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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Pedro Lomónaco, an expert in coastal and maritime engineering, has been named the director of the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory at Oregon State University.

Lomónaco, previously the director of a marine research facility at the University of Cantabria in Spain, has co-authored more than 60 publications on wave generation and propagation, the stability of coastal and submarine structures, the behavior of floating structures and other topics.

The Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory, a part of the OSU College of Engineering, is a key research facility for coastal and ocean engineering research, including its internationally recognized programs of tsunami research and coastal hazard mitigation.

"The laboratory is immersed in a new and challenging era where the academic community, industry and the general public demands outstanding solutions and testing of multi-hazard events on our coasts, the development of marine renewable energy devices and education of our future researchers and engineers," Lomónaco said.

Lomónaco earned his doctorate at the University of Cantabria, and for seven years directed its Hydraulics, Coast and Ocean Laboratory. He has also worked and executed experiments at several other leading coastal engineering laboratories in North America and Europe.

With a wide range of K-12 outreach programs and community open houses, the OSU laboratory plays an important role in helping the general public understand and prepare for coastal hazards; study the impacts of waves, storm, erosion and tsunami events; and provides science to help inform public policy, both regionally and nationally. It also operates a Mini Tsunami Wave Flume traveling exhibit that was featured at the National Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C.

Scientists and engineers from many nations travel to Oregon to make use of the facility, which is one of the largest and most technically advanced laboratories for coastal research in the world.