The Marine Affairs Coastal Resilience Lab (MACRL) works across the fields of planning, policy, design, and engineering. It 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 applied projects such as the Rhode Island Coastal Hazards Analysis Modeling and Prediction system (RICHAMP), Prof. Austin Becker and his team of research associates, graduate, and undergraduate students, 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.
Dr. Austin Becker, MACRL lab PI
Dr. Austin Becker is Professor and Chair of the Department of Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island, where he leads interdisciplinary teams developing technology-enabled decision-support systems for emergency managers, planners, and infrastructure stakeholders. He is the principal investigator of the CHAMP Project (Coastal Hazards Analysis, Modeling & Prediction), a real-time system that translates high-resolution storm surge, wind, and flooding model outputs into actionable intelligence for hurricane and nor’easter response across Southern New England. His broader research portfolio spans two decades of work on the resilience of maritime infrastructure and seaports — examining how ports, coastal supply chains, and maritime communities can anticipate, prepare for, and recover from the compounding threats of climate change and extreme weather. With over 50 peer-reviewed publications and $5.5 million in external funding, his work has shaped practice and policy at institutions ranging from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). An Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellow, and former tall ship captain, Dr. Becker brings a combination of scientific rigor, field experience, and applied policy leadership to the most urgent challenges facing coastal communities and critical infrastructure worldwide. He earned his PhD in Environment and Resources at Stanford University and maintains a 500 Ton USCG Captain’s License. His work has been featured in the New York Times, The Boston Globe, NPR’s All Things Considered, and the Financial Times.
Prof. Becker currently serves as Dept. Chair of Marine Affairs and the Director of the Graduate Certificate in Coastal Resilience program.