Rick Luettich

Rick Luettich is a Distinguished Professor of Marine Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) and Director of the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) and the Center for Natural Hazards Resilience. His primary academic roles include dual appointments in the Department of Marine Sciences and the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering. He holds a Sc.D. from MIT (1987), an M.S. from Georgia Tech (1981), and a B.C.E. from Georgia Tech (1979).

His research focuses on coastal circulation and storm surge modeling, with leadership in developing the ADCIRC model used globally for flood prediction and disaster risk reduction. Key projects include the Department of Homeland Security’s Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System’s Coastal and Ocean Modeling Testbed. His work addresses coastal hazards, water quality dynamics, and larval transport in marine ecosystems.

Dr. Luettich has served on National Academy committees, as Vice President of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority, and on the Board of Directors for Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System. His research group at IMS combines modeling and field studies to advance understanding of coastal processes and resilience strategies.

Notable achievements include over 100 peer-reviewed publications, leadership in interdisciplinary coastal hazard initiatives, and contributions to policy through stakeholder collaboration. Current efforts emphasize compound flooding predictions, climate change impacts, and the application of advanced computational methods for real-time decision support.