RIDER Center

Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response (RIDER) Center is a multi-disciplinary research center

10/02/2026

Earlier this month, RIDER and R-SEAT joined the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering E.D.G.E. Involvement Fair

The event gave us an opportunity to connect with engineering students, share more about the research happening across our centers, and introduce ways students can learn about and engage with ongoing work in resilient infrastructure and transportation.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our tables, explored our research, and connected with our team!

09/30/2026

At busy marine container terminals, multiple ships may need service while docking space, time, and resources are limited. Researchers developed an optimization approach designed to help determine where and when ships should be serviced while accounting for the complex demands of terminal operations.

The study found that the proposed approach could solve large scheduling scenarios involving more than 260 vessels in under two hours while generating high-quality schedules.

The research was conducted by Bokang Li, Fatemeh Shekoohi, Payam Afkhami Kheyrabadi , Amir M. Fathollahi-Fard, Yui-Yip Lau, and Maxim Dulebenets, Ph.D., P.E. and published in IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems.

Read the full research article on IEEE Xplore: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/11503226

09/14/2026

RIDER researchers recently visited the Springhill Landfill as part of the Center's ongoing work related to landfill methane emissions and environmental monitoring.

Field visits provide an important opportunity for researchers to observe site conditions firsthand and better understand the environments where emissions are measured. These experiences complement RIDER's work developing and applying tools for methane monitoring, data collection, and analysis.

09/11/2026

Meet Dr. Mauricio Silva Aguilera, Postdoctoral Researcher at the RIDER Center.

Working with Dr. Tarek Abichou in the MERI Lab (Methane Emissions Reduction Initiative Laboratory), Dr. Silva Aguilera focuses on measuring and understanding methane emissions in the field, where emissions are rarely as simple as they look on paper. His background includes tracking methane along the Gulf Coast from both natural seeps and offshore oil and gas sources. At the RIDER Center, his research has focused on methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills.

Over the past several years, he has become one of the Center’s most experienced field researchers in tracer correlation measurements. His work has taken him across the country—from California to Maine and Michigan, as well as throughout the Southeast—collecting data under a wide range of landfill and weather conditions.

These field campaigns are helping build a clearer picture of how and why methane emissions vary from place to place while advancing how emissions are measured, interpreted, and ultimately reduced.

09/09/2026

A new study examining Apalachicola Bay found that riverine nutrient load—the amount of nutrients carried into the bay by rivers—was the dominant driver of estuarine nutrient dynamics. The research also found that freshwater inflow alone does not always provide an accurate picture of nutrient conditions, particularly during low-flow periods.

Using 19 years of data, researchers examined the relationships among freshwater inflow, nutrient loads, and salinity to better understand how upstream environmental changes influence downstream coastal ecosystems.

The study was conducted by Sumon Hossain Rabby, Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf, Megan Lamb, Mark Rains, and Jason Garwood and published in the Journal of Contaminant Hydrology.

Research by Ph.D. candidate Sumon Hossain Rabby and faculty Dr. Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf at RIDER Center was supported by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Read the research: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169772226002160?via%3Dihub

09/02/2026

Meet Dr. Michael Elwardany, Ph.D., P.E., whose research is helping advance more durable and resilient transportation infrastructure.

At the PRISM Lab, Dr. Elwardany studies how pavement materials perform and change over time, including how roads respond to flooding, hurricanes, moisture, aging, and other demanding conditions. His work connects materials science and laboratory research with practical solutions for transportation agencies and industry.

In our latest RIDER interview, Dr. Elwardany shares more about his path into pavement engineering, current research, student mentorship, and commitment to connecting research with the transportation industry.

Read the full interview: https://rider.eng.famu.fsu.edu/article/interview-dr-michael-elwardany

FAMU FSU College of Engineering

08/28/2026

Up and coming leaders in the asphalt industry, as well as established leaders seeking to expand their knowledge: the Future Leaders in Asphalt (FLA) program was designed for you. There’s still time to apply for the program. The application deadline has been extended through September 30, 2026.

FLA is a 12-month hybrid program designed for emerging and established asphalt professionals looking to strengthen their technical knowledge, develop leadership skills, and gain real-world industry experience. Participants will take part in Advanced Asphalt Technology coursework, industry site visits, leadership webinars, and a capstone project.

The program is open to professionals across the asphalt industry, with 2+ years of asphalt experience recommended.

Apply by September 30: https://fsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3WMGmBEI9Qgy6bA?Q_CHL=qr

Learn more about the program, curriculum, and requirements: https://rider.eng.famu.fsu.edu/article/future-leaders-asphalt-fla-program

08/26/2026

Coordinating incoming and outgoing trucks at cross-docking facilities is a complex scheduling challenge. New research explores how adaptive optimization can help create more effective truck schedules while accounting for the many moving parts involved in freight operations.

The researchers developed an algorithm that learns which scheduling strategies perform best as it searches for solutions. In computational testing, the proposed method produced improvements of up to approximately 24% in solution quality compared with other optimization approaches tested.

The study was authored by Bokang Li, Marta Borowska-Stefańska, Szymon Wiśniewski, Qianwen Guo, Yui-yip Lau, and Maxim A. Dulebenets

Read the publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2210650226002221

08/19/2026

What happens when turbulent winds meet a building’s roof?

New research examines how the size of turbulent wind patterns can influence the pressures experienced by low-rise buildings. Using wind tunnel testing, researchers found that under some cornering wind conditions, larger-scale turbulence increased peak roof pressures by up to 33%.

The study by Pedro L. Fernández-Cabán, Ph.D., Nasreldin Mokhtar , P.E, Sifat R. Khan and Ryan A. Catarelli, Ph.D. provides insight into how extreme wind forces interact with roofs and building components—knowledge that can support the evaluation and design of more wind-resilient infrastructure.

Read the full publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016761052600245X?via%3Dihub

08/17/2026

Virtual reality is opening new possibilities for engineering research and education by creating immersive, interactive experiences that bring complex concepts to life.

At the RIDER Center, researchers are exploring how virtual environments can support hands-on learning, technical skill development, and new approaches to engineering education.

One example is Virtual Reality for Immersive and Interactive Surveying Education (VRISE), a research project that allows students to practice ground-based and aerial surveying tasks in an immersive virtual environment. The platform provides opportunities for repeatable practice and real-time feedback while helping students develop technical skills in a controlled setting.

VRISE was developed by Daniel Udekwe, Eren Erman Ozguven, Ren Moses, Qianwen (Vivian) Guo and Dimitrios Bolkas as an immersive approach to surveying education.

Research like VRISE demonstrates how immersive technologies can enhance engineering education and prepare students with practical, real-world skills.

Address

2035 E. Paul Dirac Drive
Tallahassee, FL
32310

Website

https://linktr.ee/goteamrider

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when RIDER Center posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to RIDER Center:

Want your business to be the top-listed engineering company in Tallahassee?