Christopher Higgins directs the Structural Engineering Research Laboratory at OSU. His field is structural engineering and he directs the Structural Engineering Research Laboratory at OSU. Dr. Higgins has been at OSU since 2000 where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses and conducts research in Structural, Bridge, and Earthquake Engineering. He has received numerous teaching and research awards including: the Loyd Carter Award, Engelbrecht Faculty Award, the EERI/FEMA Graduate Fellow in Earthquake Hazard Reduction, and the Vinnakota Award from the Structural Stability Research Council.

Dr. Higgins’ research expertise is in experimental mechanics and he has extensive experience testing and evaluating structures subjected a wide range of loading conditions including: seismic, wind, ocean waves, static, fatigue, and dynamic loads. He has conducted research on steel, concrete, composite, hybrid, and polymer structural materials. Dr. Higgins and his research teams have successfully conducted experimental and analytical studies on hundreds of full-size laboratory and in-service structures and components. His research findings have been implemented into practice and adopted into design specifications. His research on reinforced concrete bridges for the Oregon Department of Transportation is reported to have saved state taxpayers $ 500 million dollars (Statesman Journal, April 3, 2006).