Energetic scales in a bluff body shear layer

Multivariate simulation for assessing the joint wind and ice hazard in the United States

Transitional Shear Layers on Rectangular Sections: IN-VENTO 2018

Rensselaer is America’s oldest technological research university, offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences, information technology and web science, architecture, management, and the humanities, arts, and social sciences.

The university offers degrees from five schools: Engineering; Science; Architecture; Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences; and the Lally School of Management; as well as an interdisciplinary degree in Information Technology and Web Science.

Rensselaer offers more than 145 programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Students are encouraged to work in interdisciplinary programs that allow them to combine scholarly work from several departments or schools. The university provides rigorous, engaging, interactive learning environments and campus-wide opportunities for leadership, collaboration, and creativity.

Driven by talented, dedicated, and forward-thinking faculty, Rensselaer has dramatically expanded the research enterprise by leveraging our existing strengths and focusing on five signature research areas: biotechnology and the life sciences; energy and the environment; computational science and engineering; nanotechnology and advanced materials; and media, arts, science, and technology.

The Institute is especially well-known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that new discoveries and inventions benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Christopher Letchford is a global expert in wind engineering and bluff-body aerodynamics. His many research projects have included wind power siting studies, studying how wind and ocean waves interact, and investigating the long-term impacts of climate change on infrastructure, transportation, and energy production. Letchford's research interests have also focused on wind loads on structures, vortex-induced vibrations, wind climatology, and debris flight mechanics. 

Letchford joined Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2011 as the head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Before that he served as professor and head of the School of Engineering at the University of Tasmania, Australia; a professor, senior associate dean, and associate director of the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University; and a faculty member at the University of Queensland in Australia. Before his career in academia, Letchford was a structural engineer. 

He is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a fellow of the Structural Engineering Institute, a fellow of the Institution of Engineers in Australia, past chair of the American Association for Wind Engineering and the Australasian Wind Engineering Society, a member of ASCE 7 Wind Load subcommittee and ASCE 49 Wind Tunnel Testing committee, and is a Chartered Professional Engineer.

Wind Climatology

Wind-Structure Interaction

Environmental Wind Flows

Bluff-Body Aerodynamics

Climate Impacts on Wind Loads

Faculty Profile Page

Research Gate

Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Page

London Is Changing Its Skyscraper Designs—to Favor Cyclists

'Expertise Project' aims to bridge gap between schoolwork, workplace skills

Hurricane Scientists Aren’t Afraid to Make Eye Contact

rensselaer-experts-available-to-discuss-federal-infrastructure-proposal

Professor & Department Head, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Director, Center for Infrastructure, Transportation, and the Environment (CITE) & William H. Hart Chair Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Urban Logistics and Freight Transportation

Impacts of Ecommerce

Sustainable Freight Transportation

Disaster Response Logistics

Transportation Planning

Management of Panic Buying

Associate Professor, Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering

Electric Power Engineering

Modeling and Simulation of Cyber-Physical Systems

Electrified Systems

Power Systems, Power Grid

Real-Time Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation, CHIL, PHIL

Synchrophasor Measurements, PMU, Synchrophasor Technologies

VTOL, Electrified Aircraft, Electrified Transportation

System Identification

Professor of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering

Energy Storage

Batteries

Nanostructured Materials

Nano-Composites

Nano-Coatings

Federal lawmakers are discussing sweeping infrastructure improvements to transportation, manufacturing, and digital infrastructure, among other projects. 

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the country’s first technological research university, are leaders in improving the sustainability, safety, and performance of transportation systems, energy systems, and wireless networks, among other areas. Experts in civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering are available to discuss what impact large-scale infrastructure projects could have on a multitude of systems that impact people across the country.

Improving Transportation and Freight Systems: José Holguín-Veras, the director of the Center for Infrastructure, Transportation, and the Environment at Rensselaer, and Cara Wang, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rensselaer, are leading experts on the role of infrastructure on freight systems and transportation, and the environmental impacts of both. Their research focuses on improving transportation and freight systems in order to increase efficiency, reduce traffic congestion and, in turn, reduce vehicle emissions. Professors Holguín-Veras and Wang are available to discuss the ways in which improved roads, bridges, railways, and ports could affect shipping and delivery of goods, congestion in cities, and emissions in the environment. They can also discuss what their research has uncovered that could guide policymakers as new projects are planned.

Expanding Broadband: Alhussein Abouzeid, a professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering, is an expert in networked systems, the smart grid, and the Internet of Things. Some of his research focuses on modeling wireless networks, as well as wireless spectrum and policies to optimize its use. Koushik Kar, also a professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering, researches communication networks, particularly modeling, analysis, and optimization of the internet and wireless networks. Both researchers are available to discuss the ways in which digital infrastructure can meet future needs.   

Next-Generation Manufacturing: Part of the President’s infrastructure plan would allocate $300 billion to manufacturing. Next-generation manufacturing is a central area of expertise at Rensselaer, with the Institute’s Manufacturing Innovation Center and the Rensselaer Manufacturing Innovation Learning Lab. Faculty and staff from both state-of-the-art centers, including John Wen, the head of the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, who is an expert in robotics, are available to discuss the role that Rensselaer research plays in preparing the manufacturing sector for the nation’s current and future needs.

Upgrading Electric Grid, Investing in Clean Energy: Joe Chow, Jian Sun, and Luigi Vanfretti, all professors in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, hold extensive expertise in modeling, monitoring, and optimizing the electric power grid. Their work will be integral to the development of a cleaner, more resilient power grid, especially as clean energy sources are increasingly integrated. Christopher Letchford, the head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is a global expert in wind engineering. His expertise includes wind power modeling, wind climatology, and the impacts of climate change on infrastructure, transportation, and energy production. Each of these experts is available to discuss the importance of upgrading the nation’s electric grid, and the move toward clean and renewable energy.

Boosting Electric Vehicle Numbers: Part of President Biden’s plan focuses on increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road. A key component of improved and more cost-efficient electric vehicles is greener, cheaper, more efficient, and longer-lasting batteries. Nikhil Koratkar, an endowed chair professor of mechanical engineering, is a leading expert in energy storage technologies. He has dedicated his research to improving the batteries that society already uses, while also developing batteries of the future. He can discuss current battery technology and how advancements in energy storage research could help put more electric vehicles on United States roads.

Upgrading Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Systems: Chip Kilduff, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is an expert in managing water quality and water treatment. He has a particular focus on water treatment approaches like membrane and adsorption-separation processes. Kilduff is available to discuss the importance of upgrading water and wastewater systems and what his research has uncovered about the best methods for managing water quality.   

   


Rensselaer Experts Available To Discuss Federal Infrastructure Proposal

how-can-structures-resist-the-damaging-power-of-wind-during-hurricane-season

Experts are forecasting an active hurricane season, which has the potential to wreak havoc on communities if they are not adequately prepared.

Chris Letchford, an expert in wind engineering and the head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, studies how wind and ocean waves interact and how structures withstand wind.  Letchford is available to speak about the destructive power of extreme wind and how structures can be built or augmented to mitigate damage. 

How Can Structures Resist the Damaging Power of Wind During Hurricane Season?

Civil engineering expert Chris Letchford discusses the legacy of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).

EP - The Legacy of RPI - Chris Letchford - Civil Engineering - Expertise Project

Select Inquiry Type