of more than 30 peer-reviewed JCR articles, with approximately 500 citations and an h-index of 13 (ORCID:0000-0002-3872-1757; Scopus:21734550500; Web of Science ResearcherID: CAJ-2543-2022). She is Co-Editor in Chief of Ciencias Marinas journal (https://cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/about/editorialTeam) and part of the Editorial Advisory Board of the journal Frontiers in Marine Geosciences (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/earth-science/sections/marine-geoscience#editorial-board) and the Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana (http://boletinsgm.igeolcu.unam.mx/bsgm/). Through her research, she has played a relevant role in informing coastal management decisions within the Ensenada Municipality. Presently, she is actively engaged in a collaboration with the Oceanography Research Station of the Secretaría de Marina in Ensenada, focusing on the development of innovative tools aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of coastal rescue operations.
Research Interests
- Coastal morphodynamics
- Nearshore hydrodynamics and sediment transport processes
- Coastal video-monitoring
- Modelling of morphodynamic processes in the nearshore
Scientific dissemination
- Seminar at Departamento de Oceanografía Física CICESE 7 October 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt5qPT5Z2bQ&ab_channel=ComunicaciónOceF%C3%ADsica
- Interview at Radio Radar Oceanográfico 14 June 2023 https://radio.uabc.mx/podcast/radar-oceanografico-t6e20-monitoreo-comunitario-de-nuestras-playas
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- Seminar presentation and webinar for Instituto de Ingeniería UNAM 18/11/2022 https://youtu.be/OyxAn-Lw1XE
- Gobierno Municipal Gutiérrez-Zamora, Capitanía de Puerto, Secretaría de Marina y Escuela Secundaria Dr. Alejandro Cerisola 05/09/2022 Nota periodística La Opinión de Poza Rica Gutiérrez Zamora-Tecolutla martes 6 de septiembre 2022.
- Divulgación científica en el programa de EITB Vascos por El Mundo el 12/09/2021 https://www.eitb.eus/es/television/programas/vascos-por-el-mundo/baja-california/videos/detalle/8304794/salida-al-mar-con-amaia-en-ciudad-costera-de-ensenada/
- International Poadcast: Coast2Cast 12/08/2021 https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-xf8dc-10b1b9a
- TV interview: La Mira TV El Vigía 02/06/2021 https://web.facebook.com/Enlamiratvmx/videos/1228470697603810/
- Radio interview: 100.3 Ensenada 24/05/2021 Opinión acerca de modificación artificial de Playa Hermosa
- Webinar for Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua (IMTA) 11/09/2020 https://www.gob.mx/imta/videos/dr-amaia-ruiz-de-alegria-el-extrano-retorno-de-la-arena-variabilidad-morfologica-de-las-playas?tab=
- Webinar for Unión Geofísica Mexicana 03/07/2020 https://ugm.org.mx/site/webinario-entendiendo-la-capacidad-de-recuperacion-natural-de-las-playas/
RESEARCH
Amaia's research is focused on understanding the physical processes related to beach morphodynamics, including hydrodynamic and sediment transport measurements and the application of numerical models for the nearshore. Her main interest is to determine beach recovery capabilities after highly energetic wave conditions at event-driven (storms), seasonal and interannual (ENSO) scales. In particular, she is keen on better understanding spatio-temporal and morphometric variability of subtidal sandbars. In addition, she is researching spatio-temporal variability of rip currents identified using topo-bathymetric measurements and video-images collected with unmanned aerial vehicles. Another part of her research is focused on determining the effect of meso-scale winds (North and Santa Ana) in the vertical profile of nearshore currents, and its effects on sediment transport.
