UF professors will lead discussion on sea level rise

After more than a decade of research, Andrea Dutton, a UF assistant professor in the Department of Geological Sciences, hopes to inform UF students and the public about climate change and the rising sea level.

“This is just kind of the first step in a very long process that we have set into motion,” she said. “We need to be addressing it rather than ignoring it.”

That’s why she’s participating in “Explore More: Sea Level Rise,” a free discussion hosted by the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at 6 p.m. today in Pugh Hall. The discussion is designed to create dialogue about sea level rise from local experts.

Both Dutton and Kathryn Frank, an assistant professor in the UF Department of Urban and Regional Planning, will speak about the impact of sea level rising as part of a partnership between the Graham Center and the UF Office of Research.

Kevin Baron, the civic engagement coordinator for the center, said the topic of sea level rise is relevant to Floridians because of the state’s below-sea-level status.

“The potential impact from all of this could be huge,” he said. “This is an issue in an area that I think students especially should be engaged with.”

Dutton said she hopes that people who attend think about the bigger problem of climate change and how they impact the environment daily.

“I think people don’t really realize the commitment that we’re making with our current activities,” she said.