DISASTER MITIGATION 27

Wall of Wind, a part of the Extreme Events Institute led by Richard Olson, is one of only eight National Science Foundation-supported experimental facilities in the U.S. and the only university research lab capable of simulating Category 5 hurricane winds of up to 157 mph. It is used to test construction materials to enable better performancebased design and safer building codes.

The Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center (ABC-UTC) was recently awarded its third round of funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Under the leadership of Director Atorod Azizinamini, ABC-UTC seeks to reduce the societal costs of bridge construction by reducing the duration of work zones, focusing attention on preservation, service life, construction costs, education of the profession, and the development of a next generation workforce fully equipped with ABC knowledge.

A multidisciplinary team of experts led by professors from the College of Business developed the Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model, used to assess Florida’s hurricane risk in order to regulate windstorm insurance rates and determine fair pricing. Operated by FIU and funded by the Florida Legislature, the model also evaluates the solubility of individual insurance companies and quantifies the economic benefits of mitigation efforts.

The Sea Level Solutions Center engages in local to global solutions-oriented research, education, strategic thinking, communications and outreach by organizing top scientists, educators, students, municipal leaders and policymakers to produce an accurate understanding of impacts of sea level rise and climate change for human and natural environments