KINGSTON, R.I. — Jan. 27, 2020 — An official with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and a leading climate change researcher are among four prominent alumni featured in the upcoming University of Rhode Island Marine Affairs Speaker Series.
All talks are free and open to the public and will be held in Room 202 of White Hall, 39 Butterfield Road, Kingston Campus, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
“The Marine Affairs department is thrilled to welcome these four distinguished alumni back to URI,” Tracy Dalton, chair of the marine affairs department said. “Throughout their careers, they have addressed some of the most critical topics in marine science and policy, like increasing diversity in STEM fields, adapting to climate change, cultivating the next generation of ocean leaders, and sustainably developing ocean space. We expect that their talks will stimulate discussion and inspire members of the broader URI community interested in coastal and ocean environments.”
Feb. 4 – Catalina Martinez M.S. ’99: A Narragansett resident and physical scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Martinez is a champion of the environment and diversity in the STEM fields. Martinez began work at NOAA in 2002 through the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship in which she spent a year exploring little-known regions of the world’s oceans, and presented her findings to the public through various outreach and educational programs. She is currently the regional program manager for NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Martinez was a key figure in establishing a NOAA office at the University of Rhode Island, and manages partnerships with the University’s Inner Space Center. Her office focuses on developing telepresence technology so that data from remotely operated vehicles can be transmitted back to command centers on the coast. Martinez received national recognition for her efforts in promoting diversity and was honored by Women of Color in STEM for her initiatives and outreach programs that work to increase the participation of underserved and underrepresented students in the STEM fields.
March 17 – Lynne Carter M.A. ’82: Carter is an adjunct faculty member at Louisiana State University who has spent much of her life conducting research on climate change. She contributed to all three U.S. national climate assessments, and previously served as the associate director for the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program, associate director for the Sustainability Agenda at LSU and spent two-and-a-half years as the chief of party for the U.S. Agency for International Development/Uganda Education and Research to Improve Climate Change Adaptation Activity. Carter was also the director of the Adaptation Network, a non-profit organization that works with communities to educate and increase knowledge about the changing climate. As part of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, Carter became the liaison to all 20 U.S. regions to produce the first national assessment regarding potential consequences of climate variability and change.
April 7 – Margaret “Peg” Brandon ’80, M.M.A. ’97, Hon. ’19: President of the Sea Education Association, located in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Brandon has logged more than 100,000 nautical miles during her career. Brandon is a Coast Guard licensed captain, and has been a member of SEA’s faculty for more than 15 years. She has been the recipient of the National Science Board Public Service award (2016), the Tall Ships America Leadership award (2017), and the Walter Cronkite Award for excellence in Maritime Education (2018). Under her leadership, SEA has excelled in educating students about the tools needed to become environmentally literate leaders and equipping them to address the impact of humans on the environment.
April 23 – Megan Higgins M.A. ’01: Higgins has more than 17 years of experience with environmental resource management and planning relating to ocean governance and renewable energy projects in New England, as well as the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Her expertise includes marine and coastal affairs legal policy and research. She completed a law degree from Roger Williams University in 2001. She is the director of offshore energy at Tetra Tech, an engineering firm that focuses on the environment, resource management, and international development, where she co-manages a multimillion-dollar offshore energy portfolio. Higgins is an accomplished author with publications in ocean and energy policy regarding renewable energy initiatives and coastal zone issues. Higgins was also active with Rhode Island’s Sea Grant Legal Program and has taught in the areas of energy development and climate change.
Ian Weiner, a senior journalism major and intern in the Department of Marketing and Communications, wrote this press release.