2019 Annual Public Lectures Series

June 3- 7, 2019
Corless Auditorium
University of Rhode Island
Graduate School of Oceanography
218 South Ferry Road
Narragansett, RI 02882

All lectures are free and open to the public, and will be held in Corless Auditorium on the URI Bay Campus. Parking is at 215 South Ferry Road and 15 Pier Road, Narragansett. Map and directions here. Parking with maximum accessibility is available at at the west end of the Watkins Building and in the lower lot of the Ocean Science and Exploration Center.

Monday through Thursday talks begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday’s lecture begins at 11 a.m. View videos of past lectures and webinars on Metcalf Institute’s YouTube channel.

Special thanks to The Public’s Radio, Metcalf Institute’s media partner. Listen to the 2019 Annual Public Lecture Series on thepublicsradio.org in the coming weeks.

 

  • The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World - Jeff Goodell, author contributing editor, Rolling Stone magazine
    Monday, June 3
    Sea levels are projected to rise fast in the coming decades, with profound implications for virtually every coastal city and town. Goodell will discuss the economic, environmental and political implications of rising seas, how cities around the world are preparing, and the challenges of reporting on this global-scale phenomenon.
  • Water Infrastructure Crisis in the U.S. and a Roadmap for Reform - Manny Teodoro, Texas A&M University
    Tuesday, June 4
    America’s water infrastructure challenges emerge in large part from the crazy patchwork quilt of institutions that own, manage, finance, and regulate the supply. Teodoro offers a roadmap for water governance reforms to align institutional incentives with sustainable, affordable and effective infrastructure.
  • From the Ice Sheet to Your Doorstep: The Expanding Impacts of Global Ice Loss - Twila Moon, National Snow and Ice Data Center
    Wednesday, June 5
    Glaciers and ice sheets around the globe are shrinking or disappearing. The impacts of ice loss telescope from local to global; from changing ocean properties and ecosystem conditions to raising global sea levels. In this talk, Dr. Twila Moon will present a true science story exploring contemporary ice loss around the globe, the implications for local to global communities and economies, and the options for positive action to shape the future of ice on Earth.
  • Floods and Community Resilience - Eric Tate, University of Iowa
    Thursday, June 6
    Water and destruction often receive the most attention in flood disasters, but the main reason we care about floods is their effect on people. This presentation examines the current scientific understanding of social vulnerability to floods, as both an outcome of disasters and a driver of impacts.
  • Smart Water Systems: Could Windshield Wipers Help Prevent Floods? - Branko Kerkez, University of Michigan
    Friday, June 7
    In this era of smart phones, digital assistants, and self-driving cars, can we build autonomy and intelligence into water systems? New low-cost sensors and controllers could reduce flooding impacts and improve water quality. Kerkez will describe the real-world test beds he is developing for smart stormwater systems.