New research shows that hurricane maximum wind speeds in the subtropical Atlantic around Bermuda have more than doubled on average over the last 60 years due to rising ocean temperatures in the region.

Read more at LiveScience.com: Hurricanes are blasting Bermuda with wind speeds that have more than doubled in strength over the last 66 years, due to rising ocean temperatures in the region as a result of climate change, according to a new study.

A world-class ocean science research facility, the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) inspires the next generation of marine biologists, oceanographers, marine ecologists and more by providing K-12 and college students a captivating introduction to the science of the ocean. BIOS is now expanding its impact, joining Arizona State University as part of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory™. BIOS brings over 120 years of research and education on Earth’s largest biome to the world’s first laboratory dedicated to reshaping our relationship with our planet.

Last year, the Risk Prediction Initiative (RPI) of BIOS expanded to include a locally-focused program called BermudaRisk.  BermudaRisk investigates, through academic research, the risks to Bermuda’s society from natural hazards. This effort leverages RPI’s decades of experience in managing scientific research with relevance to risk management, and by collaborating with a network of local and international contacts in the fields of environmental science, catastrophe modeling, policy development, re/insurance, and disaster risk reduction.

BIOS training leads to diverse careers in marine and atmospheric sciences, and beyond

Mark Guishard, who heads the Risk Prediction Initiative at BIOS, was elected in June as a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, an organization of professionals and scientists dedicated to the understanding of weather and climate. He also received the designation Registered Meteorologist from the society’s chief executive Prof. Liz Bentley during their annual conference, held at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. “It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized by my peers in academia and the profession of meteorology,” he said. “This achievement comes from the support and encouragement of my family, teachers, employers, and mentors.” Guishard began his 20 years of work in atmospheric sciences with the Bermuda Weather Service in 1997, which he went on to direct for six years until 2012.

Many fields of science require, by their nature, a multidisciplinary approach. The field of catastrophic risk prediction—in which scientists combine information about forecasting, economics and both current and past climate conditions to help insurance companies deal with global unpredictability—is a perfect example. Mark Guishard, head of the Risk Prediction Initiative (RPI) at BIOS, appreciates the need for diverse expertise to address complex issues that cross international boundaries. Not only does he have a background that includes 15 years with the Bermuda Weather Service and time as a reinsurance analyst and risk modeler, he also mentored RPI interns this summer with three different academic careers and plans for the future.

BIOS’s Ocean Academy program has a new partner in delivering hands-on science education and learning opportunities to Bermuda’s students: The Chatmore Preparatory School.

Two years ago, after nearly 20 years of living and working in the reinsurance industry in Bermuda, Stephen Weinstein joined the BIOS board as a trustee. Passionate about the island, committed to business development, and keen to promote initiatives and solutions related to the global risk of climate change, he strives to combine these elements. BIOS, he said, is a key player.

BIOS’s Risk Prediction Initiative (RPI) is undertaking new research focused on hurricane risk specific to Bermuda, in addition to its traditional focus on global catastrophic risk.