About
Bryce Canyon, Utah (07/2019)
Photo: (another side of me) Conducting noninvasive seismic testing in West Texas to refine deep shear wave velocity models
I am an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in data science and computation in civil and environmental engineering. The surge of data is creating opportunities to study the link between the environment, built systems, and human activities in ways previously not possible. As a Teaching Professor, I aim to match this perspective by transforming the learning environment so that future civil and environmental engineers have the strength to respond to the world's most pressing challenges to the broader benefit of a resilient, equitable, and globally connected society.
Prior to UC Berkeley, I received my PhD degree in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) in 2022, in addition to two MS degrees in Statistics in 2021 and in Civil Engineering in 2019 from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin. Prior to joining UT, I completed my BE degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the American University of Beirut, during which I spent a semester as an exchange student at the University of New Mexico, and another semester as a researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
In addition to my enthusiasm about data science education, I am passionate about natural hazards engineering and geostatistics research. My research lies at the intersection of geotechnical earthquake engineering, noninvasive subsurface imaging, and geostatistical modeling. Through the lens of theoretical fundamentals, field and laboratory testing, and computational modeling, I aim to bridge engineering with statistics to embrace uncertainty and develop holistic methods for the design of resilient infrastructure in the face of natural hazards.
All of the header photos are captured by yours truly while on hiking trails
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Teaching Professor of Data Science in CEE
2023-present
Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant
2017-2022
Lab, Teaching, and Research Assistant
2015-2017
Undergraduate Research Assistant
2016
Research Assistant During Exchange Program
2016
EDUCATION
PhD in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical)
Aug. 2022
MS in
Statistics
May 2021
MS in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical)
May 2019
BE in Civil and Environmental Engineering
May 2017
HONORS AND AWARDS
Bright Spark Lecture Award - International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (2023)
Inaugural Roy E. Olson Award - The University of Texas (2022)
Kolodzey Travel Grant Award - The University of Texas (2022)
Graduate Student Paper Award Honorable Mention - Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (2021)
StAR Award - American Society of Civil Engineers (2021)
Student Presentation Award - Seismological Society of America (2021)
Harold (Hap) Dalrymple Endowed Presidential Scholarship - The University of Texas (2019)
Dean T. U. Taylor Endowed Graduate Fellowship Fund in Geotechnical Engineering - The University of Texas (2018)
George J. Heuer, Jr. Ph.D. Endowed Graduate Fellowship Fund - The University of Texas (2017)
Distinguished Graduate Award - American University of Beirut (2017)
Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction Second Prize - LafarageHolcim (2017)
High Distinction - American University of Beirut (2017)
Dean's Honor List - American University of Beirut (2013-2017)
National Council Undergraduate Scholarship - National Council for Scientific Research - Lebanon (2013-2017)
First Place in the Lebanese Baccalaureate National Exams - Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (2013)