Christopher Letchford

Christopher Letchford is a Professor and Department Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Previously, he served as Head of the School of Engineering at the University of Tasmania and held a Professorship at Texas Tech University's Wind Science and Engineering Research Center. He holds a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering (First Class Honours and University Medal) from the University of Queensland (1980) and a PhD in Wind Engineering from Oxford University (Commonwealth Scholar).

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s: University of Queensland (1980)
  • PhD: Oxford University

His research focuses on wind engineering, bluff body aerodynamics, and extreme wind effects on structures. He pioneered simulators for thunderstorm downbursts and tornadoes, managing a $1M+ annual research budget at Texas Tech. He has chaired major international conferences, including the 11th International Conference on Wind Engineering (2003).

Awards & Roles:

• Ove Arup Scholarship (1980)
• University Medal (1980)
• Asia-Pacific Representative, International Association of Wind Engineering (2007–present)

Advising & Leadership: Led the Australasian Wind Engineering Society (AWES) as Chair (1995–1999, 2007–2009) and contributed to the American Association of Wind Engineering’s Executive (2003–2006). Managed interdisciplinary research teams and served as Senior Associate Dean prior to joining RPI.

Labs & Affiliations: Formerly affiliated with Texas Tech’s Wind Science and Engineering Research Center. Currently leads RPI’s Civil & Environmental Engineering department, emphasizing sustainable infrastructure and disaster resilience.