Paola Bandini

Paola Bandini, Ph.D., P.E. serves as the Wells-Hatch Professor of Civil Engineering at New Mexico State University's Department of Civil Engineering. Her academic journey spans over two decades at NMSU, progressing from Assistant Professor (2002-2008) to Associate Professor (2008-2016), Wells-Hatch Associate Professor (2017-2021), and current Wells-Hatch Professor (2021-present).

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) – 2003, Purdue University
• M.S. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) – 1999, Purdue University
• B.S. in Geological Engineering (Soils & Foundations), Summa Cum Laude – 1993, Universidad de Oriente, Venezuela
• B.S. in Geology, Summa Cum Laude – 1993, Universidad de Oriente, Venezuela

Bandini's research pioneers bio-mediated and bio-inspired geotechnical solutions for ground improvement, deep foundations, and soil restoration, while advancing sustainable material applications using foam glass and recycled rubber. Her work bridges experimental soil characterization of desert and diatomaceous soils with numerical modeling of earthen structures and pavements, particularly focusing on adobe construction resiliency under moisture variations. The integration of biomimicry in foundation engineering represents her most innovative contribution.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• U.S. Patent No. 11,142,878 for Bio-inspired deep foundation piles and anchorage systems

Bandini actively collaborates within NMSU's civil engineering ecosystem, contributing to initiatives like the Center for Bio-Mediated & Bio-Inspired Geotechnics (CBBG). Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on sustainable geotechnics and heritage structure preservation, with recent work emphasizing numerical modeling of moisture effects in adobe systems and bio-inspired foundation technologies. She maintains strong industry connections through professional engineering practice (P.E. designation) and interdisciplinary partnerships across geotechnical, structural, and environmental domains.