From Sensors to Safety: How Arctic Observations Are Shaping Coastal Flood Resilience in Alaska

Speaker: Sandy Starkweather, Executive Director of the US Arctic Observing Network

Coastal flooding is one of the most urgent threats facing many Alaskan communities. In this ACCAP webinar, Sandy will walk through the U.S. Arctic Observing Network’s new technical brief on coastal flooding. She will highlight how organizations such as the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Weather Service, and the Alaska Ocean Observing System, alongside Indigenous Knowledge holders and community residents, are turning available data into forecasts, flood inundation tools, and post storm recovery resources. Sandy will also discuss the persistent observational gaps that limit early warning lead times and long-term planning, and the priority actions identified through engagement with coastal flooding experts to help sustain and expand these critical capabilities. This webinar highlights what Alaskans are accomplishing with existing tools and explores the specific investments experts say would make the biggest difference.

Speaker Bio: Sandy Starkweather is the Executive Director of the US Arctic Observing Network, bringing together her engineering, Arctic climatology, and science policy expertise to build stronger collaborations among all those who benefit from sustained Arctic observing. She spent twelve years conducting and supporting field research in Greenland. Sandy has also played a key role in advancing the U.S. Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee’s Arctic Research Plans. Her work centers on building the collaborations needed to make sustained Arctic observing more effective for all who depend on it.