Dr. Miles O. Hayes is a coastal geomorphologist and sedimentologist with 50 years of research experience. He has authored more than 250 articles and reports and three books on a range of topics relating to tidal hydraulics, river morphology and processes, beach erosion, barrier island morphology, oil pollution, and petroleum exploration.

Based on extensive field experience throughout the world, he has developed innovative techniques regarding environmental protection, oil-spill response and shoreline processes. Three of the original concepts proposed and developed by Hayes are: 1) importance of hurricanes to barrier island and nearshore shelf sedimentation; 2) the effect of tides on shoreline morphology and sedimentation patterns; and 3) the environmental sensitivity index (ESI) for mapping shorelines (with co-author Michel), which has been applied worldwide.

Hayes' teaching experience includes a range of both undergraduate and graduate courses while a Professor at the Universities of Massachusetts and South Carolina. Seventy-two graduate students received their degrees under his supervision, most of whom are now leaders in their respective academic, government and industry positions. He is presently chairman of the Board of Research Planning, Inc. (RPI), a science technology company located in Columbia, S.C.