The FIU Wall of Wind™ (WOW) ended the year with a wow as the team has just completed a very successful first Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting. The meeting, which began with opening remarks from Amir Mirmiran, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Engineering and Computing at FIU, was attended by all six TAC members, who are recognized professionals and experts in their field with extensive knowledge and experience relevant to the research capabilities of the Wall of Wind™ and its research team.

The TAC members, which includes: Melanie Bragdon, P.E., Florida Power & Light; Bill Coulbourne, P.E., Applied Technology Council; Jaime Gascon, P.E., Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources; Gregory Kopp, Ph.D., The University of Western Ontario; John Knezevich Consulting, LLC; and Tim Smail, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, advised FIU IHRC/CEE faculty and staff on the technical issues faced by building authorities, officials responsible for infrastructure, and designers.                                                       They assisted the Wall of Wind™ Team in prioritizing areas of research and developing strategies for obtaining the necessary research funding. Throughout the meeting numerous items were discussed including: development of fundamental knowledge in wind engineering, improved provisions in codes and standards, and improved testing protocols for products and systems.