Dimitris Dermentzoglou

As sea levels rise, maintaining flood safety will require raising the height of dikes—an increasingly costly and complex task. However, healthy salt marshes can serve as a natural buffer, reducing wave impact, lowering overtopping risks and potentially minimizing the need for future dike reinforcement. Understanding how marshes influence wave behavior under extreme conditions lies at the core of my PhD research.

My work focuses on wave flume experiments designed to investigate how marsh vegetation interacts with wave dynamics, particularly during storm conditions. By bridging laboratory insights with real-world environments, I aim to contribute to nature-based coastal defense strategies that enhance resilience while reducing the reliance on traditional infrastructure.