Topics

Structural Dynamics, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), Wireless Smart Sensors (WSS), Bridges Engineering and Management, Real-time Performance Monitoring

Projects

2014 and 2015
American Association of Railroads (AAR)
Research Assistant
“Impact Detection for Railroad Bridges”
AAR Technology Outreach Program

2013 and 2014
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
Research Assistant
“Campaign Monitoring of Railroad Bridges in High-Speed Rail Shared Corridors
using Wireless Smart Sensors”.
Research and Demonstration Projects Supporting the Development of High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Service
FRA BAA-2010-1

2011 and 2012
American Association of Railroads (AAR)
Research Assistant
“Wireless Sensing Technology to Enhance Safety and Reliability for Railroad Bridges”
AAR Technology Outreach Program

Spring 2000 – Spring 2001
Mid-America Earthquake Center (MAE)
Research Assistant
“Studying Design and Performance of Reinforced Concrete Models under Seismic Demand”

Summer 2001 – Fall 2001
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
University of Granada (Spain)
Research Assistant
“Programming New Design Software for Reinforced Concrete Buildings”
Department of Structural Engineering

Fellowships, Scholarships, and Awards

Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies (CEAPS) Graduate Fellow, 2014-2015

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Graduate Fellow, summer 2014

ASCE SEI Structures Congress Poster Selected as “Best of the Best Voting”, April 2012

Graduate College Dissertation Travel Grant, 2011-2012
Graduate College Fellowship Office, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Talentia Fellowship (including full tuition and fees) Years 2010-2011
Junta de Andalucia (Spanish Government) Support towards PhD studies

O. H. Ammann Research Fellowship Award in Structural Engineering Year 2010
Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE)

Max Zar Scholarship (partial tuition and fees) Year 2009
Structural Engineers Foundation (SEF) and
Structural Engineering Association of Illinois (SEAOI)

National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarship July 2009
Asia-Pacific Summer School in Smart Structures Technology

“Idea to Product™ Competition”, Regional Finalist March 2008
Midwest Competition

Award towards research assistants June 2000
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Prize due to exceptional grades Years 1998/1999
University of Granada

Scholarship (full tuition and fees) Years 1996/1997
Minister of Education of Spain