G. Guerry, Flood Risk Project Staff

For the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of exploring the Mid-Atlantic’s coastlines—visiting nearly every barrier island from Virginia Beach to Charleston–as both a researcher and an outreach coordinator. My work examines how coastal residents perceive and respond to threats such as climate change, sea-level rise, intensifying storms, and water-quality issues that imperil environmental and public health. Drawing on policy analysis, social science methodologies, and hands-on field research, I develop interdisciplinary frameworks that translate scientific studies into practical, community-driven solutions. Above all, I am committed to serving as an advocate for the people who call our coasts home.

I earned my B.S. in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina in 2015, and an M.S. in Coastal and Ocean Policy at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2017 where I focused on emerging contaminants in local waterways. I am now a Ph.D. candidate in Integrated Coastal Sciences at East Carolina University. My dissertation explores how communities adapt both physically and mentally to the “invisible” risks posed by environmental change. Through this work, I hope to illuminate pathways toward greater resilience and well-being for coastal populations.