Conference Chair

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Solutions to Coastal Disasters Organizing Committee, you are cordially invited to the Solutions to Coastal Disasters Conference in Anchorage, Alaska taking place June 26 – 29. The Solutions conference series was developed to provide formal and informal venues for the exchange of information, tools and ideas relating to coastal hazards, and has encouraged involvement by a broad audience of coastal professionals for multi-disciplinary approaches to coastal issues.

Recent natural/manmade disasters such as the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Katrina and the BP oil spill have shown that good planning, management and communication among all disciplines and with the public is necessary when pushing the envelope of engineering in the coastal environment. The Solutions to Coastal Disasters Conference Series (2002, 2005, 2008 and now 2011) has attracted a diverse audience: managers, natural scientists, public policymakers, lawyers, social scientists, members of the public, as well as engineers; all care about the coast.

Alaska has 33,904 miles of coastline with all the coastal hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, sea level rise, ice and coastal storms. The arctic region is considered the last natural frontier of the United States and also has access to the Northwest Passage and a large area of unexplored oil reserves. Developing and conserving the rich natural resources and heritage and minimizing the risk of any coastal disaster is one of the United States’ biggest challenges for the 21st Century.

We look forward to seeing you in Anchorage!

Best regards,

Louise Wallendorf, P.E.
Chair, Organizing Committee