Faculty Spotlight: George Bonner

As a young man, George Bonner listened with rapt attention as Coast Guardsmen and World War II veterans regaled him with stories of adventure and bravery on the high seas. Growing up on the water in Manteo (North Carolina) – swimming, boating, fishing, and crabbing – George dreamed of one day joining the Coast Guard himself.

Upon graduation from high school, he headed to North Carolina State University (NCSU). After a year, with his heart still set on joining the Coast Guard, he applied to the United States Coast Guard Academy. He was accepted and knew immediately he had found his niche. As his career in the Coast Guard progressed, he continued his education, earning a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a Graduate Studies Certificate in Coastal Engineering. He is a registered professional engineer in North Carolina and Virginia.

Fast-forward thirty years. Following a career of distinguished service, achieving the rank of captain and most recently serving as deputy director of operational logistics, George has retired. However, his retirement period will be short-lived. He has been appointed Director of the North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Program (NCROEP). The mission of the program is to bring together coastal, electrical, and industrial engineering disciplines for the research and development of technologies to harness energy (tides, waves, currents) from the ocean. Specifically, the program aims to investigate and develop technologies that enable the use of ocean energy resources in a responsible manner to cost-effectively supply a portion of the renewable energy needs of the state of North Carolina and to support the development of a workforce, serving as a catalyst for economic development of the State. George’s position will be located at NCSU in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering but he will be physically located at Coastal Studies Institute (CSI) on East Carolina University’s Outer Banks Campus on Roanoke Island.

“With rapidly expanding application of renewable ocean solutions to meet energy demands across the world, I’m excited with this role in advancing industry-leading research across the UNC System and promoting sustainable solutions to best serve our economy, national security, and environment.”

As director of the NCROEP, George will work with CSI’s executive director and the program’s technical advisory committee to implement the strategic plan and vision. He will be responsible for integrated research, education, training, and outreach and is excited about exploring ways to enhance collaboration and communication. He intends to push for advanced research – positioning the NCROEP to become a renewable energy research leader beyond the state of North Carolina.

George is equipped for the task, bringing the skills, character, and commitment to lead ingrained in him throughout his distinguished career. He anticipates engaging with the local and regional community to share research findings, to facilitate input, and increase understanding of the benefits and the challenges involved in alternative marine energy. He envisions advancing the concept of hydrokinetic energy by using similar methods that were successful in the promotion of wind energy. He is excited about ongoing research, particularly in the Gulf Stream, that may not only deliver power to the grid but could benefit services in niche markets, such as wastewater treatment plants. George looks forward to meeting and working with faculty, researchers, and teams from NCROEP’s partner universities (NCSU, NC A & T, and UNC Charlotte) and developing relationships with other stakeholders and agencies.

Minimization of greenhouse gases, reduced impact on environment, and a wide range of economic, health, and climate benefits are all byproducts of renewable energy technology. While George was assigned to duty stations on various islands, the detrimental effect of natural phenomena was evident. “Those communities struggled with the same coastal and natural ecosystem concerns we face here on the Outer Banks,” he says. The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, flooding, erosion, rising seas, and the consequences of human activity. Although his team successfully implemented risk reduction measures for coastal shoreline erosion in those communities, situations like these are widespread and illustrate the need to accelerate the development of ocean energy technologies to mitigate the effects of global climate change.

While stationed in Alaska, on Kodiak Island, a place of verdant forests and tundra and sparkling blue waterways, George had some surprise encounters – aside from the brown bear variety. He ran into former classmates from Manteo High School who were engaged in the area’s commercial salmon fishing industry; and while assigned to the Coast Guard station in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he came across fellow Outer Bankers who were sport fishing, joining the big game enthusiasts casting for mahi, wahoo, tuna, and tarpon. “Seeing familiar faces in those somewhat remote locations, makes you realize how small the world really is,” he says.

After a lifetime of being on the water, boating with his family remains one of George’s greatest pleasures, navigating the same bodies of water where he played and worked in his youth. Returning to his hometown of Manteo, he has come full circle.