Find Academic Supervisors

Katharina KralView profile

Lecturer

• Sustainable Architecture
• Emerging Material Technologies
• Timber and Concrete Construction
• +4 more

Katharina Kral is a Lecturer in the Department of Architecture at Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art and Planning (AAP). She holds a Dipl. Ing. (Master of Engineering) with distinction from TU Darmstadt, Germany. Her research focuses on sustainable housing, adaptive material technologies, and retrofitting strategies to create healthy, affordable living environments. She teaches design studios, representation courses, and electives in timber and concrete construction. Previously, she led development of a large-scale timber facade system for Buchner Bründler Architekten in Switzerland, creating Europe's largest all-timber facade at the time. Her current work explores adaptive reuse in housing through her practice and the Cornell AAP Housing Innovation Lab, which examines urban retrofitting strategies. She has received the Jakob Wilhelm Mengler Award twice and a scholarship from Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes. Her research outputs include frameworks for early-stage carbon assessment and daylight evaluation, published in Journal of Technology | Architecture + Design and Journal of Building Performance Simulation . She advises student projects in sustainable design and collaborates on exhibitions like Housing as a Verb , analyzing NYC residential buildings for adaptive livability.

Nenad ŠekularacView profile

Professor

• Architectural Engineering
• Timber Structures
• Reconstruction of Architectural Objects
• +3 more

Nenad Šekularac, PhD, is a Full Professor at the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architectural Technologies. He holds engineering licenses from the Serbian Chamber of Engineers and has been actively involved in architectural construction, timber structures, and cultural heritage preservation since 1990. His career includes roles from Assistant to Full Professor, with academic milestones at the Faculty of Architecture (B.Arch 1990, M.Sc. 1997, PhD 2010). He conducted research in Innsbruck (1997–1998) via an ÖAD scholarship and authored textbooks like Drveni rešetkasti nosači (2017). Professional highlights include leading structural engineering projects for architectural objects globally and spearheading the reconstruction of Hilandar Monastery (Mount Athos) since 2004. His work integrates traditional craftsmanship with modern materials, focusing on sustainable solutions for historic structures. Education Bachelor of Architecture (1990), University of Belgrade – Faculty of Architecture Master of Science in Architecture (1997), same institution Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Architecture and Urbanism (2010) Research & Awards His research spans timber engineering, historic building rehabilitation, and energy-efficient reconstruction. Notable works include studies on carbon-reinforced timber composites and the structural analysis of monastic architecture. Awards include the ÖAD scholarship and recognition for his textbook contributions. Professional Contributions Member of Hilandar Monastery Rehabilitation Council Author of over 50 peer-reviewed articles and chapters in international journals Lead designer for culturally significant projects like the Žiča Monastery reconstruction Labs/Teams Active in the Department of Architectural Technologies lab, focusing on material science and heritage preservation. Collaborates with international institutions on sustainable building practices.

Jelena Ivanović-ŠekularacView profile

Professor

• Architectural Structures
• Wood in Contemporary Architecture
• Cultural Heritage Reconstruction
• +3 more

Jelena Ivanović-Šekularac, PhD, is a Full Professor at the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Architecture, leading the Department of Architectural Technologies since 2018. Her academic career spans over three decades, beginning as an Assistant in 1994 and progressing through ranks to Full Professor in 2017. She holds degrees from the University of Belgrade, including a PhD (2010), and was a scholarship recipient at the University of Innsbruck (1997). Her research focuses on architectural structures, wood applications, and cultural heritage preservation. Notable projects include structural analyses of historic sites like the Blagoveštenje Monastery and energy-efficient renovations of heritage buildings such as Žiča Monastery. She authored Wood in Contemporary Architecture (2017) and Predškolске Установе и Комфор (2000). Key achievements include the Sisters Bulajić Prize for Best Thesis (1990/91) and Austrian Academic Exchange Service scholarships. Her work bridges material science (e.g., carbon-reinforced LVL) with sustainable design, emphasizing energy efficiency in historic and modern buildings. She advises doctoral students like Mariela Cvetić and collaborates on projects restoring Balkan monastic complexes. Her research spans 30 years, with over 40 peer-reviewed articles addressing topics from medieval masonry analysis to media facades. Active in international conferences, she advocates for integrating traditional materials with modern sustainability goals.

