FIU Extreme Events Institute Informal Weather Education Outreach

The Extreme Events Institute’s (EEI) International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida has developed several museum exhibits and events with funding from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM). This includes the hands-on Wall of Wind exhibit for the National Building Museum in Washington, DC, the Frost Science Museum in Miami, Florida, and the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The exhibit teaches the public about hurricane wind engineering research, enhanced building codes, and the importance of protecting your home’s windows and doors with code-approved shutters. The Wall of Wind is the largest and most powerful university research facility of its kind and is capable of simulating a Category 5 hurricane. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has designated the Wall of Wind as one of the nation’s major “Experimental Facilities” under the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) program. EEI-IHRC also partner with StormZone, a school-based multi-disciplinary STEM science and social studies education program that teaches students about natural hazards and how local emergency management helps their community before, during and after a severe weather event. Students assume the roles of county agencies and elected officials and do a live exercise in a real emergency operations center in response to a threatening hurricane or major flood. EEI-IHRC also participated with local NBC 6 at STEAM Day at Marlins Park in Miami. Students from South Florida schools came to the ballpark to learn weather education and safety through unique live demonstrations and activities.