1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Coastal Resilience Research and Education Act . 2. National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Resilience Research and Education (a) In general The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall designate public institutions of higher education as National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Resilience Research and Education (in this section referred to as National Centers of Excellence ). The Administrator shall make the first such designation by not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. (b) Purposes The purposes of such designation are the following: (1) To recognize institutions of higher education that have exhibited national leadership in research and education in coastal climate change adaptation and mitigation. (2) To identify such National Centers of Excellence as sources of expert advice and guidance for Federal agencies engaged in research and education related to coastal climate change resilience. (3) To formalize and enhance existing collaborations and partnerships between public institutions of higher education and Federal agencies, with the goal of ensuring information and recommendations are communicated effectively between such entities. (c) Criteria for designation The Administrator shall designate as a National Center of Excellence only a public institution of higher education that— (1) has demonstrated proven expertise in the physical, engineering, and environmental sciences, particularly research and education focused on the impacts of sea-level rise, coastal flooding, or shoreline erosion; (2) has demonstrated a commitment to understanding the socioeconomic impacts of climate change; (3) is located in a State that frequently experiences coastal flooding or shoreline erosion in connection with sea-level rise, severe coastal storms, or seawater intrusion into groundwater supplies