Texas Tech University

Wind Research Group

debris cannon

National Wind Institute

Institute Website

 

Zhen Cong, Ph.D.

zhen congAssociate Professor, Human Development and Family Studies

Expertise
The focus of Dr. Cong's research is to bridge current theories on wind disaster responses and resilience with theories of gerontology, focus on family dynamics that contextualize individual's interactions with broader social environment, and use systemic sciences methods to examine how individual decision-making results in collective patterns, as well as the dynamic interactions of multilevel factors in affecting the impact especially the social and health impact of disasters. Her research on tornadoes and hurricanes is funded by the NSF.

Full Biography

Contact
806-834-8082
zhen.cong@ttu.edu

 

Changzhi Li, Ph.D.

changzhi liAssociate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Expertise
Dr. Li's research interest is wireless sensors. He has been developing ultra-low-cost sensors for water level monitoring before/during/after hurricane, and wireless sensors for structural health monitoring in response to wind impact.

Full Biography

Contact
806-834-8682
changzhi.li@ttu.edu

 

Daan Liang, Ph.D. P.E.

daan liangProfessor of Construction Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering

Expertise
Dr. Liang's research expertise includes windstorm damage evaluation, as well as risk assessment and mitigation.

Full Biography

Contact
806-834-0383
daan.liang@ttu.edu

 

Kishor Mehta, Ph.D.

kishor mehtaP. W. Horn Professor of Civil Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering

Expertise
His expertise is in assessment of impact of wind on buildings and structures as well as design for extreme winds. He has conducted extensive building damage documentation in major tornadoes as well as in Hurricane Frederic in 1979 and Andrew in 1992. He is founding member of the Texas Tech wind program in 1970. He developed Ph.D. degree curriculum in Wind Science and Engineering.

Full Biography

Contact
806-834-5679
kishor.mehta@ttu.edu

 

John L. Schroeder, Ph.D.

john schroederProfessor of Atmospheric Science, Department of Geosciences

Expertise
Dr. Schroeder is a Professor of Atmospheric Science in the Department of Geosciences at Texas Tech University and served as the founding Director of the National Wind Institute (NWI) from 2010 to 2014. He has developed a nationally recognized research program focused on the measurement and characterization of hurricane and thunderstorm low-level wind fields, created a unique suite of atmospheric observing technologies (e.g. West Texas Mesonet, StickNet, TTUKa radars, etc.), pioneered the usage of radar measurements to examine microscale flow structures, and executed numerous atmospheric field campaigns. Dr. Schroeder has successfully published numerous peer-reviewed papers and spoken at conferences across the world on topics related to atmospheric measurements and boundary layer structure.

Full Biography

Contact
806-834-5678
john.schroeder@ttu.edu

 

Douglas A. Smith, Ph.D., P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE

Douglas SmithAssociate Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental & Construction Engineering

Expertise
Dr. Smith has conducted windstorm damage investigations and serves on the ASCE 7 wind Loads Subcommittee that develops wind loads for the national standard "Wind Loads on Buildings and Other Structures". He serves on the expert panel that developed the methodology for predicting wind-induced damage to buildings destroyed by hurricane induced surge for the Texas Department of Insurance and is currently being implemented by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association.

Contact
806-834-6179
doug.smith@ttu.edu

 

Andrew Swift

andrew swiftAssociate Director, National Wind Institute (NWI)
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Expertise
Dr. Swift's expertise includes grid resiliency, research and education. Our education program at NWI has a focus on power grid integration of renewables as well as critical infrastructure and grid resiliency. We offer courses on these topics and our faculty do research in micro-grid applications, to include wind, solar, batteries, and other grid related topics.

Full Biography

Contact
806-834-1990
andy.swift@ttu.edu

 

Larry Tanner

larry tannerManager, TTU NWI Debris Impact Facility

Expertise
Mr. Tanner has been the Manager of TTU NWI Debris Impact Facility (DIF) for 19 years, performing work for national, international clients and individual tests doing tornado and hurricane shelter research and testing. The most recent research was the Pressure and Impact Performance of Non-complying Tornado Shelter Doors. The DIF is a multi-investigative laboratory. Some of those tasks included debris impact testing for shelter manufacturers, commercial door impact and pressure testing, hail impact testing, product development for worldwide businesses and researchers, and documentation of windstorm damage utilizing Drone's or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's).

Full Biography

Contact
806-834-2320
larry.tanner@ttu.edu

 

 

 

 

 

Hurricane Resilience Research Institute