Purdue University and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission have entered into a collaborative research agreement with the mutual desire to cooperate in the field of hybrid cyber-physical testing, resilience of buildings and civil infrastructures for natural hazards, online repositories of research data, and efficient use of research infrastructure at international level.

The JRC is the in-house science service of the European Commission and provides EU policies with independent, evidence-based scientific and technical support throughout the whole policy cycle. Specifically its Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) in Ispra Italy, the JRC conducts research in the field of risk mitigation of natural and man-made hazards. The IPSC is a research center whose mission is to support the cooperative research in the field of resilience of buildings and civil infrastructures for risk mitigation of natural and man-made hazards.

Purdue and the JRC have agreed to establish a steering group to coordinate research work under this agreement and have designated a coordinator for the JRC, Artur Pinto, ELSA UNIT of the ISPC, and the coordinator for Purdue is Professor Julio Ramirez of the Lyles School of Civil Engineering. The steering group is to have its first meeting this year (around June 2016) to discuss the implementation of this agreement.

Through the joint efforts of Purdue and the JRC, new approaches can be identified and developed in the areas of seismic resilience of the built environment and hybrid testing, thus working to the mutual benefit of both organizations in the achievements of their objectives.

This agreement has been executed by Stephan Lechner, Director of the Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen of the Joint Research Centre and by Ken L. Sandel, Senior Director of Sponsored Program Services of Purdue University on January 25, 2016.