Melissa Finucane, an expert in climate change response planning, has been named the first William and Jane Knapp Endowed Infinity Chair at Stony Brook University. The announcement was made by university officials, who emphasized her extensive background in disaster policy analysis, environmental risk communication, and social equity evaluation.
Paul Shepson, dean of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University, stated: “Developing and implementing climate change adaptation and response plans must combine sound climate and climate impacts data with social science analysis and approaches to be most effective. Dr. Finucane’s experience and team building abilities will further solidify Stony Brook’s status as a leader in climate change solutions and she will inspire and guide our students to become leaders in this field.”
Finucane brings over 25 years of experience from non-profit research organizations, educational roles, and outreach efforts. Most recently, she served as vice president of science and innovation at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Her previous positions include co-director of the Climate Resilience Center at RAND Corporation.
Carl W. Lejuez, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at Stony Brook University, commented: “In Dr. Finucane, we found an expert who understands the dynamics between physical and societal facets of climate change, including policy, environmental justice and socio-economics. Her expertise and experience aligns perfectly with Stony Brook’s commitment to catalyzing innovation to support our state, nation and the global community. We are deeply grateful to William and Jane Knapp for their support for this vital work.”
Throughout her career, Finucane has led science programs focused on integrating scientific evidence into public decision-making processes. These initiatives have included developing tools for public utilities and disaster response agencies as well as resilience programs for communities along the Gulf coast.
William Knapp ’78—a member of the Stony Brook Foundation Board of Trustees—said: “We are honored to have created the William and Jane Knapp Endowed Infinity Chair and look forward to welcoming Melissa Finucane to the role and to Stony Brook. The Knapp Infinity Chair appointment represents an innovative, prestigious endowed position designed to help formulate adaptation strategies and effective responses to one of the most pressing issues of our time.”
The Knapps have supported various initiatives across both Stony Brook University and its medical school through their Gardener Foundation. Their contributions include other endowed chairs in energy/environmental studies as well as pharmacological sciences.
Jane Knapp ’78 added: “We are delighted to welcome Melissa as the inaugural Knapp Endowed Infinity Chair at Stony Brook. Her experience and expertise in developing resilience plans that connect the science of climate change to a deep understanding of risk communication and policy planning represents the next step in Stony Brook’s position as a climate leader, and we are proud to be able to support this critical work.”
Finucane’s research funding sources include federal agencies such as NOAA, DHS, NSF, and NIH. She holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Western Australia.
