A 2023 Design Fellow at the MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MAD), James Brice investigates the design of nature-based solutions for coastal adaptation with oyster reefs, working to provide coastal communities with the guidance to create physically, ecologically, and socially resilient waterfronts.

James is a designer, engineer and urban naturalist pursuing a dual Master of Architecture and Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT. Before coming to MIT, he worked as a zookeeper, responsible for the care of terrestrial and aquatic animal life. Pulling from this professional experience and a BS in Applied Physics (RPI ‘16), he's exploring the integration of architecture, urban ecosystems and environmental fluid mechanics.

He’s worked on several projects relating to nature-based coastal adaptation including design proposals in East Boston, Cuttyhunk, MA and Port Arthur, TX, as well as investigations into numerical methods for urban flood modeling as a research assistant for the MIT Urban Risk Lab.

His thesis research, advised by Dr. Heidi Nepf (Nepf Lab), focuses on wave dissipation by urban oyster reef restoration structures. Through a combination of numerical analysis, physical modeling, community outreach and design research, he investigates how oysters and the communities they create can improve the physical, ecological and social resilience of the coast.