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Letter from the Chair

Dear Colleagues, Students, and Friends:

Welcome from the Department of Structural Engineering at the University of California San Diego! As we enter the Spring Quarter, we're thrilled to share some exciting updates with you. From collaborative research ventures aimed at enhancing infrastructure resilience against natural disasters to pioneering advancements in cold-formed steel for tall buildings, to exploring the potential of 3D-printed concrete foundations as anchors for renewable energy systems, and the creation of cutting-edge AI fire-detection tools, our latest highlights showcase the diverse landscape of structural engineering.

We invite you to explore our latest news and we welcome your valuable feedback and support. 

Georgios Tsampras Leads Collaborative Research Initiative for Natural Disaster Resilience

Assistant Professor Georgios Tsampras heads pioneering research to integrate resilience and performance criteria into building systems, aiming to protect critical societal functions and mitigate financial losses from natural disasters. Read More>>

How 3D-Printed Concrete Foundations May Revolutionize Renewable Energy Anchorage Systems

A groundbreaking collaboration between four UC San Diego Structural Engineering faculty members and RCAM Technologies is exploring the potential of 3D-printed concrete foundations as anchors for renewable energy systems. Read More>>

Shaking Up Housing: Advancing Modular Mid-Rise Construction for Affordable Living

UC San Diego, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst are partnering with industry to enhance the use of cold-formed steel (CFS) in tall buildings in seismic zones. Professor Tara Hutchinson and Mid-Rise Modular will investigate modular, panelized, and stick-frame construction in a CFS-framed 10-story building to be tested at UC San Diego's earthquake simulator, aiming to contribute solutions for the global housing crisis. Read More>>

Revolutionary Fire Detection AI Program Recognized by Multiple Awards

An artificial intelligence tool designed to enhance firefighters' response during wildfires has won multiple awards, including one of TIME's Top Inventions of 2023. Developed by ALERTCalifornia, CAL FIRE, and Digital Path, it also won CENIC’s 2024 Innovations in Networking Award for Public Safety Innovation. Among the key contributors to this platform is UC San Diego Department of Structural Engineering Professor Falko Kuester, who co-leads ALERTCalifornia. Read More>>

Swinging into Innovation: TaylorMade Golf Endows UC San Diego Faculty Fellow

Professor Kenneth Loh of UC San Diego's Department of Structural Engineering has been named the inaugural TaylorMade Golf Chancellor’s Endowed Faculty Fellow, empowering his research in human performance and materials. Read More>>

Structural Engineering Professor Receives Prestigious SPIE NDE Lifetime Achievement Award

Michael Todd, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Structural Engineering at UC San Diego, was recently honored with the Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE). Read More>>

UC San Diego Innovators Aim to Revolutionize Rail Safety by Proposing Award-Winning Non-Contact Ultrasonic Monitoring System

A Structural Engineering research group including Diptojit Datta, Ali Zare Hosseinzadeh, and Izabela Batista, along with Structural Engineering Professor Francesco Lanza di Scalea from UC San Diego, clinched first place in the ASME Noise Control and Acoustics Division (NCAD) Student Paper Competition during the ASME IMECE Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. Read More>>

Building Resilience: UC San Diego's Carlos Franco Mayorga Gallegos Secures ACI Foundation Fellowship

UC San Diego Structural Engineering Ph.D. student Carlos Franco Mayorga Gallegos was recently honored with the 2023-2024 Nicolas F. Maloof Jr. GA Chapter Fellowship from the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Foundation, focusing his research on seismic responses of earthquake-resistant buildings and securing access to pivotal technical committee meetings through the fellowship. Read More>>

Diversity Champion: Ali Zare Hosseinzadeh Awarded SE Fellowship for Commitment to Inclusion

Ali Zare Hosseinzadeh, a Ph.D. student in UC San Diego's Department of Structural Engineering, has been honored with the Structural Engineering Diversity Fellowship for his commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), emphasizing its importance in fostering teamwork and innovation within the academic community. Read More>>

Journey of an Alumna: Caitlyn Randall's Path in Structural Engineering at UC San Diego

Caitlyn Randall, a UC San Diego structural engineering alumna now serving as a Construction Project Manager at the Disneyland Resort, reflects on her academic journey, overcoming challenges like impostor syndrome, and offers practical advice for success while fostering connections with peers. Read More>>