Tracy Becker

Tracy Becker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, holding the Ed & Diane Wilson Presidential Chair in Structural Engineering. She serves as Vice Chair for Research & Technical Support and leads projects in structural dynamics, earthquake engineering, and novel material applications.

Education:

• B.S. in Structural Engineering, University of California, San Diego (2006)
• M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (SEMM), University of California, Berkeley (2007)
• Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (SEMM), University of California, Berkeley (2011)

Becker's research focuses on enhancing structural resilience through advanced isolation systems, hybrid simulation methodologies, and machine learning-driven design optimization. Her work addresses collapse behavior under extreme seismic loads, model updating techniques, and innovative steel component design to improve rotational capacity while minimizing damage.

Recent publications highlight trends in base isolation performance evaluation, hybrid simulation advancements, and uncertainty modeling for infrastructure management. Key topics include friction pendulum systems, Gaussian process surrogate modeling for collapse prediction, and life-cycle analysis of bridge bearings.

Scientific Awards:

• Best Paper Award at ICOSSAR International Conference

Becker's contributions include experimental validation of isolation systems, development of data assimilation frameworks for structural models, and educational initiatives within the Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Materials (SEMM) program. She actively collaborates on full-scale testing and computational modeling projects.