A familiar face returned to the WM classroom this past year: Derek Langhauser F82, longtime Moot Court judge, served as Visiting Professor of Marine Policy for the fall and spring classes. A Maine attorney with more than 35 years of experience—including stints as chief legal counsel to two governors, special counsel to a U.S. senator, and president of the Maine Community College System—Derek's Marine Policy class examined the laws and policies governing the complex factors, competing uses, development pressures and sustainability opportunities of ocean and coastal environments and populations. His classes had an in-depth look at the contemporary challenges facing our coastal zones and as they considered, "who decides?" in local, state, regional, and federal legal frameworks of decision-making.
Derek—and his dog Buddy—were regular hosts for WM students exploring complex legal and governance questions as part of their marine policy research. Kemble House, Derek's home away from Maine, was the heart of many late-night discussions about law, policy, government, sailing and life. During the fall and spring semesters, Derek welcomed several speakers to his class, including:
- The Honorable Margaret H. Marshall, Former Chief Justice of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who spoke on climate justice, advocacy and leadership;
- Dr. William J. Brennan, former head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere;
- The Honorable Susan L. Carney of the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals;
- Attorney Robert H. Mundheim of the Salzburg Global Seminar, a leading collaborative for models of international governance and leadership, including issues of sustainability. Mundheim may be best known for his work in 1981 configuring a complex series of international financial pressures that compelled Iran to release 52 American hostages held captive for 444 days.
Other speakers were ones well known to many WM alumni: Jonathan Labaree (S84 hon.) of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, spoke on fisheries management, while Director Emeritus Jim Carlton brought his expertise in marine invasives. And of course there was Moot Court, with expert prepping from the legal minds of Katy Robinson Hall S84 and Bridget Delaney-Hall F17.
Both classes had the wonderful opportunity to speak directly with Maine Governor Janet Mills on how her administration is working to protect Maine communities, businesses, and infrastructure from the impacts of extreme weather and climate change, but S25 had a special opportunity: a visit to the Augusta state house. There the S25 class had a tour, a lengthy meeting with Governor Mills, as well as with WM alumni on her staff: Jerry Reid F89, Chief Legal Counsel to the Governor; Meghan Suslovic F16, Offshore Wind Policy Analyst for the Governor’s Office of Energy; and Maggie Kelly-Boyd S17, Natural Resources Climate Policy Advisor, Office of Policy Innovation and Future.
Derek, when not serving as a visiting professor, lives in southern Maine with his family and pets, who all warmly welcomed S25 for a delicious home-cooked meal during the Maine field seminar (JUST at that moment in a field seminar when a warm, low-key home cooked meal is most needed!). Thank you for a tremendous year, Derek! You've left an indelible mark on your WM family, and we wish you a wonderful, breezy summer sailing on Maine waters before we see you again!
