The Marine Affairs Coastal Resilience Lab studies how communities, government agencies, and private industry infrastructure systems prepare for and respond to coastal hazards. Our work sits at the intersection of planning, policy, social science, and engineering and has a consistent focus on making research useful to the people who actually make decisions.
A major area of work is the Rhode Island Coastal Hazards Analysis, Modeling and Prediction system (RICHAMP/CHAMP), a real-time multi-hazard forecasting platform developed in close partnership with the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and other government partners. CHAMP translates storm surge and flood model outputs into actionable decision support for state emergency managers during hurricanes and nor’easters.
A parallel line of research examines port and maritime infrastructure resilience and in particular how seaports are represented (or ignored) in coastal resilience planning. This work spans domestic port systems and international contexts including small island developing states.
MACRL has been supported by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Homeland Security, and private philanthropy. Prof. Austin Becker leads the lab alongside a team of research associates, graduate students, and undergraduates.
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Dr. Austin Becker, MACRL Lead
Austin Becker is Professor and Chair of the Department of Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island. He leads the CHAMP Project (Coastal Hazards Analysis, Modeling & Prediction), a real-time system that translates storm surge, wind, and flood model outputs into decision support for emergency managers across Southern New England.
His broader research focuses on the resilience of maritime infrastructure and seaports and in particular how ports, coastal supply chains, and maritime communities prepare for and recover from extreme weather and climate change. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and secured more than $5.5 million in external funding. His work has influenced practice at institutions including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
Dr. Becker holds a PhD in Environment and Resources from Stanford University, is an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellow, and maintains a USCG 500 Ton Oceans Captain License. He was appointed by Governor Dan McKee to the Science and Technical Advisory Board of the Rhode Island Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4). His research has been covered by 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.
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Selected Recent Publications
Becker, A., et al. (2026). Coastal hazards preparedness through wargaming, modeling, and simulation. Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure. DOI
Adams, S., Becker, A. (2026). Avoidable Consequences: Using Advanced Storm Simulation to Help Emergency Managers Improve Outcomes. Journal of Emergency Management.
Hallisey, N., Becker, A., et al. (2025). From Design to Decision Making: Emergency Manager Participation in the Development of Coastal Storm Decision Support Tools. Journal of Disaster Science and Management. DOI
McElroy, K., Becker, A. (2025). Factors Influencing Flood Risk Management Integration in U.S. Municipal Planning: An Expert Mental Model Approach. Journal of Flood Risk Management.
Adams, S., Becker, A., et al. (2025). Practice as You Play: Using Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program Exercises to Evaluate a Storm Decision Support Tool. Journal of Coastal and Riverine Flood Risk.
Verschuur, J., Becker, A. (2025). Sustainability trade-offs of port adaptation at scale. PLOS One Climate.
Stempel, P., Becker, A., et al. (2025). Coastal Hazards Analysis Modelling and Prediction: Collaborative Model-Driven Multi-hazard Forecasting and Planning. Digital Landscape Architecture.
Full publication list and CV →
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