View in browser

Message from the Chair

Dear Students, Colleagues, and Friends,

As I write this, we are fully immersed in winter quarter—in fact, almost halfway through the academic year! Time flies by, and the Department of Structural Engineering flies high. Our faculty and students continue to garner recognition, including becoming A.S.M.E. Fellows, winning an A.S.C.E. society award, and winning a best paper award at the IMAC international conference. We are leading the discussion on the future of concrete design with an eye towards sustainable structural life cycles, we are making Californians better informed about wildfires with our award-winning ALERTCalifornia network, we are winning best paper awards for advancing composite additive manufacturing processes, and we are ensuring the next generation of young engineers understand how structural engineers design for earthquakes.  It may be colder outside, but it’s plenty hot in the Department of Structural Engineering. Wishing all a good winter quarter!

Michael Todd
Distinguished Professor & Chair

Shaping the Future of Concrete: Alessandro Palermo Leads fib Symposium 2024 in Christchurch

The fib—International Federation for Structural Concrete—Symposium 2024 in Christchurch, New Zealand, brought together global experts to explore advancements in resilient concrete structures. Professor Alessandro Palermo, a former faculty member at the University of Canterbury and now a professor at the Department of Structural Engineering at the University of California San Diego, served as a co-chair of the Conference. Read More >>>

Mehran Tehrani’s Team Wins 2023 Best Paper Award for Advancing Fused Filament Fabrication in 3D Printing

Associate Professor Mehran Tehrani's team has been honored with the 2023 Journal of Manufacturing Processes Best Paper Award, distinguishing their work among approximately 900 published papers. Their groundbreaking study, titled "Eliminating voids and reducing mechanical anisotropy in fused filament fabrication parts by adjusting the filament extrusion rate", challenges the widely held belief that mechanical anisotropy—direction-dependent strength—is inherent to filament-based additively manufactured parts. This research suggests broader applications for this technology, allowing it to compete more effectively with other additive manufacturing processes. Read More >>>

AI-powered Camera and Sensor Network Helps Monitor Wildfires 

UC San Diego’s ALERTCalifornia public safety program, co-led by UC San Diego’s Structural Engineering Professor Falko Kuester, currently manages more than 1,140 cameras across the state. Emergency managers as well as the public are utilizing these cameras day and night to monitor the ongoing fires in Los Angeles and the surrounding region. Using the cameras and their associated AI tool, first responders with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and other federal, state, and local government agencies can rapidly confirm fire ignition, quickly scale fire resources, support evacuations through enhanced situational awareness, and monitor fires through containment. You can see live camera views 24/7 at cameras.alertcalifornia.org.

ASCE recognizes Professor John McCartney with the Distinguished Shamsher Prakash Award

Professor John McCartney, an expert in unsaturated soil mechanics, geosynthetics engineering, and energy geotechnics has been awarded the 2025 Shamsher Prakash Award and Lecture by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Selected by the Society’s Geo-Institute, Professor McCartney is recognized for his “contributions to understanding the dynamic and thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils and geosynthetic-reinforced soils in transportation and energy geotechnics applications." Read More >>>

Professor Lanza Di Scalea Named ASME Fellow in Recognition of Outstanding Contributions

Professor Lanza Di Scalea has been elected as a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), an honor that recognizes exceptional engineering achievements and significant contributions to the profession. This prestigious distinction highlights Professor Lanza Di Scalea’s outstanding impact on the engineering community. The Fellow grade is a mark of leadership and expertise within ASME, underscoring the organization’s commitment to advancing the engineering profession globally. Professor Lanza Di Scalea’s election to Fellow celebrates his dedication and lasting contributions to the field.

Shaking Up Education: UC San Diego's Seismic Outreach Inspires Future Engineers

The Seismic Outreach program, a cornerstone initiative of UC San Diego's Society of Civil and Structural Engineers (SCSE), is being re-energized. This long-standing program, which has been impacting thousands of children across the greater San Diego county for over 20 years under the guidance of Professor Lelli Van Den Einde, is now being enhanced through industry participation and alumni engagement. Read More >>>

Former Structural Engineering PhD Student David Najera-Flores Wins Best Paper Award for Damage Detection Research

Former PhD student David Najera-Flores, who graduated last year and is now at ATA Engineering, has been recognized for his outstanding contribution to the field of structural engineering. Najera-Flores was the lead author of the paper titled “A Probabilistic Reasoner Based on Bayes Risk for Damage Detection in Structural Systems,” which has been awarded the 2025 Model Validation and Uncertainty Quantification Best Paper Award by the Model Validation and Uncertainty Quantification Technical Division of the Society of Experimental Mechanics. The paper, written in collaboration with researchers at other institutions, Justin Jacobs, Dane Quinn, Anthony Garland, and Professor Michael Todd, presents a machine learning architecture that quantifies uncertainty and improves the prediction of whether operational data from a structure is indicative of a domain shift or damage. The award will be presented at the IMAC-XLIII Conference on Structural Dynamics, held in Orlando, Florida, in February 2025.

Jacobs School of Engineering Open House

April 12, 2025

We’re excited to meet our future Tritons and connect with aspiring engineers eager to make an impact in the world of Structural Engineering!

Charitable donations expands what is possible for our Structural Engineering students, faculty, and staff. By making a gift, you help strengthen SE at UC San Diego. Learn where you can make an impact by clicking below.

For questions about charitable giving or inquiries for establishing a named fund, please contact Madison Lyle, Associate Director of Development at m1lyle@ucsd.edu or 858-424-1450.