Joseph Palese

Joseph Palese is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware, specializing in Railroad Engineering. His research focuses on structural mechanics, inspection methodologies, maintenance planning, and data science applications for railway infrastructure. With over 30 years of industry experience, he has contributed to software development for maintenance planning, holds patents, and developed inspection systems. His current work explores relationships between asset failure modes using inspection and asset data.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Delaware (2019)
• M.S., Rowan University (1998)
• M.S., University of Delaware (1990)
• B.S., University of Delaware (1988)

Research Interests: Dr. Palese’s expertise spans railway infrastructure resilience, predictive maintenance, risk assessment frameworks, and data-driven solutions for track geometry degradation and asset management. His work integrates advanced analytics with traditional railway engineering to improve safety and efficiency.

Awards & Grants: While no specific awards are listed, his extensive industry collaboration and patent portfolio highlight his impactful contributions. His research has been applied in real-world systems like the Geocell Track Substructure Support System and intelligent rail inspection vehicles.

Labs & Teams: His work involves interdisciplinary teams focusing on railway systems, leveraging technologies like GPR, AI, and statistical modeling to address challenges in track maintenance and safety.