MACRL’s research runs through several larger programs and collaborative initiatives, each involving ongoing operational partnerships that put research tools and findings in front of real decision-makers.
RICHAMP/CHAMP: Rhode Island Coastal Hazards Analysis, Modeling and Prediction
A real-time storm forecasting platform operated in partnership with the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and the Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management. CHAMP translates high-resolution storm surge, wind, and flood model outputs into decision support for emergency managers during hurricanes and nor’easters. Active deployments span Rhode Island, Connecticut, and federal partners including the U.S. Coast Guard. richamp.org
Natural Hazards Tools Collaborative
A partnership between Rhode Island Sea Grant, URI, and Brown University that develops and maintains decision-support tools for emergency managers, planners, and municipalities across Rhode Island. Dr. Becker serves as a co-lead for the collaborative. seagrant.gso.uri.edu
3CRS: Community-Driven Coastal Climate Research and Solutions Hub
An NSF-funded initiative working with working waterfront communities in Rhode Island and Maine to co-develop climate resilience research, tools, and planning capacity. MACRL contributes storm modeling and decision-support expertise as part of the broader URI team. 3crs.org
Graduate Certificate in Coastal Resilience
A URI graduate certificate program developed and directed by Prof. Becker, designed for working professionals in planning, emergency management, and related fields. URI Marine Affairs
Institutional Partners
URI Environmental Data Center
The EDC provides GIS, data management, and spatial analysis support across MACRL projects. edc.uri.edu
Rhode Island Sea Grant
A federal-state partnership supporting coastal research, education, and outreach. RI Sea Grant is a key partner for outreach and engagement across MACRL’s decision-support and resilience projects. seagrant.gso.uri.edu
Key Collaborators
Dr. Peter Stempel (Penn State University)
Dr. Stempel integrates qualitative data and social science methods with numerical storm models, providing the technical glue to CHAMP’s forecasting and decision-support work. Faculty page
Dr. Reza Hashemi (URI Graduate School of Oceanography)
Dr. Hashemi is an Associate Professor of Ocean Engineering whose work spans coastal flooding, storm surge, and wave modeling using tools including ADCIRC, ROMS, and SWAN. He leads the hydrodynamic modeling component of the CHAMP storm modeling team. Faculty page
Dr. Isaac Ginis (URI Graduate School of Oceanography)
Isaac leads URI’s Hurricane Research Lab, where his group develops coupled ocean-atmosphere models used operationally by the National Hurricane Center. He leads the ADCIRC modeling component of the CHAMP storm modeling team. Hurricane Research Lab