Research Projects
- 2024–2026 AlianzaMX UABC-UC Davis (Call 2023): Artificial intelligence applications for forecasting shoreline evolution and flows in small estuaries at the Cali-Baja region. Investigadores principales Amaia Ruiz de Alegria-Arzaburu y Isaac Rodríguez Padilla de UABC y Fabián Bombardelli y John Largier de UC-Davis – en curso hasta diciembre 2024. Funds UABC: 42,000 USD*
- 2018–2021 UC-MEXUS-CONACyT (Call 2018): Understanding physical processes and water-quality transport mechanisms in Californian small coastal inlets for resilient coastal systems under scenarios of climate change. PI: Amaia Ruiz de Alegria-Arzaburu at UABC and Fabián Bombardelli at UC-Davis – Ongoing till Dec 2019. Funds: 24,358 USD
- 2015–2020 ST/FH/583/2014- SENER CONACyT. As part of the CIGOM Consorcium Project #201441: Implementación de redes de observaciones oceanográficas (físicas, geoquímicas, ecológicas) para la generación de escenarios ante posibles contingencias relacionadas a la exploración y producción de hidrocarburos en aguas profundas del Golfo de México. Participating subproject: Characterizing Coastal Currents in the Perdido Region. Subproject #10998. Funds: 82,212,196 MXN
- 2015–2019 CB-J4- CONACyT. Study of the Vertical Structure of Rip Currents on Intermediate Beaches. Project #238765 Funds: 1,400,000 MXN
- 2015–2016 UABC Internal Call 18ª. Storm-Impacts at Ensenada Beach (IMTENS). Project #636 – finished. Funds: 86,667 MXN
- 2012-2013 INFR-2013-01 I005 CONACyT. Equipment for the Study of Beach Morphodynamics in Mexico (EMOPLEX). Project #205020 – finished. Funds: $3,935,000 MXN
- 2013-2014 F-PROMEP-38/Rev-03 SEP-23-005. Video-Monitoring Subtidal Sandbars and Rip Currents in the Beaches in Ensenada. UABC-PTC-418 – finished. Funds: $430,637 MXN
- 2013-2014 UABC Internal Call 17ª. Study of Beach Erosion and Recovery in Ensenada (ERPLENS). Project #624 – finished. Funds: $74,990 MXN
TEACHING
Amaia lectures at the Coastal Oceanography Postgraduate Program and at the Undergradute Programs of Oceanography and Aquaculture at the Faculty of Marine Sciences. These are the main subjects she is or has been involved in:
- Postgraduate: Beach Morphodynamics, Physical Oceanography, Coastal Currents, Coastal Dynamics, Directed Research Studies.
- Undergraduate: Topography, Physics 1, Meteorology and Climatology, Selected Themes in Physical Oceanography, Directed Studies, Numerical Modelling of Waves.
Current Students
- 2021–present; Arantxa Villa Guerrero – Hydrodynamic variations due to global climate change at San Ignacio lagoon (BCS) based on field measurements and numerical modeling– PhD candidate.
- 2020–present; A. David Gracia Barrera – Interactions of a stream through inlet openning with the morphodynamics of an adjacent beach under climate change scenarios – PhD Candidate.
- 2020–present; Tadashi Kono Martínez – Numercial modelling of beach recovery capabilities during the onshore migration of the subtidal sandbar– PhD Candidate.
Supervised Students
- 2017–2022; Angélica M. Romero Arteaga – Spatio-temporal nearshore current variations associated with sinoptic-scale winds in NW Gulf of Mexico– PhD.
- 2019–2022; Beatriz Gasalla López – Effects of swell-driven storms on the morphodynamics of an intermediate beach in NW Baja California– MSc.
- 2018–2021; Brianda Berenice Soto Aguilar – Estudy of the effect of a temporary groyne on the beach morphodynamics using field measurements and numerical modelling– MSc.
- 2018–2020; A. David Gracia Barrera – Spatio-temporal dynamics of rip currents in an intermediate beach and its relation with safety of beach users.– MSc Honors..
- 2016–2020; Jesús Adrián Vidal Ruiz – Seaonal to interannual morphodynamics of a subtidal sandbar on an intermediate beach.– PhD honors..
- 2017–2020; Martín Francisco Vizcarra Fernández – Subtidal beach morphological variability related to the presence of rip currents– MSc.
- 2019; Gerome Durand– Dune morphodynamics on an intermediate beach in the northwestern Mexican Pacific coast. Exchange student from University of Bordeaux (France)– MSc.
- 2019; Beatríz Gasalla López– Dune dynamics at Ensenada Beach, Baja California, Mexico. Exchange student from University of Cádiz (Spain)– BSc..
- 2016–2018; Javier González Dominguez – Modelling rip-current morphodynamics on sandy beaches in the Mexican Pacific coast– MSc.
- 2015–2018; Gemma Desplán Salinas – Rip current morphodynamics on a mesotidal beach – MSc.
