Prof. Becker and his graduate students and research associates work across the fields of planning, policy, design, and engineering. Together, the Marine Affairs Coastal Resilience Lab (MACRL) contributes to untangling complex natural hazards problems and the resulting challenges in policy and planning. MACRL receives funding support from the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Dept. of Defense, and the Dept. of Homeland Security through the Center of Excellence in Coastal Resilience. In projects such as the Rhode Island Coastal Hazards Analysis Modeling and Prediction system (RICHAMP), they conduct applied research using social science methods in close partnership with end users such as the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and the Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management.
Prof. Becker currently serves as Dept. Chair of Marine Affairs and the Director of the Graduate Certificate in Coastal Resilience program.