Susan BrightView profile

Professor

• Land Law
• Housing Law
• Green Leases
• +5 more

Susan Bright is a Professor of Land Law at the University of Oxford, affiliated with New College and the Oxford Human Rights Hub. She has taught at Oxford since 1992, following prior roles as a solicitor in London and a lecturer at Essex University. Her research focuses on multi-owned property complexities, including post-Grenfell fire safety reforms, leasehold scandals, and green leases. She co-edited Researching Property Law (2015) and led an EPSRC-funded project on energy management in retail sectors (2014–2016). Her work bridges legal theory and practice, addressing issues like procedural fairness in housing possession cases and human rights in property disputes. Awards include fellowships from the Academy of Social Sciences and the South African Research Chair in Property Law. She advises on interdisciplinary projects and blogs extensively on building safety and property law challenges.

Danijela DomljanView profile

Associate Professor

• Furniture Design
• Wood Technology
• Interior Design
• +5 more

Danijela Domljan, PhD, MA in Design, is an Associate Professor at the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Department of Wood Technology. She has held academic positions since 2004, progressing from Assistant (2004–2011) to Senior Assistant (2011–2014), Assistant Professor (2014–2021), and her current rank. Her expertise bridges art, design, and wood technology, focusing on furniture and interior design for education, health, and sustainability. Education: PhD in Sciences (2011), MA in Design (1996), and a degree in Interior Architectural Design (1990). She teaches courses like Furniture Design , Furniture and Health , and Upholstered Furniture , conducted in Croatian and English. Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to design, particularly in school furniture, ergonomic health preservation, and sustainable materials. Notable projects include School Furniture as Risk Factor for Low Back Pain (bilateral Croatia-Slovenia) and Design of Sustainable Modular Wooden Booths . She contributed to national initiatives like Croatia’s Wood Nomenclature (DRVNA) and guidelines for eco-label criteria in wood products. Over 20 projects span EU-funded collaborations (e.g., Practicing Design 1.0 ) and national grants focusing on furniture design, user well-being, and educational environments. Her work bridges academia, industry, and policy, advocating for design that integrates cultural heritage with modern needs. Awards: None explicitly listed, but her contributions include leadership roles in over 30 projects, including curriculum development and national design strategies. Labs/Teams: Active in the Institute of Furniture and Wood Products, collaborating with institutions like the Croatian Design Society and EU initiatives. Her research emphasizes practical applications, such as designing adaptive furniture for schools and eco-tourism spaces.

Charles D. NicholsonView profile

Associate Professor

• Community Resilience
• Predictive Modeling
• Optimization
• +4 more

Charles D. Nicholson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Oklahoma's Gallogly College of Engineering. He serves as Director of the Data Science and Analytics Institute, leading interdisciplinary efforts in community resilience and predictive modeling. Nicholson holds a Ph.D. in Operations Research from Southern Methodist University and dual B.S. degrees in Physics and Mathematics from the University of North Texas. His research focuses on optimizing disaster mitigation strategies through systems engineering and data science. Key areas include enhancing community resilience against natural hazards, improving public health practices (domestically and internationally), and securing national supply chains. Methodologically, his work integrates metaheuristics, predictive modeling, and network analysis. Recent research trends show strong emphasis on: Covid-19 forecasting with county-level clustering Flood-resilient infrastructure design Causal discovery methods for root cause analysis Multi-objective optimization for building mitigation He received the 2017 Teaching Scholars Award from the Gallogly College. Nicholson advises the Data Science and Analytics Student Organization and chairs the Institute's Executive Committee. His work bridges academic research with real-world impact through collaborations with government agencies and industry partners. Notable contributions include: Developing resilience frameworks for cyber-physical-social systems Advancing hurricane impact prediction models Optimizing maritime supply chain recovery strategies Labs/Teams: Leads the Data Science & Analytics Institute's research initiatives focusing on complex systems analysis and decision support systems.

