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Amanda Bowman
June 22, 2021
The university is partnering with four other institutions in a new collaboration dedicated to high-impact weather research as part of a five-year, $200 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Texas Tech University's atmospheric science program – an affiliate of the university's National Wind Institute (NWI) and part of the Department of Geosciences – is receiving a much deserved recognition. On June 15, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced it has selected Texas Tech to be part of its new Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CISHIWRO). CISHIWRO is funded by the five-year, $200 million NOAA grant.
Texas Tech is one of five institutions comprising CISHIWRO. The University of Oklahoma is hosting the cooperative with Howard University, Pennsylvania State University and the State University of New York at Albany also contributing. Each institution will receive various amounts of the $200 million.
“All these institutions are recognized for excellence in the field of atmospheric science, and this cooperative institute represents a formal path by which collaborative, high-impact research can be carried out to further the mission of NOAA to protect life and property from severe weather hazards,” said Christopher Weiss, a professor of atmospheric science and Texas Tech's lead investigator in CISHIWRO.
The goal of the research is to improve the fundamental understanding of severe weather hazards and develop techniques and products that can more effectively communicate these threats to the general population, Weiss said.
“Ultimately, these efforts will save lives and mitigate the damage done to property,” he explained.
Texas Tech will focus intensely on topics of mutual interest to the university and NOAA. The university's atmospheric science group brings a wealth of experience with severe weather observations and numerical modeling, expertise with the impacts of severe winds on built structures and growing capabilities with respect to understanding the socioeconomic dimension of these hazards.
Some of the weather-related expertise and instruments offered at Texas Tech include the Hurricane Research Team, West Texas Mesonet, Debris Impact Facility, VorTECH, Ka-band Mobile Doppler Radar Trucks and StickNet platforms. A group from NWI – formerly known as the National Wind Science and Engineering Research Center (WiSE) – also were responsible for creating the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Click here to learn more about Texas Tech's weather-related research.
tags: Academics, College of Arts and Sciences, Research, Stories, Vice President for Research, provost, wind
Texas Tech University
A new era of excellence is dawning at Texas Tech University as it stands on the cusp of being one of the nation's premier research institutions.
Research and enrollment numbers are at record levels, which cement Texas Tech's commitment to attracting and retaining quality students. In fall 2020, the university achieved a goal more than a decade in the making, reaching a total student population of more than 40,000. In 2018, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education againplaced Texas Tech among its top doctoral universitiesin the nation in the “Very High Research Activity” category. Texas Tech is one of 94 public institutions nationally and 131 overall to achieve this prestigious recognition.
Quality students need top-notch faculty. Texas Tech is home to a diverse, highly revered pool of educators who excel in teaching, research and service. The university strives to foster an environment that celebrates student accomplishment above all else.Texas Tech is large enough to provide the best in facilities and academics but prides itself on being able to focus on each student individually.
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Arts & Sciences
The Texas Tech University College of Arts & Sciences was founded in 1925 as one of the university's four original colleges.
Comprised of 16 departments and more than 400 tenured faculty members, the College offers a wide variety of courses and programs in the humanities, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics and natural sciences. Students can choose from 41 bachelor's degree programs, 34 master's degrees and 14 doctoral programs.
With just under 11,000 students enrolled, the College of Arts & Sciences is the largest college on the Texas Tech University campus.
National Wind Institute
National Wind Institute (NWI) is world-renowned for conducting innovative research in the areas of wind energy, wind hazard mitigation, wind-induced damage, severe storms and wind-related economics.
NWI is also home to world-class researchers with expertise in numerous academic fields such as atmospheric science, civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, mathematics and economics, and NWI was the first in the nation to offer a doctorate in Wind Science and Engineering, and a Bachelor of Science in Wind Energy.
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The Office of Research and Innovation is tasked with facilitating excellence in research, scholarship and creative activity for Texas Tech students, faculty and staff. The office promotes an academicenvironment embracing creativity, curiosity, innovation, diversity, ethics and integrity.
Among other programs, the OR&I supports responsible and safe conduct ofresearch, faculty development and recognition, interdisciplinary collaborations, externally sponsored research, partnerships withindustry and community stakeholders, international research collaboration and the application of research for the benefit of society. The OR&I promotes a culture of creative expression, discovery, innovation and collaboration with the goal of advancing Texas Tech's status as an elite national research university.
