Hussam Mahmoud, a globally recognized expert on infrastructure resilience, has been named director of the recently launched Vanderbilt Center for Sustainability, Energy, and Climate (VSEC), part of the university’s multimillion-dollar research initiative, Discovery Vanderbilt.
In addition to his role as Director of VSEC, Mahmoud is the Craig E. Philip Endowed Chair and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the School of Engineering. He comes to Vanderbilt from Colorado State University.
Krish Roy, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of the School of Engineering and University Distinguished Professor, said Mahmoud was the right choice to lead VSEC in addressing the grand social and scientific challenges in ensuring a sustainable planet, especially in energy transformation and resilience, infrastructure reliability, and climate technologies.
“VSEC is a prime example of a research initiative designed to make a real-world impact as we seek to advance discovery and translation in socially and scientifically vital areas,” Roy said. “Hussam has the experience to lead this university-wide collaboration to ensure that our future generations, both globally and locally, inherit a world that is sustainable and resilient.”
Launched in April 2024, VSEC draws on Vanderbilt’s Dare-to-Grow mission and culture of radical collaboration to bring together experts in engineering, natural and physical sciences, economics, education, law, policy, and other disciplines in pursuit of making a positive, transformational impact on the health of the planet.
“I am honored to lead VSEC’s mission to engage with those on campus, as well as partners in our local and state communities, government, industry, national laboratories, and other research institutions, to bring about lasting solutions in energy transformation and sustainability,” Mahmoud said. “The issues we are confronting today require a wide array of expertise and viewpoints. VSEC is well-equipped to address those challenges.”
Some of the key issues VSEC will investigate include:
- Energy Transition, Resilience, and Integration
- Resource and Infrastructure Sustainability
- Climate Technologies and Adaptation
- Systems Risk, Reliability, and Resilience
Mahmoud takes over the position of Director from Hiba Baroud, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who led VSEC on an interim basis following its creation by a strategic planning committee that Baroud also co-led.
“Hussam brings a unique blend of scientific excellence and a strong commitment to societal impact, which aligns perfectly with the vision of VSEC,” said Baroud, who will continue as the Associate Director of VSEC. “I’m excited to welcome him to Vanderbilt.”
Craig Philip, research professor of civil and environmental engineering, and longtime president and CEO of Ingram Barge Company, said Vanderbilt has a great tradition of working across disciplines to examine pressing issues of energy transformation, infrastructure resilience, systems risk and climate adaptability.
“VSEC’s new leadership team is well-positioned to carry Vanderbilt’s momentum in this vital space well into the future, making a positive impact on students and society in equal measure,” said Philip, who led the university working group that established the framework for the VSEC.
About Hussam Mahmoud
Mahmoud is an international authority on infrastructure and community resilience and an advisor to the World Bank, the International Science Council, the United Nations, insurance companies, and other agencies on such topics. His recent work on predicting the vulnerability of the built environment to wildfire risk is set to provide a new paradigm for risk mitigation worldwide.
He received his BSc and MSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mahmoud is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Structural Engineering Institute, and is the recipient of various awards, including the American Institute of Steel Construction Early Faculty Career Award, the American Iron and Steel Institute Robert J. Dexter Memorial Lecture Award, and the Walter Scott Jr. College of Engineering George T. Abell Outstanding Early and Mid-Career Faculty Awards.
Mahmoud has authored over 300 publications and given over 180 presentations, including 140 invited talks at national and international conferences and workshops, distinguished lectures, and keynotes.