Reef-building corals are generally located in low-nutrient environments. Their growth and health are strongly influenced by ocean turbulence, which facilitates the exchange of nutrients and larvae between the coastal region and the open ocean. Changes in climate also affect how contaminants are flushed from the coast and can have important implications for wave-induced storm surge as well as tsunami inundation. Focusing on coral reefs, Eugene Pawlak, associate professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UC San Diego discusses the role of hydrodynamic processes, including internal waves and turbulence, in coastal environments. Pawlak is presented as part of the UC San Diego Founders Symposium 2014. Series: "UC San Diego Founders’ Symposium" [Science] [Show ID: 29031]