Γαντές ΧαράλαμποςView profile

Professor

• Steel Structures
• Nonlinear Structural Analysis
• Earthquake Engineering
• +6 more

Professor Γαντές Χαράλαμπος serves as Director of the Steel Structures Laboratory at the School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). He holds a Diploma in Civil Engineering from NTUA (1985), and M.S. (1988)/Ph.D. (1991) from MIT. Since 1994, he has been a faculty member at NTUA, teaching courses on steel structures, nonlinear behavior, and marine structures. His research focuses on steel structures under extreme loads (earthquake, wind, explosion), energy sector infrastructure (wind turbines, pipelines), and deployable systems. Education: Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, MIT, 1991 M.S. in Civil Engineering, MIT, 1988 Diploma in Civil Engineering, NTUA, 1985 Research interests emphasize steel structures' nonlinear behavior, seismic resilience, and innovative designs for energy systems. He leads Eurocode 3 standardization efforts as ELOT TE67/OE3 coordinator and serves on CEN committees. His work spans 100+ journal articles, 175 conference papers, and 3 books including Deployable Structures – Analysis and Design . He advises on major projects like Attiki Odos highway, Attiko Metro tunnels, and Olympic Games infrastructure. Grants and collaborations include international conferences (e.g., EUROSTEEL 2021), journal editorships (IASS Journal), and consulting for structural projects globally. His lab explores cutting-edge topics like composite materials, fire-resistant systems, and fault-crossing pipeline design.

Thanopoulos PavlosView profile

Assistant Professor

• Structural Engineering
• Seismic Design
• Steel Structures
• +3 more

Pavlos Thanopoulos is an Assistant Professor at the Structural Engineering Department of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). He holds a Civil Engineering Diploma (1999) from NTUA, an MSc in Structural Steel Design from Imperial College London (2000, with distinction and the Dowling Award), and a PhD from NTUA (2006) focusing on seismic behavior of steel structures with energy absorption systems. His research emphasizes steel structures, seismic design, bridge engineering, and finite element analysis. He has worked at a major engineering consultancy (2006–2014), specializing in steel and composite structures. Since 2014, he lectures on steel structure design methods and continues consulting on steel and bridge projects. His publications span experimental and numerical studies on steel connections, seismic performance, and composite bridges, with a focus on innovative energy-dissipating systems like INERD and FUSEIS. Key contributions include developing practical design guidelines for seismic-resistant steel connections and assessing seismic fragility of bridges. He collaborates on international projects like the INNOSEIS initiative, advancing resilient structural systems. His work is published in journals like International Journal of Steel Structures and Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering .

Dimitra Vasilios AchillopoulouView profile

Lecturer

• Structural Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Non-Destructive Evaluation
• +7 more

Dr Dimitra Vasilios Achillopoulou is a Lecturer in Structural Design at the University of Glasgow's James Watt School of Engineering. She holds a PhD from Democritus University of Thrace (DUTh, Greece) and has over 14 years of experience in structural engineering research and practice. Previously, she held roles at DUTh, La Sapienza University of Rome, and the University of Surrey, including a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship. She is a Chartered Civil Engineer (GR) and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Education: 5-year MEng-equivalent diploma in Civil Engineering (DUTh), MSc in Earthquake-Resistant Structural Design (DUTh), PhD in RC structure repair/strengthening (DUTh). Research focuses on structural assessment, retrofitting, interface behavior in composites, and infrastructure resilience. She leads the International Institute for FRP in Construction's TG4 (Digitalisation of FRPs) and is an IAMDR founding member. Grants include leadership in projects like InterFoS (Glasgow/Aston/Birmingham), Design with Structural Glass (ETAA), and the Marie Curie InterFeis initiative. Teaching roles include course convenor for ENG1026/ENG1027 and lecturer for ENG3046/ENG4183. Awards include the Marie Curie Fellowship and FHEA. Her work integrates experimental methods, numerical modeling, and AI for infrastructure safety/sustainability. Key collaborations span smart materials, code-informed retrofitting, and climate-resilient design.

• Materials Science
• Micromechanical Testing
• Additive Manufacturing
• +4 more

Dr. Alexander J.G. Lunt is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath and Co-Director of the Integrated Materials Processing and Structures Research Centre. His research integrates micromechanical testing, synchrotron/neutron diffraction, and advanced microscopy to study composites, additive manufacturing, and biomaterials. Education: MEng & PhD in Engineering Science, University of Oxford Research Interests: Micromechanical characterization of materials using FIB-DIC and synchrotron techniques Residual stress and fracture toughness analysis Additive manufacturing and industrial collaborations (Rolls-Royce, Airbus, CERN) Publication Trends: Recent work focuses on carbon fiber deformation, thermal expansion quantification, structural batteries, and synchrotron-based stress mapping in composites and superalloys, emphasizing multi-scale analysis and sustainable design. Scientific Awards: EPSRC Scholarship Hooke Prize Vice Chancellor's Engage Award WCE Best Paper Award Leadership: Serves as Composites & Polymer Lead for Materials & Design and UK User Lead for Imaging & Microscopy at Diamond Light Source. Active in doctoral supervision and industrial partnerships.

