Academic and Training Program Hub

The Puerto Rico Research Hub is the center of activities dedicated to the study of Puerto Ricans at the University of Central Florida. The purpose of the Research Hub is to investigate, disseminate knowledge and promote creative solutions to pressing issues affecting the Puerto Rican population, its diaspora, and surrounding communities. The Hub continues to position itself as the gateway for research for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Urban Resilience Initiative (URI) is an interdisciplinary collaborative effort designed to examine the stresses and strains placed upon urban environments to determine best practices and processes to strengthen community resilience, specifically in Central Florida. Developed in fall 2019, URI is co-led by Dr. Naim Kapucu and Dr. Gurt Ge, faculty members in the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida. Based in the College of Community Innovation and Education, the School of Public Administration supports and educates students and professionals dedicated to careers in public service.The goal of the initiative is to create a network of coalitions and collaborations among academic researchers, community partners and stakeholders that strengthen community resilience in Central Florida. URI aims to be a reference of community-and-partnership-driven urban resilience for other urban regions across the world, helping to strengthen the capacity of cities in anticipating and managing risks induced by natural and human-made disasters. We are a research network and enterprise that brings together community partners and academic researchers from social science, science, and engineering.

The NHERI Wall of Wind (WOW) Experimental Facility (EF) at Florida International University (FIU) was funded by NSF to be a national facility that enables researchers to better understand wind effects on civil infrastructure systems and to prevent wind hazards from becoming community disasters.The NHERI WOW EF is powered by a combined 12-fan system capable of repeatable testing in up to 157 mph wind speeds through its flow management system. The unique advantage of the NHERI WOW EF is multi-scale (full-scale to ~1:50) and high Reynolds number simulation of the effects of wind and wind-driven rain. This is accomplished using the twelve fans and a water spray system.In addition, the 16,000 sqft. fenced-off secure area enables researchers to plan and perform destructive tests for up to Category 5 Hurricane wind speeds. The NHERI WOW EF uses a wide range of equipment, instrumentation, and experimental simulation protocols, as well as a distinguished group of faculty, staff, and a well-trained team comprised of technical and operations personnel that allow for the delivery of world-class research.

Hurricanes continue to threaten our cities, our economy and our lives. At the International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC), we are poised to advance solutions and lessen the dangers through advancements in science, technology and product development.The IHRC is a multi-disciplinary research and education organization focused on a single mission: to reduce hurricane damage and loss of life through more effective mitigation. In 1996 the Florida Board of Regents created the IHRC at Florida International University (FIU) through a public-private partnership between the We Will Rebuild Foundation, (an organization formed to spearhead the rebuilding of Miami-Dade County after Hurricane Andrew), and the University.As a University entity, the IHRC conducts both basic and applied research. The IHRC research tries to answer fundamental questions in order to reduce the hurricane threat. The Center’s current studies involve such areas as: household mitigation and evacuation; storm hazard and vulnerability mapping, long-term community recovery; and economic loss modeling. In the past, organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA), the Florida Office of Insurance (OIR), and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM), have supported these investigations. The IHRC also collaborates actively with the National Hurricane Center (NHC), co-located on the FIU University Park Campus in West Miami-Dade.

In collaboration with local and international partners, our efforts have led to expanded protections for endangered species; improved sanitation and access to clean water; increased community resilience across the globe; and adaptive management of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine resources. We are addressing both current and unprecedented future threats of environmental change, providing sustainable, data-driven solutions to society's greatest and most urgent challenges.

in 2012 FIU created an Extreme Events Institute to be both multi-hazard and transdisciplinary in its approach to understanding emergencies, disasters, and catastrophes. In practice this means researchers co-located or at least “rubbing shoulders” on a daily to weekly basis from engineering, the earth and atmospheric sciences, public health, business administration, computer science, economics, political science, and others. This EEI configuration – a broad conceptual tent as it were – has enabled a flexible team-building approach to research on hazards, exposures, vulnerabilities, and risk. The result has been more than $14.5 million in external funding received or awarded over the last three years as well as significant media coverage, especially in the lead-up to, and aftermath of, damaging natural hazard events.EEI was fortunate to be able to include in its structure FIU’s existing International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC). The IHRC was born out of the August 1992 Category 5 Hurricane Andrew experience, which revealed how exposure increases coupled with physical, social, and economic vulnerabilities made the storm a disaster for south Florida but a true catastrophe for the southern portions of Miami-Dade County. As it was, Hurricane Andrew imprinted hazard awareness into the institutional culture of Florida International University, which was significantly damaged by the storm, and laid the groundwork for a major extreme events research program.

The Undergraduate Certificate in Introductory Fire Officer Development comprises the four courses the Florida Fire College requires of firefighters wishing to promote to the level of lieutenant. Each of these courses not only provide academic credit towards the FIU certificate but are also sent to Florida Fire College to be used to meet industry standards for promotional practices.

The Master of Arts in Disaster Management is an innovative, accelerated program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in the field of disaster management. This intensive one-year program encompasses ten core courses, seamlessly integrating theoretical knowledge and practical application. Its curriculum is distinguished by its comprehensive approach, combining insights from both domestic and international disaster management strategies. Upon completing the program, graduates are well-prepared to tackle the challenges associated with disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.