- 2015–2018; Mayra Martínez Martínez – _Morphological characterization of sandy, cobble and mixed beaches at Todos Santos Bay, B.C.– MSc.
- 2015–2017; Brianda Berenice Soto Aguilar – Storm-driven morphological variability at Ensenada Beach, B.C.– BSc
- 2014–2016; Jesús Adrián Vidal Ruiz – Seasonal morphodynamics of subtidal sandbars at Playa Hermosa, Ensenada, B.C.– MSc
- 2013–2015; Mario Arturo Arreola Cortez – Spatio-temporal analysis of the vertical structure of nearshore currents on an intermediate beach – MSc
- 2013–2015; Julio López Castillejos – Sea-breeze dominated sandbar morphodynamics on a microtidal beach– MSc
External Examiner
- 2017–2022; Juan B. Montes Pérez – Coastal vulnerability due to erosion and flooding in the CC context at Cádiz and Algeciras – PhD. University of Cádiz
- 2016–2022; Silvia Rodríguez Polo – Geomorphology of bays in Z in the Cadiz Province – PhD. University of Cádiz
- 2015–2018; Salvador Gutierrez Reyes – Marine productivity reconstruction during the Holocene at the mouth of the Gulf of California, Mexico – MSc.
- 2012–2016; María Puig Fuentenebro – Analysis of the variables that control the short-to-medium coastal evolution. Case study of the Bay of Cadiz – PhD honors.
- 2013–2015; Elisabet Repiso Terrones – High-resolution marine productivity reconstruction during the last millenia in Baja California, Mexico – MSc honors.
- 2013–2015; Emiliano Gorr Pozzi – Wave focusing with submerged structures for recreative purposes in Playa Hermosa, Baja California – MSc honors
- 2012–2014; Teresa Vidal Juárez – Hydrodynamic study at Bahía San Quintín inlet – MSc
- 2011–2013; Luis Roberto Robles Jiménez – Scleractinian coral calcification rate changes in the Tropical Mexican Seas in the context of recent global change – MSc
PUBLICATIONS
- Warrick, J.A., Buscombe, D., Vos, K., Bryan, K., Castelle, B., Cooper, A., Harley, M., Jackson, D., Masselink, G., Palmsten, M., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Senechal, N., Sherwood, C., Short, A., Sogut, E., Splinter, K., Stephenson, W., Syvitski, J., Woodroffe, C., Young, A., 2024. Evaluating Climate Signals on Global Coastal Shoreline Positions. Maters Arising Nature Communications; ISSN:2041-1723. https://doi.org/10.31223/X5W66T. https://eartharxiv.org/repository/view/5729/.
- Juárez, B., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., García-Walther, J., 2024. Tidal amplification and subtidal circulation in an elongated hypersaline coastal lagoon. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science.
- Tisseaux-Navarro, A., Juárez, B., Vargas-Hernández, J.M., Cambronero-Solano, S., Espinoza, M., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Salazar-Ceciliano, J.P, 2024. Upwelling-induced inflow pulses in a tropical bay during mid-summer drought. Regional Studies in Marine Science https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2024.103548.
- Kono-Martínez, T., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Mariño-Tapia, I., Coco, G., 2023. Alongshore variability in berm and sandbar migration patterns on a highly dynamic beach. Geomorphology.
- García-Walther, J., Portillo-Zavala, D., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Senner, A.N.R., 2023. Throwing a lifeline: floating seagrass rafts as natural alternative roosting habitat for shorebirds. Journal of Ecology.
- Benavente,J., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Plomaritis, T.A., Sedrati, M., Ariffin, E.H., 2023. Editorial: Coastal environment in a changing world. Frontiers in Marine Science. ISSN: 2296-7745. IF:5.2. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1213689
- Harley, M.D., Masselink, G., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A, Scott, T., Valiente, N.G. 2022. Single extreme storm sequence can offset decades of shoreline retreat by sea-level rise. Nature Communications, Earth and Environment; ISSN: 2662-4435.
- Romero-Arteaga, A., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., 2022. Spatial variability of currents associated with different cold fronts along the southern Texas coast. Ocean Dynamics, ISSN: 1616-7228.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Gasalla-López, B., Benavente, J. 2022. Morphological response of an embayed beach to swell-driven storminess cycles overa n 8-year period. Geomorphology. ISSN:0169-555X.
