Austin Becker
Posts by Austin Becker:
New paper published in Global Environmental Change
Austin Becker / Becker Group News, NEWS /
New paper published in Global Environmental Change
A method to estimate climate-critical construction materials applied to seaport protection
Abstract
Climate adaptation for coastal infrastructure projects raises unique challenges because global-scale environmental changes may require similar projects to be completed in many locations over the same time frame. Existing methods to forecast resource demand and capacity do not consider this phenomenon of a global change affecting many localities and the resulting increased demand for resources. Current methods do not relate to the most up-to-date climate science information, and they are too costly or too imprecise to generate global, regional, and local forecasts of “climate-critical resources” that will be required for infrastructure protection. They either require too much effort to create the many localized designs or are too coarse to consider information sources about local conditions and structure-specific engineering knowledge. We formalized the concept of a “minimum assumption credible design” (MACD) to leverage available local information (topography/bathymetry and existing infrastructure) and the essential engineering knowledge and required construction materials (i.e., a design cross-section template). The aggregation of the resources required for individual local structures then forecasts the resource demand for global adaptation projects. We illustrate the application of the MACD method to estimate the demand for construction materials critical to protect seaports from sea-level-rise-enhanced storm surges. We examined 221 of the world’s 3,300+ seaports to calculate the resource requirements for a coastal storm surge protection structure suited to current upper-bound projections of two meters of sea level rise by 2100. We found that a project of this scale would require approximately 436 million cubic meters of construction materials, including cement, sand, aggregate, steel rebar, and riprap. For cement alone, ∼49 million metric tons would be required. The deployment of the MACD method would make resource forecasts for adaptation projects more transparent and widely accessible and would highlight areas where current engineering knowledge or material, engineering workforce, and equipment capacity fall short of meeting the demands of adaptation projects.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378016301261
3-year PhD Assistantship in coastal planning, policy and design to pursue research on climate and disaster visualizations
Austin Becker / NEWS /
PhD in Marine Affairs at University of Rhode Island
3-year PhD Assistantship in coastal planning, policy and design to pursue research on climate and disaster visualizations
Position description: The University of Rhode Island (URI) Dept. of Marine Affairs (web.uri.edu/maf) is seeking a PhD student to study climate and disaster visualization techniques. URI is recognized as a leader in the US and globally in the field of coastal climate adaptation. The student will pursue the application of design theory and practice to complex challenges of long-term planning for urban coastal communities vulnerable to climate change impacts. For the past two years, we have been conducting research into making improved visualizations of climate hazards such as storm surge and sea level rise that may be used by decision makers in coastal communities. The student will conduct independent research aligned with these themes. This work uniquely combines aspects of design, policy, and applied science.
The doctoral student will under Prof. Austin Becker (web.uri.edu/abecker) and receive interdisciplinary training in coastal planning and policy in the Department of Marine Affairs. Three years of funding for this position will come from a combination of Research Assistantship and Teaching Assistantship support. Preferred start is Fall 2016.
Qualifications: We seek a highly-motivated student with a Master of Landscape Architecture (or equivalent) and a strong academic record who wishes to pursue interdisciplinary work. The ideal candidate will have a background in design and an affinity for science and policy. Visual communication skills and design problem solving skills, such as being able to work with and around technical limitations or constraints, are essential. Familiarity with statistical techniques and programming is also highly desired, but not required at the outset. The work currently will leverage a range of technical skills, including procedural modelling and scripting techniques as well as more traditional 3d modelling and geomodelling. Although it’s not necessary to have all of the skills at the outset of work, the ideal candidate will minimally have a strong familiarity with 3d modelling and visual communication, and a willingness to learn and self-teach skills.
The preferred candidate will have excellent writing, drawing, and visual communication skills, as well as experience with:
- 3d modelling software such as Rhino (or similar) and associated problem solving skills
- scripting, or a willingness to learn scripting skills
- Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
- GIS
To be considered, please send cover letter, CV, transcripts, and work samples (writing and design), and the names/contact info for three references to abecker@uri.edu.
For more information, please contact Prof. Austin Becker at abecker@uri.edu or see web.uri.edu/abecker
John Ryan-Henry, JD Spring ’16, MMA Fall ’16
Austin Becker / Uncategorized /
John is a joint degree candidate for the Masters of Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island and the Juris Doctor at the Roger Williams University School of Law. His research interests include in coastal land use adaptation to climate change and community resilience to coastal hazards. In the Becker Lab, John will conduct major paper research for an Impacts/Consequences Assessment of coastal hazards on United States ports. As a Sea Grant Legal Fellow, John has researched state and municipal climate change adaptation for the RI Coastal Resources Management Council’s Shoreline Change Special Area Management Plan. He has also worked with the NOAA General Council Oceans and Coasts Section on coastal zone management and federal consistency, and with the non-profit research firm SeaPlan on coastal and marine spatial planning.
John has been a Rhode Island resident since 5th grade. He entered law school after earning a Bachelors of Science with Honors in Geological Science from Brown University in 2013, where he performed paleoclimatological research on the evolution of the Greenland Ice Sheet after the last Deglaciation.
Matt Frediani, MAMA 2016
Austin Becker / Uncategorized /
Matthew is interested in researching methods to build resilience towards coastal storms and sea level rise. Projections suggest an increase in coastal storms combined with sea levels rising. This could have devastating consequences to coastal communities. His research identifies the perceptions and attitudes of marina owners towards a changing climate. In addition, it will serve as a base for future research to build upon in order to develop incentives for marina owners to invest in resilience improvements.
Hometown: Cranford, New Jersey
Rita Lavoie, MESM 2017
Austin Becker / Uncategorized /
Rita is a graduate student in the Master of Environmental Science and Management (MESM) program at URI. Through her studies Rita seeks to combine visual communications and scientific analysis. Working with PhD. candidate Peter Stempel, Rita researches how visual design is used to communicate the implications of sea level rise. Her focus is in Environmental Planning and Design and she is simultaneously pursuing a graduate certificate in GIS and Remote Sensing.
As the recipient of the Metcalf Institute Science Communications Fellowship Rita draws on her prior career in marketing to produce communications materials for the College of the Environment and Life Sciences at URI.
Rita graduated magna cum laude from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a B.S. in Environmental Sciences, a concentration in Toxicology and Chemistry, and a minor in Biology.
After moving from her hometown in Kington, Massachusetts to Cranston, RI, Rita imparted her fascination with the natural world upon the youth of Rhode Island. She worked as an Environmental Educator for AmeriCorps, Save the Bay- Narragansett Bay, and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Rita is passionate about the outdoors and is an avid hiker, backpacker, and rock climber.
Ng and Becker publish new piece in The Maritime Economist: Port Adaptation to the Impacts Posed by Climate Change: How Can Scholars, Policymakers and Industrial Professionals Contribute?
Austin Becker / Becker Group News, NEWS /
New article on “Port Adaptation to the Impacts Posed by Climate Change: How Can Scholars, Policymakers and Industrial Professionals Contribute? by Austin Becker and Adolf Ng, published in “The Maritime Economist.”