Episode Notes

2.15.26

Professor Rob Brander is an internationally recognized coastal geomorphologist and one of the world’s leading experts on rip currents and beach safety. His research has played a major role in reshaping scientific understanding of rip current behavior and how people respond when caught in them.

Professor Brander is based at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, where he serves in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Toronto and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Sydney.

Key Contributions to Rip Current Science:

• Conducted pioneering field research on rip current dynamics and beach morphology.

• Led groundbreaking studies examining swimmer behavior in rip currents, including interviews with survivors and GPS tracking of swimmers in controlled conditions.

• Helped challenge outdated safety advice by demonstrating that panic and fighting the current increases risk, while floating, conserving energy, and signaling for help often improves survival.

• Collaborated internationally with scientists such as Dr. Jamie H. MacMahan to link physical oceanography with real-world safety outcomes.

Resources 

UNSW Beach Safety Research Group www.beachsafetyresearch.com

Personal website www.scienceofthesurf.com

Dr. Rip’s Essential Beach Book International Edition https://cup.columbia.edu/book/dr-rips-essential-beach-book/9780231217408**

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