Principal Investigator
Dr. Qian Chen is an assistant professor in Civil Engineering at the School of Engineering at The University of British Columbia (Okanagan campus). She uses digital technologies, optimizing algorithms and project management methods to enable collaboration among stakeholders while accelerating the digital transformation of construction projects.
Postdoc Fellows
Dr. Muhammad Fawad is a Digital Construction researcher and Structural Engineer hailing from Pakistan. He holds a joint doctoral degree from the Silesian University of Technology, Poland, and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary. Dr. Fawad is currently engaged in research related to the use of Building Information Management (BIM) tools, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Immersive (VR/AR/MR) technologies in the construction sector. He is an expert in the use of Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) devices, such as Microsoft HoloLens, Site Vision, and Oculus Quest for smarter construction solutions.
Dr. Saeide Bigdellou is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of British Columbia (Okanagan), where she contributes to the field of Supply Chain Management. She holds a Ph.D., M.Sc., and B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering with a specialization in Operations Research from the Sharif University of Technology. In 2020, she was a visiting graduate student at the University of Waterloo. Her research focuses on Supply Chain Management, Business Analytics, and the Development of Decision-Making Models. She has also served as a reviewer for high-impact factor journals. Alongside her academic accomplishments, Dr. Bigdellou has gained practical experience as a business analyst in the Telecommunication industry.（Alumni）
PhD Students
Kantheepan Yogeeswaran is a doctoral student in Civil Engineering having both field and design experience. He has a keen interest in using emerging technologies to solve problems in the construction industry.
MASc Students
Jingshuo Yu is a graduate student conducting research in building maintenance, which accounts for most of the facility management costs. He focuses on developing BIM and machine learning methods to predict facility failures, optimize maintenance schedules, and thus minimize maintenance expenditures, time consumption and GHG emissions.
Bo Su is an MASc student in Civil Engineering with a keen interest in Digital Construction, Immersive Technologies, and Artificial Intelligence. He is passionate about leveraging these technologies to address and solve construction problems.
Shuo-Yen (Ian) Tu is a master’s student in Electrical Engineering, supervised by Professor Zheng Liu and co-supervised by Dr. Qian Chen. He is interested in research related to Computer Vision and Machine Learning and aims to combine his research for practical applications in the industry.
Chongyuan Bian (Brian) is a M.A.S of Electrical Engineering student with a passion for solving real-world problems and improving people’s lives through advanced human-computer interaction. He is currently working with his supervisor Kenneth Chau and co-supervisor Qian Chen on the development and design of physically-based material databases in point cloud-based engines, augmented reality in architecture, and the development of gesture control in human-centered everyday environments.
Undergraduate Students
Ruizhi (Wise) Chen is a graduate civil engineer with a resilient infrastructure management option. He is interested in construction management, construction digitalization, and sustainability. He decided to pursue civil engineering to find and develop fast, cost-efficient and low-environmental impact construction methods, which could improve human life quality using technologies.
（Alumni）
Hellen Lacava is a Civil Engineer who recently graduated with the Resilient Infrastructure Management degree. She is currently working as Research Assistant in the CID Team. She is interested in Structural Engineering and Construction Automation. Currently, she is working with 3D Printed Houses for Indigenous Communities in Canada.
Jaeda Yurkiw is an undergraduate in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Resilient Infrastructure Management. She has a passion for structural engineering, with a strong focus on design and architecture. Currently, she is working on generative design for construction projects, leveraging advanced computational tools to optimize structural efficiency, material usage, and overall project performance.
Colby Yurkiw is an undergraduate Mechanical Engineering student specializing in Mechatronics with a minor in Computer Science. He is currently involved in exploring generative designs and design automation, with a particular focus on applying generative adversarial networks to floor plan generation. By leveraging advanced digital technologies and AI-driven methods, he seeks to streamline design processes and enhance collaboration across engineering and construction fields.
Visiting Scholars
Dr. Marcin Jasiński is an Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering at the Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland. His expertise involves the areas of structural and bridge design, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Digital Twin (DT) technologies. His research focuses on the practical application of Machine Learning (ML), optimization algorithms, parametric and generative design, programming, and numerical modeling.
Dawid Piotrowski is a PhD student at the Silesian University of Technology, Poland. He specializes in the application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in bridge engineering. His research focuses on the development of intelligent systems for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), as well as the implementation of AI and optimization-based methods for creating digital twins of bridge structures.
Viktoriia Bezverkhnia is a bachelor student, studying architecture, construction, decorative and applied arts. I am interested in innovations in the field of architectural design and construction. I am also actively studying interior design and architectural visualization.
As a French civil engineering student, Aymeric BONAY is interested in new methods of conception and construction. He intends to contribute to reaching the ecological and digital targets in the construction sector.
Urvi Gupta is a Civil Engineering undergraduate with a keen interest in digital construction methodologies and Building Information Modeling (BIM). With a strong drive to learn and a passion for making a lasting impact in the field, Urvi is committed to mastering new tools and techniques that can revolutionize the construction industry.
Songyue (Aaron) Wang is an undergraduate student majoring in Computer Science and Financial Technology. At his home institution, he has participated in various research and consultation projects in the fields of big data and blockchain as a research assistant. He is interested in applying state-of-the-art Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to improve the transparency and efficiency of procurement processes for the construction industry.
