Sam Brody

Sam Brody is a Professor and Director of IDRT/CTBS in the Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science at Texas A&M University at Galveston. His research focuses on flood risk reduction, urban resilience, and disaster mitigation. He holds a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, an M.S. in Natural Resources Policy from the University of Michigan, and a B.S. in Environmental Studies/Anthropology from Bowdoin College.

Brody’s work emphasizes translating knowledge into actionable strategies for societal resilience. He has led over $3.5 million in NSF-funded projects, including the Coastal Flood Risk Reduction Program. Key contributions include analyzing land-use impacts on flood losses and advocating for proactive flood mitigation policies. His research spans international collaborations, with studies in the Netherlands, Korea, and Japan.

He teaches courses like Coastal Environmental Planning and Coastal Resiliency and Sustainability. Notable awards include the Texas A&M Presidential Impact Fellow (2017) and Regents Professor (2016). Brody serves on the National Academy of Sciences’ Urban Flood Study Committee and the Department of Homeland Security Flood Apex Research Board. His professional fellowships include the Hazards Reduction and Recovery Center at Texas A&M and the Kinder Institute at Rice University.

Brody’s funded graduate students and research associates have explored topics like flood damage spillover effects and disaster recovery equity. He has published extensively on flood vulnerability, mitigation strategies, and policy innovations, with over 100 peer-reviewed articles and a 2011 Cambridge University Press book on U.S. flooding trends.