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URBAN COASTAL SUSTAINABILITY A Northeastern University Research and Education Initiative At the critical junction of land and sea Half of the world’s population lives within 40 miles of the sea, and coastal cities contribute to half of global GDP. Unprecedented global change is endangering these coastal ecosystems and the vital human activities they support. Northeastern University—with one of the only U.S. centers for marine science research located in a coastal urban area—has established the Urban Coastal Sustainability Initiative to address the threats posed by extreme weather and sealevel rise, collapsing fisheries, invasive species, biodiversity loss, coastal pollution, and gaps in port security. This interdisciplinary, use-inspired research initiative will yield solutions that promote a sustainable future for the world’s urban coastlines. RESEARCH SNAPSHOT: Meet some of our UCSI faculty Brian Helmuth, professor of marine and environmental sciences and public policy Helmuth explores the effects of climate and extreme weather events on the physiology and ecology of marine organisms to inform decision makers with scientifically accurate forecasts. His research suggests that unless we know where and when to look, many early impacts could go unnoticed. NOTABLE: Helmuth is leading a National Science Foundation-funded project to create an early warning system of linked, self-aware microsensors to protect intertidal communities from the effects of lethal heat waves. Matthias Ruth, professor of public policy and civil and environmental engineering Ruth, interim director of Northeastern’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, is a leader in the emerging field of ecological economics. His research examining the long-term impact of extreme weather on coastal cities has shown that proactive “green” policies are the most cost-effective choice. NOTABLE: Ruth is founding co-editor in chief of the international science journal Urban Climate, and co-author of the 2014 National Climate Assessment. He is collaborating with faculty colleague Jonathan Grabowski on a Northeast Sea Grant-funded project examining the human dimensions of coastal and marine ecosystems. Jerome Hajjar, professor and chair, civil and environmental engineering Hajjar and his team design and model materials and building components— such as structural “fuses”—that will make buildings more resilient to catastrophic events, from hurricanes to terrorist attacks. The replaceable fuses absorb destructive energy the same way electrical fuses absorb overloads. NOTABLE: Hajjar holds nearly $1.2 million in external research awards, including a grant of $305,336 from the National Institute of Standards and Technologies for his project, “Disaster Resilience of Buildings, Infrastructure, and Communities.” Jonathan Grabowski, associate professor of marine and environmental sciences Grabowski’s research focuses on marine ecology, fisheries, conservation biology, and ecological economics within a variety of estuarine and marine settings. A primary goal of his work is to improve the management of economically important species such as lobsters, cod, herring, monkfish, and striped bass. NOTABLE: Grabowski’s research on the impact of environmental changes on fisheries and shoreline habitats is currently supported by more than $1.5 million in grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Stephen Flynn, professor of political science; director, Center for Resilience Studies Flynn is a pioneer in advocating an approach to natural and manmade disasters based on resilience: mitigating the consequences of a threat rather than eliminating it. His research focuses on critical infrastructure and systems, analyzing their vulnerabilities and deciding how best to minimize the impact of a blow. NOTABLE: Flynn was principle investigator for Bolstering Critical Infrastructure Resilience After Superstorm Sandy: Lessons for New York and the Nation, in collaboration with researchers from Columbia University, New York University, the Stevens Institute of Technology, and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Geoff Trussell, professor and chair, marine and environmental sciences; director, Marine Science Center Trussell’s lab focuses on the ecology and evolution of marine communities spanning the breadth of habitats in the Gulf of Maine, with emphases on predation risk, the influence of species diversity on ecosystem function, and the impact of climate changes on natural food webs. NOTABLE: Trussell’s current research includes a collaboration with Assistant Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences Tarik Gouhier examining intertidal community assembly and dynamics, supported by a National Science Foundation grant of $715,201. Anne Randall Hughes, assistant professor of marine and environmental sciences Hughes’ research focuses on the role of seagrass in maintaining healthy coastal ecosystems. Her team’s findings will help urban policymakers make smarter decisions when it comes to protecting and restoring seagrasses—and help shore up urban coastlines against storms like Hurricane Sandy. NOTABLE: Hughes is a project director on a multiuniversity consortium led by the Alabama Center for Ecological Resilience to examine how biodiversity can make coastal ecosystems more resilient to catastrophic events. Mark Patterson, professor of marine and environmental sciences and civil and environmental engineering Patterson is developing autonomous, underwater robots able to collect vast amounts of oceanic data over time. They are designed to give scientists the most accurate picture yet of how and where the ocean is changing, and the impact of those changes on our climate and coastlines. NOTABLE: Patterson directs Northeastern’s Field Robotic Laboratory. His recent research awards include a $291,000 National Science Foundation grant to determine how environmental stresses caused by warming ocean water affect certain corals. northeastern.edu/ucsi An urban coastal research center Located on East Point in Nahant, Massachusetts, Northeastern’s Marine Science Center has engaged in research, undergraduate and graduate education, and community outreach since 1967. Situated within miles of downtown Boston, the MSC offers an open seawater facility, greenhouse, experimental tank farms, research labs, dive center, and classrooms, as well as access to a pristine rocky shore habitat. It is also home to the Ocean Genome Legacy, a renowned center for marine genomics research. The center received more than $3 million in external research funding in 2014.