Meet Osmany Hernandez Cruz
Osmany Hernandez Cruz, PhD'24
Program
Civil Engineering (Wind Engineering) – now continuing as a Postdoctoral Researcher with the Northern Tornadoes Project
Home Country
Cuba
Involvement with Western International
Former Visiting Research Only student and International Student
Research focus
My research examines the effects of tornado loads on low-rise buildings. I use wind tunnels and numerical models to test and design safer, stronger structures. Currently, as part of the Northern Tornadoes Project, I help survey tornado damage across Canada and develop engineering solutions. During my master’s, I was researching wind impacts on communication towers in Cuba, but I didn’t have access to wind tunnels to test my models. When I met Professor Greg Kopp from Western, he encouraged me to come to Western to validate my work. I was accepted to come as a Visiting Research Only students, and that opportunity opened the door to my PhD, and I discovered my passion for combining structural and wind engineering.
Why I chose Western
Western is one of the top universities in the world for wind engineering. The combination of expertise, facilities, and mentorship here made it the perfect place to pursue my PhD and postdoctoral research.
Highlights of my Western experience so far
Working with the Northern Tornadoes Project has been amazing. I get to travel to places across Canada that I never imagined visiting, collecting data and contributing to real-world solutions. Another highlight has been the people I’ve met—my research group, the Canadian family I lived with during my early years here, who welcomed me as one of their own, and especially my group of friends that have been my support over all this time, and they continue to be. Also, whenever new students arrive from Cuba, I try to connect with them and help them adjust to life at Western and in Canada.
My hopes for the future
I hope to continue in wind engineering research, ideally here in Canada. I’d like to secure a position where I can keep contributing to projects that make communities safer in the face of severe weather.
My advice for new students
Take the time to really think about what you want to do, and choose a program and supervisor that inspire you. Having clarity about your goals makes the challenges easier to navigate. Being part of the research culture at Western has been life-changing. I’ve learned that combining passion with resilience opens up opportunities you might never have imagined.
Fun facts about me
I go to karaoke every Friday—even though I admit I’m a terrible singer! My go-to song is Paranoid by Black Sabbath, mostly because it’s short, fast, and doesn’t require much singing. My first night in Canada (January 30, 2019) was unforgettable. It was minus 24, with a “feels like” of minus 38, and I only had jeans and a light jacket. I could barely breathe from the cold. Now, I laugh about it, but it was definitely a shock!
