Maria Diakoumi

Dr Maria Diakoumi is a Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering at the University of Brighton's School of Environment and Technology. She specializes in Geotechnical Engineering, with expertise in Earth retaining structures, Soil-Structure Interaction, and Resilience of Geotechnical Infrastructure. She has held leadership roles including Course Leader for BEng/MEng Civil Engineering programs and memberships in School committees. Her research focuses on geotechnical centrifuge modeling, onshore/offshore foundations, and infrastructure resilience.

Education:

• Diploma in Civil Engineering (MEng equivalent), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2003)
• PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, University of Southampton (2007)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (2010)

Research Interests: Dr Diakoumi’s work addresses advanced geotechnical challenges, including lateral capacity of piles in sand, performance of self-installing foundations, and resilience of geotechnical systems. She employs experimental and numerical techniques, such as geotechnical centrifuge modeling, to enhance infrastructure design and safety.

Awards:

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA)

Advising & Grants:

• Supervised three PhD students
• Collaborated on EU-funded projects (FP7, Interreg), Royal Academy of Engineering grants, and UKaid initiatives
• External Examiner for BEng/MSc Civil Engineering programs at Birmingham City University (2020–2023)

Labs & Teams: Active in the Advanced Engineering Centre at the University of Brighton, contributing to interdisciplinary research through collaborations with industry and professional bodies like ICE and CIHT.