Austin Becker, PhD

Austin Becker is a strategic advisor and institutional leader specializing in maritime infrastructure, critical asset resilience, and enterprise risk governance. He works at the intersection of operational systems, emergency management frameworks, and decision-ready risk strategy, advising organizations responsible for high-consequence coastal and maritime environments.

Dr. Becker is Founder and Principal of Becker Strategic Advisory, an independent advisory platform serving infrastructure operators, public agencies, and leadership teams navigating complex physical and operational risk environments.

He concurrently serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island, where he leads interdisciplinary initiatives integrating hazard modeling, systems analysis, and public-sector governance to strengthen institutional readiness and infrastructure resilience.

Dr. Becker has advised national and international bodies including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on climate impacts to transport networks and the U.S. Naval War College on humanitarian and disaster response. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Maritime Rhode Island.

Prior to his academic career, Dr. Becker spent a decade as a licensed maritime captain commanding a 110-foot sail training vessel. He holds a United States Coast Guard 500-Ton Master License (Oceans).

Providence, Rhode Island