Power Resilience in an Era of Extreme Events - Dr. Alice Alipour | DSAEC Distinguished Lecture

Extreme wind events represent one of the dominant drivers of power grid disruptions worldwide, frequently initiating physical failures of overhead line components and triggering cascading outages across interconnected systems. Assessing the resilience of electric power infrastructure to such hazards requires understanding the coupled behavior of structural components, power lines, and the broader network dynamics that govern power system operation. This talk explores how extreme wind events impact electric power grids and contribute to widespread outages. It introduces a multi-scale, mechanics-based framework that combines structural modeling, probabilistic risk assessment, and power system analysis to evaluate grid resilience under severe weather conditions. By linking component-level failures to network-wide impacts, the research provides insights into how disruptions propagate through power systems and affect overall reliability. The talk also highlights emerging opportunities to integrate physics-based models, data-driven monitoring, hazard forecasting, and digital twin technologies to help create more resilient, adaptive, and climate-ready power infrastructure. #PowerResilience #ExtremeEvents #smartresilience #DurhamSchool #DistinguishedLecture ____________________ • Event: Durham School Distinguished Lecture Series • Topic: “Light and Human Health” • Speaker: Dr. Alice Alipour, Thomas Murray Faculty Fellow Dept. of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Iowa State University • Date: Friday, April 24, 2026 • Venue: UNL Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, PKI 160 (Omaha), KH A512 (Lincoln), and Zoom. ______________________ About Dr. Alipour Professor Alice Alipour is the Thomas Murray Faculty Fellow in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU). Her research centers on the resilience of civil infrastructure systems, integrating probabilistic modeling and decision-making frameworks to assess and improve performance under multi-hazard conditions. Her work bridges component- and system-level analysis, advancing strategies for more robust, adaptive, and sustainable built environments. Professor Alipour has authored over 150 scholarly publications, including articles in leading journals, conference proceedings, book chapters, and technical reports. Her research is supported by major U.S. funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), as well as numerous state and local agencies. Her contributions to research, education, and professional service have been widely recognized. She is the recipient of the NSF CAREER Award (2018) and a Senior Fellow of ETH Zurich’s Collegium Helveticum (2021–2022). Additional honors include the ISU Interdisciplinary Research Team Award (2023), the Outstanding Engineering Faculty Award, the ASCE Iowa Section Outstanding Civil Engineer Award, and the College of Engineering Research Award (2025). Professor Alipour is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and its Structural Engineering Institute. ------------------- Like, Comment, and Subscribe] 🤳 Stay connected with us on Social Media! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thed... Instagram:   / thedurhamschool   Facebook:   / thedurhamschool   Twitter: https://x.com/TheDurhamSchool