The Long Island Sound region remains one of the most densely populated areas in the United States. Approximately 7.5% of the population—that’s about 23.3 million people—lives within a 50-mile radius of Long Island Sound. With 100-year storms happening more frequently than only once per century, coastal flooding is rapidly becoming a monumental threat to far greater numbers of people than even some experts could have predicted.
On Thursday, October 7, at 7pm via Zoom webinar, the Bruce Museum will welcome Dr. James O’Donnell, professor at the University of Connecticut and Executive Director of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation, or CIRCA, for an expansive and motivating talk called Underwater: Coastal Flooding and Climate Change.
The event is the 21st installment of the Bruce Museum’s acclaimed speaker series, Bruce Presents: Thought Leaders in the Fields of Art and Science. Support for Bruce Presents is generously provided by Berkley One, a Berkley Company.
In a conversation with Bruce Presents producer Leonard Jacobs, Professor O’Donnell will survey his research on the physical processes that determine circulation in our beloved coastal ocean, as well as his historic efforts to bring together the world-class research and outreach capabilities of the University of Connecticut with the extensive practical experience of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Together, right now, they are creating and disseminating sustainable strategies to enhance the resilience of our built environment—while at the same time protecting the crucial natural ecosystems of Connecticut and the greater northeast.
“Coming on the heels of historic flooding events locally, this is an incredibly timely subject,” said Bruce Museum COO and Managing Director Suzanne Lio in a statement. “You only have to look out your window to see that climate change is real, and it has changed the severity of weather events and the tides we see in coastal waters.”
Bruce Museum’s Manager of School and Community Partnerships, Corinne Flax, went on to note, “Incredible efforts exist all around us to understand and, maybe one day, to mitigate the long-term impact of humans on the planet—including “Flood Watchers,” a citizen science project orchestrated in partnership with the Bruce Museum, the Town of Greenwich Conservation Commission, Thriving Earth Exchange, UCONN, and CIRCA. Standing at the center of a great deal of this pioneering work is Professor O’Donnell, a thought leader whose advocacy and research is providing a pathway, based on science and practical knowledge, toward a new world in which society copes with, and perhaps one day surmounts, the climate change affecting us today.”
To join this online, live-streamed Zoom webinar, visit www.brucemuseum.org and click on the Reservations button to sign up. Tickets are free for Bruce Museum Members; $20 for non-members.
About the Bruce Museum
The Bruce Museum is a community-based, world-class institution highlighting art and science. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Bruce has been voted the best museum in Fairfield County by area media in recent years. Located in a park setting just off I-95, exit 3, at 1 Museum Drive in Greenwich, Connecticut, the Bruce Museum is a 5-minute walk from the Metro-North Greenwich Station. For additional information, call the Bruce Museum at 203-869-0376 or visit brucemuseum.org.
