Professor Ioannis Zisis Website

I am currently an Associate Professor (tenured) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Florida International University (Miami, USA). I am also the co-Director of the Wall of Wind (WOW) facility and a member of the International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) which is Florida’s official hurricane research center and formal liaison for NOAA’s Tropical Prediction Center and National Hurricane Center. The WOW facility is the only Category 5 Hurricane Simulator worldwide and is designated by National Science Foundation (NSF) as one of the eight National Experimental Facilities under the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) program. I am also serving as the PI and Site Director of the NSF-funded IUCRC for Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance (WHIP).

My research expertise is related to wind effects on built environment and more specifically Structural and Environmental Wind Engineering. During my academic career, I have been involved in several research projects and I have gained significant experience in small to full-scale testing as well as structural monitoring of instrumented buildings and civil infrastructure systems. Moreover, I have combined my expertise in experimental methods, with advanced analytical and numerical approaches that aim at the development and improvement of current design practices and resiliency to wind hazards. My natural hazards engineering background considers not only the structural aspect of wind-induced impacts on structures and infrastructure systems but the environmental implications and overall performance. Ultimately, my research is extrapolated to macro-scale level by considering the interaction of buildings and infrastructure elements in the context of modern urban centers that target sustainable and resilient functions in a changing climate.