Florida State University’s Resilient Infrastructure & Disaster Response (RIDER) Center is focusing on improving community resilience to hurricanes and other natural disasters. Eren Erman Ozguven, associate professor at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and director of the RIDER Center, discussed the center’s efforts to address disaster preparedness and recovery.
Ozguven said, “My research tries to answer the question: ‘How can we develop new, community-engaged analytical approaches for addressing complex disaster resilience problems that consider population density, environment and infrastructure, as well as compounding disasters such as hurricanes, pandemics and wildfires?’”
He explained that Florida’s vulnerability to natural disasters makes it an important location for studying resilience. The research conducted at RIDER aims to improve emergency response operations in both urban and rural areas, influencing disaster management plans in Florida and beyond. Ozguven noted that involving students in this work helps develop a multidisciplinary workforce prepared for future challenges.
“I have built a collaborative research and education program that strives to address growing mobility, safety, accessibility, sustainability and resilience challenges facing communities. Through RIDER, I’ve formed partnerships with researchers in psychology, sociology, public policy, communications, urban and regional planning, geography, computer science, agriculture, medicine, social work, fine arts, history, interior design, oceanography and several engineering fields. Together, we work on projects that strengthen disaster resilience and inform targeted policies and plans,” Ozguven said.
On the role of engineers in emergency situations, Ozguven stated that technologies developed by engineers help track hurricanes and tornadoes, which impact millions of people and cause significant infrastructure damage. He cited Hurricanes Michael and Irma as examples of storms that caused major disruptions in Florida. His team uses GIS-based spatial and statistical analysis to study the effects of hurricane-related road closures, considering factors such as power outages and flood zones. By analyzing satellite images, they develop models to improve transportation network resilience and inform emergency planning.
Ozguven described the RIDER Center’s resources as critical to their research. “Our team at RIDER conducts research that has a real-world impact on communities facing challenges in the aftermath of a crisis, from hurricanes to pandemics. We take an interdisciplinary approach that combines technology, data and new methods for infrastructure management, economic efficiency and environmental protection,” he said. The center also provides tools like driving simulations and virtual reality for research and experimentation.
RIDER collaborates with local governments, state agencies, and community partners to improve disaster response strategies. Ozguven highlighted the center’s faculty researchers and labs focused on areas such as resilient structures, road improvements, hurricane debris recycling, supply chain management, water infrastructure, and methane emission reduction. He noted that the center recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education program, bringing together experts from various fields to provide science-based tools for wildfire response.
In the classroom, Ozguven integrates his research experience into teaching. “I believe real-life experience and research enhance learning. While I make sure students understand the theory behind engineering concepts, I also encourage them to think about real-world applications and use technology like geographical information systems and artificial intelligence tools. I often collaborate with local stakeholders and invite them to speak in class. We focus on community problems such as preparation and response and encourage students to think critically and develop creative solutions,” he said.
