Roberto Porro was a 2014 Peter J. Rappa Fellow at the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program.  Roberto received his B.S. in Ocean Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Urban and Regional Planning. His graduate studies have focused on coastal hazard mitigation, climate change adaptation, and disaster recovery planning.

As a Rappa Fellow, Roberto supported a Coastal Storms Program project analyzing storm surge and tsunami risk along the urban core of Honolulu under future sea level rise scenarios. Roberto supported the project with geospatial analysis and generating mapping products for community engagement tools.  Roberto also supported the Hawaii Sea Grant Center for Smart Building and Community Design assessing the feasibility of conducting a sea level rise design competition in Honolulu.

Since completing his Master’s degree program, Roberto has served as the Coastal Program Manager at the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC), developing FEMA-certified training courses related to coastal hazards for emergency managers and planners.  He also identifies and manages NDPTC partnerships and collaboration opportunities with local, state, and federal agencies involved in coastal hazards planning and training.