Dr. Tom Young and Dr. Patricia Dove (left to right) brief policymakers on the 2018 Summit.
At the request of State Senator Lynwood Lewis, Dr. Patricia Dove and Dr. Tom Young presented to the Joint Subcommittee on Coastal Flooding at the Virginia State Capitol on January 7th, 2019. The 20-minute presentation provided policymakers and the standing room only crowd with the goals and format of the 2018 VASEM Summit on Securing Prosperity in the Coastal Zone as well as the broad capabilities the VASEM can bring to bear on issues important to the Commonwealth.
“VASEM is about bringing everyone together to answer the tough questions – the questions that policymakers wrestle with day to day – to provide a path forward to get the best answers to those tough questions. With participants from universities, companies, and every level of government, this VASEM summit was an important step for the Commonwealth’s new effort to tackle Coastal Security and Prosperity. This includes a need to determine proactive approaches to how the state should make investments that minimize risks and consequences of vulnerabilities in the coastal region. One goal is to give businesses and residents the confidence to make good decisions while not setting unrealistic expectations.” – Dr. Patricia Dove