|
CSE has served clients since 1984 but its genesis goes back to the 1970s. During this period, there was a growing awareness of the complexity of the coast and the need for wiser management. Many problems such as water quality, oil pollution, sedimentation, and erosion were worsening along with coastal development. Traditional solutions to erosion at that time emphasized shoreline armoring (seawalls).
CSE's founders saw a niche where their expertise could provide practical and innovative solutions to environmental problems - ones that used nature to advantage whether it was reversing erosion by moving tidal inlets or targeting limited cleanup resources during an oil spill. From early studies on five continents in the 1970s evolved a world view of coastal processes and problems which our firm continues to bring to each project.
The coast can be intimidating because it is so variable. But with systematic observations and measurements along with site experience in many settings, it is possible to reduce most problems to their essential elements. This has been our firm's calling. Along the way, CSE has advanced the profession and championed data collection and analysis techniques that have become standard practice.
Since the beginning, CSE scientists and engineers have brought a multidisciplinary approach to studies and solutions. Today, it takes engineers, oceanographers, marine scientists, and geologists to solve coastal environmental problems. In today's regulatory environment, solutions must take into account natural resources, economics, and politics, as well as the forces that act on a site.
To bring as broad a viewpoint as possible to our solutions, we have sought out professionals from many institutions for our staff. This allows us to draw on the wisdom and experience derived from some of the foremost coastal research programs in the United States. Our staff has included graduates of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Johns Hopkins University, North Carolina State University, Ohio State University, University of Miami and University of South Carolina, among others. Academic background is important, but it is the diversity of expertise and experience which our staff brings to projects that really counts. When we propose solutions, they are not biased toward a particular philosophy or analysis technique derived from one school.
Coastal engineering remains an art as well as a science, much like the practice of medicine. CSE takes pride in being able to diagnose many coastal problems accurately and prescribe cost-effective solutions appropriate for a site. Our success is based on getting it right the first time and providing lasting solutions.
|