Haizhong Wang, an internationally recognized researcher in civil engineering and disaster resilience, has been named to the Bob Benmosche Endowed Professorship in Risk Engineering and Systems Analytics at Clemson University.
Wang joins Clemson from Oregon State University, where he most recently served as professor in the School of Civil and Construction Engineering. His appointment brings to Clemson one of the nation’s leading voices in risk-informed decision-making, agent-based modeling and infrastructure resilience.
“It’s an incredible honor to step into a professorship that carries Bob Benmosche’s name,” Wang said. “He was a visionary in data-driven risk analysis. I’m excited to carry that legacy forward by connecting Clemson’s students and researchers with cutting-edge approaches to systems analytics.”
Wang will be a faculty member in the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering, which is part of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences.
The professorship stemmed from collaboration between Clemson and American International Group, Inc. (AIG) that originated in 2015. Named after the late AIG president and CEO, the professorship recognizes Benmosche’s foresight in harnessing analytics to transform how financial and insurance industries assess and mitigate risk.
Wang brings a deep background in interdisciplinary modeling of extreme events, wildfire risk mitigation, infrastructure resilience, and the societal impacts of climate change.
His work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Federal Railroad Administration and international agencies. Over the past decade, he has published extensively in top-tier journals and led multi-institutional projects across the U.S. and abroad.
Jennifer Ogle, chair of the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering, said Wang’s appointment marks a significant moment for the department.
“Dr. Wang is a scholar and leader whose work spans the academic and practical,” Ogle said. “His presence will deepen Clemson’s impact in research, workforce development and global collaboration.”
Jesus M. de la Garza, director of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, said Wang’s arrival positions the school to build on its strengths.
“Dr. Wang’s arrival takes us to the next level,” de la Garza said. “His expertise, vision and collaborative spirit will strengthen our research enterprise—driving impactful, society-centered discoveries—and our position as the University with the nation’s No.1 student experience.”
