Wind Research Group
National Wind Institute
Zhen Cong, Ph.D.
Associate 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.
Contact
806-834-8082
zhen.cong@ttu.edu
Changzhi Li, Ph.D.
Associate 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.
Contact
806-834-8682
changzhi.li@ttu.edu
Daan Liang, Ph.D. P.E.
Professor 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.
Contact
806-834-0383
daan.liang@ttu.edu
Kishor Mehta, Ph.D.
P. 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.
Contact
806-834-5679
kishor.mehta@ttu.edu
John L. Schroeder, Ph.D.
Professor 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.
Contact
806-834-5678
john.schroeder@ttu.edu
Douglas A. Smith, Ph.D., P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE
Associate 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
Associate 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.
Contact
806-834-1990
andy.swift@ttu.edu
Larry Tanner
Manager, 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).
Contact
806-834-2320
larry.tanner@ttu.edu