Samuel W. Adams is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island. His research addresses the vulnerability of coastal communities as a function of critical infrastructure dependencies and the cascading consequences of storm hazards. He has a master’s degree in public administration from American Public University and a bachelor’s degree in historic preservation from Roger Williams University. He also serves as the University’s full-time emergency management director and assistant director of public safety where he oversees campus emergency management, fire safety, and physical security programs. He is a past president of the Rhode Island Association of Emergency Managers (RIAEM) and is a RIAEM-certified advanced emergency manager.