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Energy Geostructures
• Sustainable Infrastructure
• +7 more

Simone De Feudis is a Research Fellow at the Department of Structural, Building and Geotechnical Engineering (DISEG), Politecnico di Torino. He also serves as an external lecturer and teaching assistant, contributing to the Master's Degree Course in Civil Engineering, particularly in the subject Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering for the academic years 2022/23 and 2024/25. His research interests lie at the intersection of geotechnical engineering and sustainable energy systems, focusing on innovative applications such as energy geostructures, thermal energy storage in tunnels, and energy retrofitting of existing infrastructure. He employs numerical modeling and field-based approaches to develop solutions for climate-resilient and energy-efficient civil works. The recent publications of Simone De Feudis demonstrate a strong thematic consistency in sustainable geotechnics, with an emphasis on utilizing underground structures for thermal energy harvesting and environmental control. His work spans tunnel retrofitting, anti-icing systems using recovered heat, and solar-integrated thermal storage, indicating a forward-looking research trajectory in sustainable infrastructure. He has not been mentioned as receiving any scientific awards or honors in the available text. Simone De Feudis is involved in teaching and collaborative research but no information is available about graduate students he may have advised. He is active in research projects related to energy-efficient civil infrastructure, likely supported by institutional or national grants, though specific funding sources are not detailed. He collaborates closely with Professor Marco Barla and Dr. Alessandra Insana, particularly in the context of energy geostructures and tunnel retrofitting. His work is associated with research teams at Politecnico di Torino focusing on geotechnical innovation and sustainable infrastructure, particularly within the DISEG department. These teams are engaged in cutting-edge projects involving energy geostructures, thermal modeling of tunnels, and climate adaptation of transportation networks.

Niels-Jørgen Aagaard JensenView profile

Associate Professor

• Structural Engineering
• Building Regulations
• Service Life Prediction
• +7 more

Niels-Jørgen Aagaard Jensen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), where he contributes to research and education in structural engineering and sustainable construction. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in sustainable cities and communities. Position: Associate Professor Institution: Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Department: Civil and Mechanical Engineering Email: niag@dtu.dk ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3230-5533 His research focuses on structural documentation, building regulations, service life prediction, moisture risk, and retrofitting of buildings. He specializes in technical solutions for building components and safety, with an emphasis on sustainable and durable construction practices. His expertise spans defect analysis, building deterioration, and compliance with national building codes. The recent publications and projects reflect a strong trend in construction safety, regulatory compliance, and sustainability. His work includes developing guidelines for building regulations (Bygningsreglement), structural documentation, and material passports for circular construction. The research integrates risk assessment, information exchange among stakeholders, and lifecycle modeling, indicating a holistic approach to building integrity and performance. He has not been awarded any scientific prizes or fellowships mentioned in the text. Niels-Jørgen Aagaard Jensen has supervised or examined PhD projects, such as the DTU stipendium project on information exchange in construction, and has participated in multiple research and consultancy projects. These include studies on building deterioration (FORFALD), sustainable building master programs (MBB), and carbon-neutral construction initiatives. He has served as project manager and participant in interdisciplinary collaborations. He is involved in research networks focusing on structural engineering, sustainable construction, and building information systems. His projects often involve collaboration with industry and public institutions, emphasizing practical implementation of technical solutions.

