Samantha L. Montano, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Emergency Management Department at Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA), a top-ranked state university with seven undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math, and business that blend academics and experiential learning, was a keynote speaker at the recent MIT Water Summit.
At the annual event advocates of and experts on water management detailed ways coastal communities can become more resilient.
During her keynote presentation, Montano offered that current disaster management practices fall short in terms of forward-thinking, translating into immediate consequences for coastal communities in times of emergency.
“Traditionally, we’ve relied on the historical data in emergency management to assume what our future risk will be. We can’t do that anymore,” she said. “Businesses need to consider the eco-justice angle when considering their sustainability goals, and this mindset shift toward eco-justice begins in teaching the next generation of leaders to prioritize the environment while in school.”
“Dr. Montano’s participation as a keynote speaker at the prestigious MIT Water Summit underscores her recognition as an authority on disaster preparedness,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Dr. Montano, author of the new book Disasterology: Dispatches from The Frontlines of The Climate Crisis, holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Loyola University and received both her Master of Science and doctorate in emergency management from North Dakota State University. Her current courses include Introduction to Emergency Management and Emergency Management Policy and Procedure, both part of the curriculum requirements for the Academy’s Bachelor of Science in emergency management. (The Academy also offers a Master of Science in emergency management.)
About Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA): MMA is a fully accredited, four-year, co-educational state university offering Bachelor and Master of Science degrees that are highly regarded in the worldwide maritime industry and beyond. For more than 100 years, MMA has prepared women and men for exciting and rewarding careers on land and sea. As the nation’s finest co-ed maritime college, MMA challenges students to succeed by balancing a unique regimented lifestyle with a typical four-year college environment. Located on Cape Cod, at the mouth of the scenic Cape Cod Canal, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is the ideal college to pursue the love for the ocean, concern for the environment, interest in math and science, and a thirst for adventure. Follow MMA on FB: @massmaritime, @MassMaritime.Advancement; IG: @massmaritime, @mmacademyalumni; Twitter: @MMAadmissions, @MMAcademyAlumni; YouTube: Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
