Dr. Phillip Schmutz

• Position: Chair and Associate Professor
• Department: Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Office Location: Building 13, Room 206
• pschmutz@uwf.edu
• Campus: 850.474.3418

Biography

Dr. Phillip Schmutz is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of West Florida. His research focuses on coastal and aeolian geomorphology, with particular emphasis on beach–dune systems and the processes that influence sediment transport, dune development, and coastal resilience.

Dr. Schmutz’s work integrates field-based measurements, uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), geospatial analysis, and environmental statistical modeling to examine coastal processes across space and time. His research leverages drone-derived topography, LiDAR data, field surveys, and long-term monitoring datasets to evaluate relationships between coastal geomorphology and habitat use, supporting data-driven conservation and coastal management decisions.

A central focus of Dr. Schmutz’s recent research is the spatial and statistical analysis of sea turtle nesting behavior, with an emphasis on how beach and dune morphology influences nest site selection at fine spatial scales. This work supports habitat conservation and coastal management by linking geomorphic variability to ecological decision-making along developed and undeveloped coastlines.

His current research agenda also includes the study of beach wrack as natural infrastructure, where he investigates how wrack alters wind flow, traps sediment, and contributes to beach–dune feedbacks across managed and unmanaged shorelines. This work informs dune restoration strategies and nature-based approaches to coastal hazard mitigation.

Dr. Schmutz earned his Ph.D. (2014) and M.S. (2007) in Geography from Louisiana State University and completed a postdoctoral appointment in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at Texas A&M University. He holds a B.A. (2004) in Geography and Environmental Studies from Baylor University, where he also completed a summer study abroad program on the Caribbean island of Dominica. He joined the University of West Florida in 2015.

His research has been published in journals such as Geomorphology, Aeolian Research, Geophysical Research Letters, Southeastern Geographer, and Ocean and Coastal Management, and he regularly presents at national and regional professional conferences. At UWF, Dr. Schmutz teaches courses in Earth Science, geomorphology, and coastal systems, and is committed to undergraduate and graduate research, field-based learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Degrees & Institutions

• Ph.D. Geography, Louisiana State University, 2014
• M.S. Geography, Louisiana State University, 2007
• B.A. Environmental Studies and Geography, Baylor University, 2004

Research

Dr. Schmutz is interested in coastal/beach and aeolian geomorphology, particularly in issues related to the connectivity between beach hydrology and aeolian sediment transport. His research involves the development of improved techniques and approaches to measuring and modeling the dynamics of these environments, and to incorporate them into more realistic models of coastal aeolian systems.

Publications

UWF students underlined.

Williams, M., and P.P. Schmutz. 2026. Space–Time Mapping and Identification of Sea Turtle Nesting Clusters on Pensacola Beach and Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida. Southeastern Geographer. https://doi.org/10.1353/sgo.0.a981639.

Schmutz, P.P., T. Briggs, and S.R. Seals. 2025. Lagging behind: Impact of non-native gravel within a coastal dune system. Journal of Aeolian Research. 72: 100957.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeolia.2024.100957.

Schmutz, P.P. and A.P. Potter. 2024. Graffiti as Community Expression at Pensacola, Florida's Graffiti Bridge. Southeastern Geographer. 64(4), 379-383.
https://doi.org/10.1353/sgo.2024.a942020.

Corkran, R., A.E. Potter, and P.P. Schmutz. 2023. The Impacts of Climate Change on Coastal Georgia Heritage Tourism Sites. Southeastern Geographer. 63(1), 36-53. https://doi.org/10.1353/sgo.2023.0004.

Nelson, S.A., and P.P. Schmutz. 2021. The Utility of Using a Near-Infrared (NIR) Camera to Measure Beach Surface Moisture. Geomorphology. 391: 107895.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107895

Harris, E., P.P. Schmutz, C. Jackson, M. Anaya, M. Johnson, and G. Chapman. 2020. Beach User Perception on the Economic and Ecological Importance of Sand Dunes at Pensacola Beach, Florida. Southeastern Geographer. 60(4): 3039-331. https://doi.org//10.1353/sgo.2020.0026.

Gunn, A., P.P. Schmutz, M. Wanker, D.A. Edmonds, R.C. Ewing, and D.J. Jerolmack. 2020. Macroscopic flow disequilibrium over aeolian dune fields. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, e2020GL088773. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088773.

Jackson, C., P.P. Schmutz, M. Harwell, and C. Littles. 2020. The ecosystem service of property protection and exposure to environmental stressors in the Gulf of Mexico. Ocean and Coastal Management. 104: 105017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2019.105017

Schmutz, P.P., T. Briggs, and P. Tereszkiewicz. 2019. The utility of an omni-directional photoelectronic sensor device to measure meso-scale variability in aeolian sediment transport activity. Journal of Aeolian Research. 36: 61-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeolia.2018.11.003

Schmutz, P.P., and S.L. Namikas. 2018. Measurement and modeling of the spatiotemporal dynamics of beach surface moisture content. Journal of Aeolian Research. 34: 35-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeolia.2018.08.001

Keywords: aeolian geomorphology, beach hydrology, aeolian sediment transport, surface moisture, evaporation dynamics, coastal vegetation, fine-grained beach