Dr. Austin Becker is Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs in the Department of Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island. As an interdisciplinary scientist, he works across the fields of planning, policy, engineering, and ocean science. He uses coastal infrastructure as a case study, focusing on creating and testing tools that help decision makers engage with complex problems involving uncertainty, consequences of natural hazards and large-scale shifts in climate, and the resulting challenges in policy and planning. Dr. Becker serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Maritime Policy and Management, co-editor of the book Climate Change Adaptation Planning for Ports, and as Vice Chair of the Advisory Board for the Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting. Since 2011, he has served as an expert member of the United Nations Expert Group on Climate Adaptation for Transport. In 2020, he was appointed as Visiting Fellow at the US Naval War College, where he undertakes research on hazard impacts to Naval Station Newport and the surrounding municipalities. Dr. Becker has over 35 peer-reviewed publications and in 2017 was awarded the prestigious Sloan Foundation Research Fellowship in Ocean Sciences. He earned a PhD in Environment and Resources at Stanford University. In an earlier career, Dr. Becker captained sail training vessels and still maintains a 500-Ton U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license for ocean-going vessels. More info at web/uri.edu/abecker.