I have been a professor of Marine Affairs since 2002, teaching courses on human interactions with coastal spaces, marine conservation, and coastal zone management. I have also worked with faculty, students, and other colleagues on research projects investigating how people interact with coastal and marine spaces and how they are impacted by changes to these spaces. In my new role as RI Sea Grant director, I support researchers studying coastal and marine systems, practitioners working with communities and other stakeholders to plan and manage coastal areas, experts communicating science to the public, and numerous partners around RI interested in better understanding and managing our coastal environment.