Conference to Focus on Flooding, Coastal Protection, Hurricane Preparedness

Vipu
Cumaraswamy "Vipu" Vipulanandan hosts an annual hurricane conference on the UH campus

Just as a tropical system heads toward the Gulf of Mexico, public officials, researchers and industry executives will meet Friday, Aug. 5, for the 8th annual conference sponsored by the Texas Hurricane Center for Innovative Technology at the University of Houston.

“Hurricanes, Major Disasters, Coastal Protection and Rapid Recovery in Texas and the Gulf Coast Region” will be 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Hilton University of Houston.

The conference is hosted by Cumaraswamy “Vipu” Vipulanandan, professor of civil engineering and director of the Texas Hurricane Center for Innovative Technology, which co-sponsors the conference along with the departments of civil and environmental engineering and industrial engineering.

Panel discussions will focus on recent flooding issues, coastal protection, emergency management, debris management, rapid recovery and new technologies, among other topics. Speakers include Michael Talbot, director of the Harris County Flood Control District; Charles Wemple, chief operations officer of the Houston-Galveston Area Council, Michael deMasi, chief emergency manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District; Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Department of Emergency Management; Pete Phillips, deputy director, Texas General Land Office; William Merrell and Leonard Waterworth of Texas A&M University-Galveston, discussing plans for the Ike Dike coastal protection system; Bruce Ebersole and Robert Whalin of Jackson State University, and Steve Chai of Louisiana State University.

For more information and a complete list of speakers and topics, see the brochure.

WHAT:                                     “Hurricanes, Major Disasters, Coastal Protection and Rapid Recovery in Texas and

                                                    the Gulf Coast Region,” annual conference on hurricane preparation and disaster

                                                    recovery.

WHEN:                                      8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5   

WHERE:                                   Hilton University of Houston on the UH campus. Parking available in the hotel

                                                    garage.

MEDIA CONTACT:                 Jeannie Kever, 713-743-0778, m – 713-504-3769. jekever@uh.edu