About me

I am PhD Candidate in the Rodriguez Lab as part of the Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My research explores changes in the earth’s surface over timescales we can observe in our own lives; days to years. By tracking the origin and fate of sediments carried by rivers, tides, and storms, I aim to explain why saltmarshes, barrier islands, and oyster reefs reside where they do. I enjoy linking datasets across spatial scales — from 10 centimeter wide sediment cores up to 100 kilometer wide satelite images — to help answer these questions. I collaborate with colleagues who use these data to forecast which systems seem stable and which are at risk. If all of that sounds like a lot, just know I make pretty figures.

Beyond research, you might find me flying a drone, running or backpacking, cooking with others, or teaching hands-on science.

Interests

Landscape change in the Anthropocene
Remote Sensing
Scientific communication and education

Education

PhD Student, 2020-
UNC Chapel Hill
BSc in Geology and Environmental Sciences, 2018
The College of William and Mary
Summer Coursework in Entrepreneurship, 2015
Washington University in St. Louis

Recent Publications

Washout Versus Washover: Distinct Trajectories of Barrier Reshaping

Understudied barrier washout features persist as sub-tidal erosional scours for years after formation, offsetting landward movement, When elevations are low, high-water events not associated with named storms deliver large volumes of sediment to the subaerial barrier, Modeled rather than measured water levels correlated with volume change, suggesting runup overwash drove deposition over inundation

Joshua D. Himmelstein, Antonio B. Rodriguez

DOI

Washout Versus Washover: Distinct Trajectories of Barrier Reshaping

Widespread Amazonian dark earth in the Xingu Indigenous Territory

Using satellite imagery and classifiers trained on ground-truthed data collected by the Kuikoru people, we find that ~4% of the Xingu Indigenous Territory is composed of ‘Terra Preta’ - dark earth enriched in carbon by past human activity. This work refines carbon sequestration estimates in the Amazon while revealing sites of archaeological and cultural significance; sites that should be prioritized through conservation efforts.

Samuel L. Goldberg, Morgan J. Schmidt, Joshua D. Himmelstein, Michael Heckenberger, Bruna Franchetto, Helena Lima, Jennifer Watling, Bruno Moraes, Wetherbee B. Dorshow, Carlos Fausto, Kumessi Waura, Huke Kuikuro, Taku Wate Kuikuro, Afukaka Kuikuro, J. Taylor Perron

DOI

3D structural metrics using UAV and LiDAR

Results indicate that UAS photogrammetry can produce robust oyster reef structural metrics that can be highly useful in oyster conservation and restoration.

Justin T. Ridge, Alexandra E. DiGiacomo, Antonio B. Rodriguez, Joshua D. Himmelstein, David W. Johnston

DOI

Mechanisms of Pond Expansion in a Rapidly Submerging Marsh

Our observations from a rapidly submerging marsh in the Chesapeake Bay, United States suggest that the mechanisms and rates of pond expansion change with pond size., and depend on surrounding marsh health

Joshua Himmelstein, Orencio Duran Vinent, Stijn Temmerman, Matthew Kirwan

DOI

Onset Fragmentation of Salt Marshes

We find the threshold for marsh fragmentation scales primarily with tidal range and that sediment supply is only relevant where tides are sufficient to transport sediment to the marsh interior.

Orencio Duran Vinent, Ellen R. Herbert, Daniel Coleman, Joshua Himmelstein, Matthew Kirwan

DOI

Experience

PhD Student

Rodriguez Marine Geology Lab

Jun 2020 – Present North Carolina

Use high-resolution age-depth modelling of sediment cores to recreate depositional histories
Build low-cost turbidity sensors to track contemporary suspended sediment gradients
Map coastal systems using drone-based photogrammetry
Model water levels to relate to barrier island storm recovery

Interim Researcher

Perron Lab at MIT

Jan 2020 – Jun 2020 Massachussets

Used machine learning in Google Earth Engine to identify spectrally distinct rainforest canopies
Refined Terra Preta anthrosol distributions in Amazon rainforest