On this episode of The Capitol Beach, Derek Brockbank interviews Mark Osler with NOAA. As Senior Advisor for Coastal Inundation and Resilience, Mark works with all of NOAA (its four “Services”, two “Departments” and all sub-units) to coordinate and advance coastal resilience throughout the agency. He has a critical behind-the-scenes role with a great perspective on nearly all of NOAA’s coastal work. This 30 minute interview provides an incredibly encompassing look at how NOAA is addressing coastal resilience and serving coastal communities. Thoughtful and thorough, Mark is someone coastal scientists and advocates should get to know. Plus, when asked how NOAA is integrating climate change adaptation into its work, Mark dives deep and takes us all the way back to Thomas Jefferson!
Mark Osler serves NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) as Senior Advisor for Coastal Inundation and Resilience. He works across NOS, and with the broader NOAA community, to provide national level leadership to advance coastal inundation science and enhance the ability of decision-makers to prepare for and respond to changes affecting coastal communities. Prior to joining NOAA in June 2018, Mark worked for 18 years in the private sector, including six years as the national leader for his firm’s coastal science and engineering business line. He holds a Master’s in Coastal Engineering from the University of Delaware’s Center for Applied Coastal Research and a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University. Mark also served on ASBPA’s board of directors for number of years.
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ASBPA Executive Director, Derek Brockbank, hosts this semi-regular podcast. Prior to starting with ASBPA, Derek worked as campaign director for a coalition effort to restore the Mississippi River Delta and Coastal Louisiana, and was part of a gulf-wide campaign to pass the RESTORE Act, securing billions of dollars for Gulf Coast restoration. This followed up on his work with National Wildlife Federation on climate adaption. Derek started his career as a grassroots organizer. Derek grew up in New York City and got his coastal education from an early age playing on the beaches of Long Island, and kayaking and fishing in Peconic Bay.
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