- Romero-Arteaga, A., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A, Rivas, D., Juarez, B.2022. Nearshore current variations during the passage of cold fronts in NW Gulf of Mexico. _Continental Shelf Research.
- Vidal-Ruiz, J.A.,Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., 2020. Modes of onshore sandbar migration at a single-barred and swell-dominated T beach. _Marine Geology_426, 106222.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2020.106222
- Senechal, N., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., 2020. Seasonal imprint on beach morphodynamics.Chapter 20 in Sandy Beach Morphodynamics, Ed. Derek Jackson. Elsevier, DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-08-102927-5.00020-5.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Medellín, G., 2020. Importancia del monitoreo costero para la construcción de la resiliencia. Capítulo 28 en Manejo de las Costas y Mares ante la Incertidumbre. Una guía para tomadores de decisiones, Eds. Rivera-Arriaga, E., I. Azuz-Adeath, O.D. Cervantes Rosas, A. Espinoza-Tenorio, R.Silva Casarín, A. Ortega-Rubio, A.V. Botello y B.E. Vega-Serratos. Universidad Autónoma de Campeche. RICOMAR, 543-561; ISBN:9786078444588. https://doi.org/10.26359/epomex.0120
- Goff, J.A., Swartz, J.M.,Gulick, S., Dawson, C., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., 2019. An Outflow Event on the Left Side of Hurricane Harvey: Erosion of Barrier Sand and Seaward Transport Through Aransas Pass. Geomorphology 334, 44-57. ISSN: 0169-555X, DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.02.038.
- Vidal-Ruiz, J.A.,Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., 2019. Variability of sandbar morphometrics over three seasonal cycles on a single-barred beach. Geomorphology 333, 61-72. ISSN: 0169-555X, DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.02.034.
- Vila-Concejo, A., Gallop, S.L., Hamylton, S.M., Esteves, L.S., Bryan, K.R., Delgado-Fernandez, I., Guisado-Pintado, E., Joshi, S., Miot da Silva, G., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Power, H.E., Senechal, N., Splinter, K., 2018. Steps to improve gender diversity in coastal geoscience and engineering. Palgrave Communications 4:103, ISSN: 2055-1045, DOI: 10.1057/s41599-018-0154-0.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Vidal-Ruiz, J.A., 2018. Beach recovery capabilities after El Niño 2015-2016 at Ensenada Beach, Northern Baja California. Ocean Dynamics 68, 749-759. ISSN: 1616-7341, DOI: 10.1007/s10236-018-1164-6.
- Torres-Freyermuth, A., Puleo, J.A., DiCosmo, N., Allende-Arandia, M.E., Chardon-Maldonado, P., Lopez, J., Figueroa, B., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Figlus, J., Candela, J., 2017. Nearshore circulation on a sea breeze dominated beach during intense wind events. Continental Shelf Research 151, 40-52, ISSN: 0278-4343, DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2017.10.008.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Vidal-Ruiz, J.A., García-Nava, H., Romero-Arteaga, A., 2017. Seasonal morphodynamics of the subaerial and subtidal sections of an intermediate and mesotidal beach. Geomorphology 295, 383-392. ISSN: 0169-555X, DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.07.021.
- Ruiz de Alegria-Arzaburu, A., Vidal-Ruiz, J.A., 2017. Post-storm beach recovery capabilites after El Niño Winter at Ensenada Beach, Mexico. Proceedings of Coastal Dynamics, 1028-1034.
- Vidal-Ruiz, J.A., Ruiz de Alegria-Arzaburu, A., 2017. An anual cycle of sandbar migration on an intermediate mesotidal beach: Ensenada, Mexico. Proceedings of Coastal Dynamics, 575-585.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A.; Arreola-Cortez, M.A.; García-Nava, H.; Hernández-Walls, R., and Mejía-Trejo, A., 2016. The effects of beach morphology variations on the profile of nearshore currents on a gently sloping mesotidal beach. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, 457-461. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208, DOI: 0.2112/SI75-XXX.
- Ruiz de Alegria-Arzaburu, A., García-Nava, H., Gil-Silva, E., Desplán-Salinas, G. 2015. A morphodynamic comparison of walled and non-walled beach sections, Ensenada beach, Mexico. World Scientific, The Proceedings of the Coastal Sediments, ISBN: 978-981-4355-52-0.
