| Faculty |
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Ibukun Gabriel Awolusi, Ph.D. Associate Professor Principal Investigator and Director of (SI)2 Lab [email protected] | (210) 458-3060 Google Scholar ResearchGate LinkedinEducation 2017 Ph.D., Civil Engineering, The University of Alabama 2015 M.S., Civil Engineering, The University of Alabama 2014 M.Sc., Construction Management (Distinction), University of Lagos 2009 B.Sc., Building (First Class Honors), University of Lagos |
| Dr. Ibukun Gabriel Awolusi is an Associate Professor and Division Leader of Construction Science and Management in the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio). He is the Principal Investigator and Director of the Safety Innovation and Smart Infrastructure (SI)2 Lab at UT San Antonio. Dr. Awolusi holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Alabama (UA), an M.Sc. in Construction Management (with Distinction) and a B.S. in Building (with First-Class Honors) from the University of Lagos (Unilag). Prior to joining academia, Dr. Awolusi worked in the construction industry for several years, where he managed the construction of various building and infrastructure projects.Before assuming his current position, he worked on several research projects and taught courses within the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at UA. Dr. Awolusi currently conducts research in the areas of construction safety and health, automation and robotics, innovation and technology integration in construction, space construction, sustainable materials and infrastructure, construction education, and workforce development. He teaches courses covering construction safety, advanced concepts in construction safety planning and management, the fundamentals of construction materials and testing and methods, and advanced topics in construction systems.
As a seasoned educator and researcher who is passionate about providing result-oriented solutions to problems, Dr. Awolusi continuously contributes to the body of knowledge through his scholarly work and the implementation of innovative pedagogies. He has been honored with several prestigious awards for his outstanding achievements in teaching and research by different academic and professional organizations. Two of these notable awards are the 2025 William E. Tarrants Outstanding Safety Educator Award by the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the 2025 Rising Stars of Safety Award by the National Safety Council (NSC). Dr. Awolusi is an ACUE Teaching Fellow of the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) for UT San Antonio, a Teaching Faculty Champion at UTSA, and an active member of several professional organizations, including ASSP, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC), the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), and the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST). He has published and presented numerous research articles in top-tier peer-reviewed journals and at notable international conferences. s. |
| Graduate Student Researchers |
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Chinedu Patrick Okonkwo Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant Google Scholar ResearchGate LinkedinEducation 2015 B.Eng., Civil Engineering (First Class Honors), University of Nigeria |
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Chinedu Patrick Okonkwo is currently a Ph.D. Student in the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management at The University of Texas at San Antonio. He joined the (SI)2 Lab in Fall 2021. Chinedu has more than 6 years of industry work experience as a project engineer in the construction industry. His research interests are in construction safety, automation, and the application of artificial intelligence in construction. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and a recipient of several awards including the ASCE UESI Pipeline Student Scholarship, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Scholarship, and the MTN Foundation Scholarship. |
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Roy Lan Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant Google Scholar ResearchGate LinkedinEducation 2021 M.Sc., Construction Management (Distinction), University of Lagos 2009 B.Eng., Civil Engineering, Covenant University |
| Roy Lan is currently a Ph.D. Student in the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management at The University of Texas at San Antonio. He joined the (SI)2 Lab in Fall 2022. Roy has more than 7 years of industry work experience in project engineering, management, and safety in the construction industry. His research interests are in intelligent autonomous systems, computer vision, machine learning, and robotics. His research has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Best Paper Award at the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) World Building Congress (WBC) 2025, the Best Poster Award at the 60th Annual Conference of the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC), and multiple scholarships from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Utility Engineering & Surveying Institute (UESI), the North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT), and the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST), among others. |
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Mehdi Torbat Esfahani, M.S. Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant Google Scholar ResearchGate LinkedinEducation 2023 M.S, Engineering/Industrial Management, Michigan Technological University 2012 M.S., Civil Engineering, Tafresh University 2008 B.Eng., Civil Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch |
| Mehdi Torbat Esfahani is currently a Ph.D. Student in the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management at The University of Texas at San Antonio. He joined the (SI)2 Lab in Spring 2023. The thesis project Mehdi worked on as part of his master’s degree in civil engineering was ranked first among 32 students. His research focuses on construction safety management, technology, and automation in construction. Mehdi is currently a member of the American Society of civil engineers (ASCE) and the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). Mehdi also has more than 10 years of industry experience in construction engineering and management. |
| Undergraduate Student Researchers |
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Katelyn Trevino Program: B.S. in Construction Science and Management Research: Virtual Reality for Hands-on Construction Laboratory Training |
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Stefanie Zuniga Program: B.S. in Construction Science and Management Research: Managing Safety in Steel Erection |
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Jo Kaspersen Program: B.S. in Construction Science and Management Research: Computer Vision for Safety and Infrastructure Monitoring |
| Recent Graduates and Alumni |
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Aliu Akinsemoyin, M.S. M.S. in Civil Engineering (May 2022) Research: Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) and Deep Learning for Safety and Health Monitoring on Construction SitesCurrent Position: Telecommunications Manager at ENTRUST Solutions Group |
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Noah Lubbering B.S. in Construction Science and Management (Aug 2023) Research: Interlocking Earthen Masonry Units for Sustainable Residential Building ConstructionCurrent Position: Facilities Mgt. Intern at Southwest Research Institute |
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Raul Sandoval B.S. in Construction Science and Management (Aug 2022) Research: Digital Technology for Safety and Health in Steel ManufacturingCurrent Position: Project Engineer at Catamount Constructors |
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Brenda Campbell B.S. in Construction Science and Management (May 2022) Research: Wearable IoT for Safety and Health Monitoring in Steel ManufacturingCurrent Position: Jr. Estimator at Embrey |
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Adrian Alcocer B.S. in Construction Science and Management (May 2021) Research: Construction Safety and Health in the Curriculum of Construction ProgramsCurrent Position: Project Coordinator at Mears Group Inc. |
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Jennifer Mondragon B.S. in Construction Science and Management (Dec 2021) Research: Characterization and Mapping of Safety and Health Hazards in Steel ManufacturingCurrent Position: Estimating Assistant at Foster Fence LTD |