Tom Dixon Shares Coastal Expertise With the Next Generation
Tom Dixon, Group Manager for Environmental and Coastal Sciences, recently brought his real-world experience to the classroom, helping professionals and students better understand the federal permitting considerations that can shape coastal and nature-based solutions projects.
Tom served as an instructor for the Coastal Engineering and Nature-Based Solutions short course at Texas A&M University at Galveston. The four-day continuing education program brings together professionals and students working on coastal nature-based solutions for lectures, laboratory exercises and field visits.
Tom led a session on federal permitting considerations, sharing practical insight from his experience. He stepped in to teach the session when the originally scheduled instructor from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District was unable to attend.
The course covered topics ranging from coastal hydrodynamics and sediment transport to flood risk management, nature-based solutions, adaptive management and stakeholder considerations. Participants represented organizations across the coastal community, including the Gulf Coast Protection District, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Sea Grant, Texas General Land Office and Port Houston.
Sharing Experience and Developing Future Leaders
Freese and Nichols is well-suited to step in and lend expertise due to our firm’s involvement with complex coastal initiatives and nature-based solutions. Our experts have assisted with securing federal approvals and authorizations to implement these projects. such as Schicke Point Living Shoreline, G28-1 (Coastal Texas Project Ecosystem Restoration Feature), Dressing Point Restoration, Carancahua Bay Habitat Preservation and more.
For Freese and Nichols, opportunities like this extend beyond the classroom. When experienced practitioners like Tom share what they have learned through real projects, they help prepare the next generation of engineers and coastal professionals to navigate the technical, regulatory and stakeholder considerations they will encounter in their careers.
That exchange also benefits the broader community. Bringing students, consultants, agencies and client organizations together creates opportunities to learn from different perspectives and strengthen the relationships needed to address complex coastal challenges.
Tom’s participation reflects how Freese and Nichols employees contribute their expertise beyond individual projects, share our knowledge with partners and stakeholders and demonstrate our LEADS values. By sharing practical knowledge as trusted advisors, they help build industry capacity and strengthen the connections that support resilient communities across the Gulf Coast.
