ESSIE engineer Dr. David O. Prevatt was mentioned in a commencement speech at UF’s doctoral candidate ceremony last week for being a virtuoso in his field and advocating for more resilient homes.

Dr. Ann Christiano, Director of the Center for Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida, urged graduating Ph.D.’s to become virtuoso performers in their fields, to unlock their greatest potential and to share the results with the world.

Christiano cited Dr. David O. Prevatt, Associate Professor of Civil and Coastal Engineering, who shared his understanding that researchers have known for decades how to build strong hurricane- and tornado-resilient houses but the information isn’t getting out to communities.

Prevatt and his research team are building the Resilient Residence mobile app to help homeowners learn how wind damage could affect their families and how retrofits protect their homes. When available, the app will also help homeowners evaluate their houses and demonstrate structural modifications that could save their lives and livelihoods.

View Christiano’s speech about Prevatt below.