Zack Paganini received his PhD after successfully defending his thesis over the summer. he graduates with a PhD in Earth & Environmental Science from CUNY’s Graduate Center on September 1, 2024. Dr. Paganini was a CESSRST-II Cohort 1 Fellow at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Zack’s thesis, “Understanding Climate Change Adaptation and Gentrification through the Framework of Uneven Coastal Development in Keansburg, New Jersey,”  examines the rapid acceleration of coastal development in the United States despite projections of climate induced sea level rise. Like no other developed country, the U.S. has transformed its fragile coastline into sites for leisure, consumption, and retirement. These spaces now face the prospect of more frequent and severe storms, as well as land loss and inundation, due to climate change. This dilemma has sparked debates around coastal resilience, adaptation, retreat, and climate gentrification.

Dr. William Solecki was Dr. Paganini’s academic mentor and thesis advisor. Zack will return to CESSRST as a Postdoctoral Associate.

For more information, visit https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5916/