- Vidal-Juárez., T., Ruiz de Alegria-Arzaburu, A., Mejía-Trejo, A., García-Nava, H., Enriquez, C. 2014. Predicting Barrier Beach Breaching due to Extreme Water Levels At San Quintín, Baja California, México. In: Silva, R., and Strusińska-Correia, A. (eds.), Coastal Erosion and Management along Developing Coasts: Selected Cases. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 71, pp. 100–106. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208, DOI: 10.2112/SI71-012.
- Ochoa, C.F., Baldwin, E.G.M., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Mariño-Tapia, I., Trejo, A.M., Casarín, R.S. Study and control of the morphodynamic of Cuautla channel, Nayarit, Mexico. 2014. Proceedings of the Coastal Engineering Conference. ISSN: 2156-1028.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Mariño-Tapia, I., Silva, R., Pedrozo-Acuña A., 2013. Post-nourishment beach scarp morphodynamics In: Conley, D.C., Masselink, G., Russell, P.E. and O’Hare, T.J. (eds.), Proceedings 12th International Coastal Symposium (Plymouth, England). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 65, 576-581, ISSN: 0749-0208, DOI: 10.2112/SI65-098.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Mariño-Tapia, I., Enríquez, C., Silva, R., González-Leija, M. 2013. The role of fringing coral reefs on beach morphodynamics. Geomorphology 198, 69-83, ISSN: 0169-555X, DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.05.013.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Mariño-Tapia, I., Enríquez, C., Silva-Casarín, R., & González-Leija, M. 2012. Morphodynamics of a Caribbean beach fringed by a coral reef. Proceedings of the Coastal Engineering Conference, 1(33), Sediment.119. doi:10.9753/icce.v33.sediment.119. ISSN: 2156-1028.
- Pedrozo-Acuña A., Torres-Freyermuth, A., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Mendoza, E., Silva, R. 2012. Momentum balance under breaking waves: Closure to discussion by T.E. Baldock of 'Laboratory investigation of pressure gradients induced by plunging breakers'. Coastal Engineering 68, 96–102. ISSN: 0378-3839, DOI: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2012.04.010.
- Pedrozo-Acuña A., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Mariño-Tapia, I., Enríquez, C., Gonzalez Villareal, F.J. 2012. Factors controlling flooding at the Tonalá River mouth (Mexico). Journal of Flood Risk Management, 5(3), 226-244. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-318X.2012.01142.x. ISSN: 1753-318X, DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-318X.2012.01142.x.
- Williams, J.J., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., McCall, R.T., Van Dongeren, A. 2012. Modelling gravel barrier profile response to combined waves and tides using XBeach: Laboratory and field results. Coastal Engineering 63, 62– 80. ISSN: 0378-3839, DOI: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2011.12.010.
- Pedrozo-Acuña A., Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Torres-Freyermuth, A., Mendoza, E., Silva, R. 2011. Laboratory investigation on pressure gradients induced by plunging breakers. Coastal Engineering 58, 722-738. ISSN: 0378-3839, DOI: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2011.03.013.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., & Masselink, G. 2010. Storm response and beach rotation on a gravel beach, Slapton Sands, U.K. Marine Geology, 278, 77-99. ISSN: 0025-3227, DOI: 10.1016/j.margeo.2010.09.004.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Williams, J., Masselink, J. 2011. Application of XBeach to model storm response on a macrotidal gravel barrier. Coastal Engineering Proceedings, 1(32), sediment.39. doi:10.9753/icce.v32.sediment.39. ISSN: 2156-1028.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Pedrozo-Acuña A., Horrillo-Caraballo J.M., Masselink G., Reeve D.E. 2010. Determination of wave-shoreline dynamics on a macrotidal gravel beach using Canonical Correlation Analysis. Coastal Engineering, 57, 290-303. ISSN: 0378-3839, DOI: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2009.10.014.
- Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Ilic, S. Gunawardena, Y. 2007. A study of intertidal bar dynamics using the Argus video system. Coastal Sediments'07. Proceedings of 6th International Symposium on Coastal Engineering and Science of Coastal Sediment Processes. ASCE, 3, 1865-1876. ISBN: 978-0-7844-0926-8.