Francesco CarrabsView profile

Professor

• Operations Research
• Combinatorial Optimization
• Graph Theory
• +5 more

Francesco Carrabs is a Full Professor of Operations Research in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Salerno, Italy, a position he has held since 2024. Previously, he served as Associate Professor (2020-2024) and Assistant Professor (2008-2020) at the same institution, demonstrating a steady progression through the academic ranks. Dr. Carrabs earned his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Salerno in 2006 and graduated cum laude in Computer Science from the same university in 2002. His international research experience includes a visiting scholar position at the Centre de recherche sur les transports (CRT) at the University of Montréal, Canada (2004-2006) under Professors Gilbert Laporte and Jean-François Cordeau, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at HEC Montréal (October 2006-March 2007). His research focuses on theoretical study, development and implementation of exact and heuristic approaches for optimization problems on graphs. His primary research areas include Routing problems, Variants of Spanning Tree problems, Traveling Salesman Problems, Labeled Graph problems, and Wireless Sensor Networks problems. This program has resulted in approximately 50 publications across various formats. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on constrained graph problems, particularly those involving conflict constraints in spanning trees and set covering problems. His methodological contributions span exact approaches like branch-and-cut algorithms and heuristic methods including GRASP and genetic algorithms, often accompanied by publicly available datasets and source code. Dr. Carrabs has participated in numerous national and international research projects and has served on scientific committees for various conferences. His teaching activities at the University of Salerno focus on Operations Research and Optimization courses within the SSD MATH-06/A classification. With an h-index of 16 and over 800 citations (excluding approximately 13% self-citations), Dr. Carrabs has established himself as a respected researcher in combinatorial optimization and operations research.

• Metaheuristics
• Machine Learning
• Complex Systems
• +7 more

Manuel Chica Serrano is a Senior Researcher at the University of Newcastle (Australia) and a Ramon y Cajal Senior Researcher at the University of Granada (Spain). He holds an Adjunct Lecturer position at the School of Information and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, where he conducted an Endeavour Research Fellowship (2016-2017). His interdisciplinary work bridges artificial intelligence , agent-based simulation , and marketing analytics . Education : BSc/MSc in Computer Science (University of Granada), PhD cum laude (University of Granada 2011) Research Areas : Metaheuristics, Machine Learning, Complex Systems, Agent-Based Modeling, Multiobjective Optimization With over 100 JCR publications (40+ Q1 journals) and 1.4k+ Google Scholar citations (h=20), his work focuses on evolutionary game theory applications in tourism sustainability, tax fraud detection, and maritime decarbonization. Recent studies include WPT retrofit modeling , startup user retention , and tax fraud dynamics . He supervises five PhD students and co-invented two international patents in AI applications. Scientific Contributions : CTO of ZIO Analytics , commercializing AI solutions Principal Investigator for €3M+ in R&D projects (including 2 EU-funded) 2017 Best Paper Award (IEEE CEC track) 2-year postdoctoral at four international institutions

• Building Physics
• Renewable Energy Integration
• Sustainable Building Design
• +5 more

Roberto Bruno is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (DIMEG), University of Calabria. His research focuses on sustainable building technologies, renewable energy integration, and energy efficiency in Mediterranean climates. He leads major projects like the PRIN 2022 PNRR ‘GrAce’ initiative for nature-based urban resilience and has contributed to 15+ EU/national consortia including RES NOVAE and COGITO. Education: PhD in Mechanical Engineering (University of Calabria), Master’s in Mechanical Engineering - Energy specialization (University of Calabria), and High-school Diploma in Chief Mechanical Expert (ITIS ‘A. Monaco’). Research Interests: Bruno’s work spans passive building systems (Trombe walls, green roofs), nZEB design, dynamic energy modeling, solar cooling, heat pump optimization, and thermal storage. He experimentally validates innovations like bio-PCM walls and LNG regasification energy recovery. Publication Trends: His 15 most recent articles (2022–2025) emphasize Mediterranean-centric solutions: 40% focus on passive/envelope technologies (Trombe walls, living walls), 30% on renewable integration (solar-assisted heat pumps, ORC systems), and 30% on energy recovery/optimization (LNG regasification, IAQ control). Awards: World Ranking of Top 2% Scientists 2023 (Stanford University) Outstanding Reviewer for Applied Thermal Engineering and Building and Environment Grants and Leadership: As Principal Investigator for the €2.5M PRIN 2022 ‘GrAce’ project, he develops living-wall systems. He also led EU-China clean energy guidelines and participates in Horizon Europe projects. Funded initiatives include: PON Smart Case (€1.8M, energy-efficient buildings) Tech4You (water-energy nexus optimization) GLAMOUR (IoT for home automation) Laboratory Affiliations: He co-leads the Environmental Technical Physics research group at DIMEG, specializing in building energy simulation, solar applications, and thermal measurement.