Disaster Scientist Selected by the National Science Foundation to Serve as Ocean Decade Champion
By Mike Nolan
ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 12, 2023) — DeeDee Bennett Gayle, an associate professor at the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC), has been selected by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Kaleta A. Doolin Foundation (KADF) to serve as a 2023 NSF-KADF Ocean Decade Champion.
Bennett Gayle is among 31 women scientists, all part of the NSF’s Coastlines and People (CoPe) program, who were selected as Ocean Decade Champions. Each of their work focuses on coastline and community research that integrates natural, social and technological processes toward a mission of coastal resilience.
NSF and KADF have collectively contributed over half a million dollars to support the careers of each of the scientists selected.
“Advocating for fair representation of women as both scientists and decision-makers is essential to help unlock opportunities and foster a much-needed transformation in ocean research,” said NSF, when announcing the funding. “These women Ocean Decade Champions demonstrate their excellence in research, impact on society and helping others excel in the ocean science enterprise.”
Along with career support, Ocean Decade Champions will also participate in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), which aims to support endeavors to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health and create improved conditions for sustainable development of oceans and coasts.
"It is a great honor to be awarded as one of the Ocean Decade Champions,” said Bennett Gayle, who is part of CEHC’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security department. “I look forward to being an active participant in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and continuing my research on solving disaster-related problems in marginalized and underrepresented communities."
Bennett Gayle’s primary research areas include emergency management, socially vulnerable populations during disasters, emergency communications, disaster policy and mobile wireless communications.
She is actively partnering on a $20 million NSF project, funded through the CoPe program and led by Rutgers, that aims to create a regional, multi-university Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub (MACH) that is focused on improving the climate resiliency of coastal communities.
Four MACH members, including Lisa Auermuller, Jeanne Herb and Victoria Ramenzoni of Rutgers, and Bennett Gayle, were selected to serve as NSF-KADF Ocean Decade Champions.
View the profiles of each NSF-KADF Ocean Decade Champion, including details of their upcoming projects for the year.