Degree program: M.M.A
Year accepted: 2025
Advisor: TBD
Research: Marine transportation system resiliency and recovery
Background: B.S. Marine and Environmental Sciences, Coast Guard Academy
Profile:
Lieutenant Commander Aaron Davis came to URI to earn his Master of Marine Affairs as part of the Coast Guard’s Transportation Management Advanced Education program. Through this program, Aaron is assigned to the University as his permanent duty station and upon graduation will rejoin the Coast Guard, serving at Coast Guard headquarters to develop policy under the Marine Transportation System Directorate. Aaron was drawn to a career of service from an early age and chose the Coast Guard, connecting with its mission to serve the community and protect the marine environment. Aaron graduated in 2014 receiving his commission from the United States Coast Guard Academy where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Environmental Sciences. Aaron also has a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Management from American Military University.
Prior to joining the URI Marine Affairs Department, Aaron served as the Waterways Management Division Chief at Sector Northern New England in Portland, Maine. In this position he served as the Captain of the Port representative managing navigation risk analysis and external engagement for marine permitting, marine spatial planning, federal rulemaking and novel uses of the waterway to include aquaculture, offshore wind and space launch/recovery. His previous assignments include a specialized internship program where he worked as a detailee for the Maine International Trade Center and as a Marine Affairs Associate for TotalEnergies US based offshore wind team. Additionally, he has served as the Facilities, Containers and Explosives Handling Branch Chief and a Coast Guard Marine Inspector at Sector Puget Sound in Seattle, WA, the Vessel Traffic Service Operation’s Officer at Sector Houston/Galveston and as a Deck Watch Officer and Boarding Officer onboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter BEAR.
As a career marine safety and security professional, Aaron has worked with a diverse array of partner agencies, industry representatives and public sector organizations to ensure a safe, reliable and efficient Marine Transportation System and has been involved in prominent responses such as Hurricane Harvey, the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse and the 2019 ITC Deer Park Tank Farm Fire and Spill. In this program, Aaron hopes to build on this experience to advance policies that balance the demands of the dynamic maritime industry with the need for sustainable, resilient management.