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Chenxi YuanView profile

Associate Professor

• Civil Infrastructure Systems
• Sensing and Informatics
• Visualization Techniques
• +5 more

Dr. Chenxi Yuan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Construction Management at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's School of Engineering. He directs the Transparent Civil Infrastructure System (T-CIS) Lab and maintains affiliations with McCarthy Construction Company through a faculty residency fellowship. Previously, he worked as an Assistant Engineer at ARUP. Education includes: PhD in Civil Engineering, Purdue University (2018) Master of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, China (2010) Bachelor of Mechanics Engineering, Central South University, China (2007) Dr. Yuan's research develops transparent civil infrastructure systems through sensing, informatics, and visualization. His work integrates Building Information Modeling (BIM) , mixed reality , and machine learning to enhance buildability, readability, and socio-responsibility of infrastructure. Research spans automated inspection systems, earthmoving operations optimization, and subsurface utility mapping. Publications demonstrate strong focus on construction informatics and infrastructure visualization , with recent work incorporating large language models for bridge inspection and ontology-based knowledge systems. Consistent themes include computer vision applications, risk-based inspection frameworks, and geospatial data integration. Awards and honors: K.B. Woods Award, TRB (2019) Best Paper Award (First Place), TRB Committee on Construction Management (2018) Robert L. Bowen Industry Residency Fellowship (2022) Dr. Yuan has supervised 6+ graduate students in thesis research on construction automation and infrastructure informatics. Funded projects include: NSF-funded ontology-based bridge inspection system ($10K) Real-time decision frameworks for manufacturing ($14K) Mixed reality alignment systems ($14K) The T-CIS Lab features drones, AR/VR systems (HoloLens, HTC Vive), and construction simulators to support research in infrastructure transparency and visualization technologies.

• Social and Cultural Anthropology
• Gender Studies
• Food Security
• +9 more

Natalie Araujo is a Lecturer in Anthropology and Development Studies at La Trobe University's School of Social Inquiry in Melbourne, Australia, where she has been employed since July 2016. Her academic work focuses on critical questions of access, equity, and empowerment related to health, wellbeing, food and water security, and sustainable development across diverse communities. Dr. Araujo holds a PhD and MA from the University of Manchester, a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne, and a BA(Hons) from Mount Holyoke College. Her interdisciplinary background bridges anthropology, law, and development studies, creating a unique perspective for her research on social inclusion and community wellbeing. This diverse educational foundation supports her work across academic, legal, and practical development contexts. Her research expertise centers on food systems and foodways in relation to community wellbeing and resilience, examining intersecting issues of structural violence, trauma, agency, and gender. She conducts extensive work in Latin America, the Latin American diaspora, the Pacific, and with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities in Australia. Dr. Araujo employs qualitative, mixed methods, collaborative and co-design research methodologies with expertise in knowledge translation for diverse stakeholders and audiences, including monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks. Dr. Araujo's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on wellbeing narratives, gender studies, food security, and health communication. Her research trajectory has evolved from examining cosmopolitan identities and migration patterns toward increasingly applied work on health communication, food systems, and emergency response in diverse communities, particularly during the pandemic. Her work consistently addresses social inclusion challenges faced by marginalized populations and emphasizes practical solutions for improving access to critical information and resources. Extensive experience in collaborative projects with industry partners Available for Masters Research or PhD student supervision Regular media engagement on issues of migration, gender, and social inclusion Membership on advisory committees for community organizations Contributions to local government policy and evaluation in Australia Prior work experience with NGOs in the UK and Colombia Dr. Araujo has contributed significantly to research on trauma and researcher vulnerability, ethnographic studies of gender and food security in Vanuatu, and evaluations of health communication for non-English speaking communities. Her work on the circulation and adaptation of critical health messaging in CALD communities during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates her commitment to practical applications of anthropological research for immediate community benefit.

• Early Childhood Education
• Drama in Education
• Literacy Development
• +7 more

Professor Mary-Rose McLaren is a faculty member at Victoria University in the College of Arts, Business, Law, Education & IT. She holds a PhD in Medieval History from the University of Melbourne and has a teaching qualification in Drama from Trinity College, London. Her academic journey spans both historical scholarship and performance arts, creating a unique interdisciplinary approach to education. Her educational background includes: BA (Hons) from University of Melbourne, Australia (1983) LTCL from Trinity College, London (1997) PhD from University of Melbourne, Australia (1992) Mary-Rose McLaren's research interests sit at the intersection of theory, practice, and performance. She focuses on the use of Drama in developing Literacy, the London sources of Shakespeare, and the role of creativity in education. Her work extends into Early Childhood Education with projects tracking students through university courses, examining workplace placements, exploring cultural awareness among teacher education students, studying cultural beliefs about risky play, and investigating values in higher education teaching. Her research methodology blends traditional academic approaches with creative output as a director, actor, and writer. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on belonging in educational contexts, ethical considerations in play spaces, and the integration of arts-based pedagogies in both early childhood and higher education settings. She explores how creative approaches can transform educational practice, particularly through theatre and performance. Mary-Rose McLaren is actively involved in research supervision, guiding numerous Master's and PhD students through their research journeys. Her current funded research includes the "Early childhood tertiary partnerships program" (2024-2026) examining the impact of university and placement mentoring on student success, and the "Innovation in Initial Teacher Education" project (2022-2025) supporting the development of courses to upskill early childhood educators to teachers. She has established collaborative networks focused on creative approaches to education, particularly through theatre and performance. Her work often involves community engagement through pop-up playspaces and public pedagogies that explore children's agency and inclusion in urban environments. Mary-Rose also contributes to international connections in education, having sustained global collaborations through digital platforms during the pandemic.