Brian Woodall earned a PhD in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1990. He is currently Professor Emeritus in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His work in comparative institutional analysis has resulted in three books and dozens of journal articles; memberships, including Kobe University’s Board of Advisors; and various awards, including Fulbright Scholar, Japan Foundation Fellow, and Abe Fellow of the Social Science Research Council. He was decorated by the Government of Japan with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for his contributions to academic exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States. His research interests embrace a range of topics in the sustainability space, including coastal sustainability, disaster governance, megaregion sustainability, and sustainable energy security.