A Purdue team led by civil engineering professor Julio Ramirez will direct the Network Coordination Office (NCO) for the National Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) effort by engineers and scientists to investigate methods for rendering our civil infrastructure safer and making our communities more resilient.

Other Purdue researchers on the NCO team are Antonio Bobet, professor of civil engineering, who brings extensive geotechnical engineering expertise; and David R. Johnson, assistant professor with joint appointments in industrial engineering and political science. Johnson has experience in interdisciplinary methods and cutting-edge scientific research to inform policymaking and social science research.

Johnson will be the network’s leader for social science research and policy outreach. While the NHERI network is focused on engineering research, he will ensure that, to the extent possible, the research is relevant and responsive to the needs of the social science community and policy makers. The researchers will help NSF to guide its agenda around natural hazards engineering research over the next five years.