Research Spotlights
December 2024
It is exciting to announce that Dr. Nam Kim is starting a new grant from CII to study AI for construction safety: Accelerating AI for Construction Safety, Construction Industry Institute (CII), Dec. 24 – Aug 25.
Construction Industry Institute’s Post
The State of AI for Construction Safety
November 2024
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Jeong and his students are the winner of the 2024 best scholarly paper of the year award from American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (JCEM). JCEM is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious journals in the field. Their paper, “Sequential Machine Learning for Activity Sequence Prediction from Daily Work Report Data” (Alikhani, H., Le, C., Jeong, H. D., and Damnjanovic, I.)” was honored with this award.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
2024 Journal of Construction Engineering and Management Best Paper Award
October 2024
It is exciting to share great news. Dr. Manish Dixit received the College of Architecture (COA) Scholarly Excellence Award at the 2024 College of Architecture showcase event.
It is exciting to share great news. Dr. Chuma Nnaji received the College of Architecture (COA) Scholarly Excellence Award – Early Career level at the 2024 College of Architecture showcase event.
We are pleased to share great news. Dr. Chuma Nnaji and his students received both the best poster award and the best paper award (2nd) at W099-W123 CIB International Conference, Accra, Ghana, 2024.
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Kunhee Choi has won a new grant:IRES: US-KOREA Mutual Advanced Studies Institutes and Beyond, National Science Foundation,Oct. 2024- Aug. 2027. This project will delve into understanding human-GenAI interactions concerning transportation policies and their consequential impacts on mobility, safety, and the environment through international collaboration.
National Science Foundation Award Abstract: Fusion of Generative AI and Mixed Mobility
Dr. David Jeong (PI) and Dr. Zofia Rybkowski (Co-PI) have started a new NSF grant that will transform construction science education methods: Transformation of Undergraduate Education in Construction Science through Serious Simulation Games, National Science Foundation, Oct. 2024 – Sep. 2027.
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Phil Lewis (PI) and Dr. David Jeong (Co-PI) have won a new $2M grant from US Department of Labor (DOL). This grant is set to revolutionize the construction industry with its newly funded Aggie Construction Management Apprenticeship Program (Aggie-CMAP). This groundbreaking initiative, backed by a $2 million grant from the Department of Labor, aims to address the sector’s critical shortage of skilled workers ; Aggie Construction Management Apprenticeship Program (Aggie-CMAP), Department of Labor, Oct. 2024 – Sep. 2027.
Dr. Chuma Nnaji is part of a large team to improve highway workzone safety through a new FHWA project: Decision Support Toolkit for Highway Work Area Safety, Federal Highway Administration, Oct. 2024- Dec. 2026
It is exciting to announce that Dr. Chuma Nnaji has won a new NSF grant as Principal investigator, Collaborative Research: An Embodied Learning Environment for Advancing Human-Wearable Robot Interactions Skills in Construction Education, National Science Foundation, Oct. 2024- Dec. 2026. The research will develop a virtual reality-based learning environment that can facilitate tangible interaction with data sensing technologies to equip middle school students with skills for addressing construction risks.
We are pleased to share the news that the inaugural Innovation Ideas Competition and Research Program (I2CRP) in the Department of Construction Science has announced three winners. They are Brennan Lantzy – “The toolbox generation: Building the Future Construction workforce”, Jack Patterson – “The Pipe Pro: A Novel Engineering Solution for Pipe Handling,’ and Victoria Chavez – “Effective Spanish Safety Training using AI.”
September 2024
Dr. Ashrant Aryal (PI) and Dr. Chuma Nnaji (Co-PI) have received a new grant: Forecasting Absenteeism in the Electrical Construction Industry Through Predictive Data Analytics, from Electri International, Oct 2024 – May 2025.
We are please to announce that Dr. Amal Bakchan (PI) is leading a large $15M federal grant as principle investigator: Innovative, Climate-resilient, and cost-effective Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems and Management in Rural Unincorporated Communities in the Alabama Black Belt, Environmental Protection Agency, Sep 2024- Aug 2027.
Dr. Chuma Nnaji is developing a new training program as Principal investigator, Roadway Worker Safety Training, Department of Labor, Sep 2024 – Sep 2025, $75K.
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Chuma Nnaji (PI) is leading a new National Highway Cooperative Research Program (NCHRP)’s project, NCHRP 17-128:Reducing Adverse Driving Behaviors in Work Zones, NCHRP, Sep 2024 – Sep 2027.
Reducing Adverse Driving Behaviors in Work Zones: Strategies and Guidelines
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Manish Dixit is part of a large international grant: Participatory collaborative research to enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation in underserved communities in Asia and North- and South America, Canadian Agency – New Frontiers in Research Fund. Sep 2024- August 2027.
It is exciting to announce that Dr. Charles Gurganus is leading a $1M contract from TxDOT, Ride Quality Verification Testing Support on TxDOT Projects, TxDOT, Sept. 2024 – Aug. 2027.
Dr. Charles Gurganus is starting another exciting research project: Evaluation of Low-Speed Profiler for Network-Level Pavement Management, TxDOT, Sept. 2024 – Aug. 2026.
Dr. Charles Gurganus is continuing his efforts to advance project management training programs: Develop, Improve, and Deliver TxDOT Project Management Training Courses, TxDOT, Sept. 2024 – Aug. 2025.
Dr. David Jeong (PI) and Dr. Ashrant Aryal (Co-PI) are collaborating together to develop AI tools for TxDOT: Artificial Intelligence Tool for Improving the Process of Project Requirements, TxDOT, Sep 2024 – Aug 2026.
Dr. Nam Kim is continuing his NSF research with his partners; Worksite-specific Safety Training Environments with Augmented Reality, National Science Foundation, Sep. 2024 – May. 2026.
August 2024
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Julie Hartell (PI) and Dr. Ashrant Aryal (Co-PI) have won a large $2.5M contract from Texas General Land Office to study alternative housing for Disaster Recovery: Disaster Recovery Alternative Housing Study, Texas General Land Office.
July 2024
We are excited to share the news that Dr. Manish Dixit and his students have won the Best Paper award from the 1st International conference on Net Zero Carbon Built Environment at Univ of Nottingham, Nottingham, U.K., July 3-5th, 2024
Best Paper Award at the 1st International Conference on Net Zero Carbon Built Environment
May 2024
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Chuma Nnaji (PI), and Xi Wang (Co-PI) have won a new federal grant to improve work zone safety: ARTBA Team work Zone Safety Training Grant Program, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), May 2024- April 2029.
Dr. Chuma Nnaji is a part of a large research team for a new NSF project: TANDEM: Tensegrity-based Assistive aND rehabilitation Exosuits to complement human bioMechanics, NSF, May 2024 – Nov 2026.
Dr. Chuma Nnaji is continuing his research in the area of work zone safety through a new NCHRP project, Guide for Work Zone Intrusion Prediction and Prevention, NCHRP, May 2024 – Nov 2026.
National Academics: Guide for Work Zone Intrusion Prediction and Prevention
April 2024
We are pleased to announce that Dr. David Jeong and Dr. Ashrant Aryal have teamed together with Yonsei university to study and develop solutions for data interoperability issues; Digital Twin Based Semantic Interoperability Technology for Process Plants, Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA), Apr. 2024 – Dec 2026.
January 2024
It’s exciting to announce that Dr. Amal Bakchan is part of a $5M USDA grant: Technical Assistance, Education, and Training for Sustainable Wastewater Management in the Rural black Belt of Alabama, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), March 2024- February 2027.