Lauren Alexander Augustine

Lauren Alexander Augustine, Ph.D., serves as the Executive Director of the Gulf Research Program at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine since 2013, focusing on enhancing oil systems safety and environmental protection in the Gulf of Mexico. Augustine has also led initiatives such as the African Science Academy Development Initiative to strengthen scientific policy advice in Sub-Saharan Africa and directs the Program on Risk, Resilience, and Extreme Events within the National Academy of Sciences. Previous roles include serving as an Ecologist at the US Geological Survey and a Policy Analyst at the US Department of Interior. Augustine holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from Harvard University, a Master's in Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics and Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia.