Phd Supervisors

Dr. Wallied Orabi is an Associate Professor and the Undergraduate Program Director at the Moss School of Construction, Infrastructure and Sustainability within the FIU College of Engineering & Computing. 

Academic Background

Dr. Orabi has extensive training and academic credentials spanning civil and construction engineering: 

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (2010) – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• M.Sc. in Construction Engineering (2004) – The American University in Cairo

• B.Sc. in Civil Engineering (1996) – Cairo University 

Research & Expertise

His research primarily targets optimization, decision-making, and planning models for civil infrastructure systems. Key focus areas include: 

• Post-Disaster Reconstruction: Optimizing the recovery and resource utilization of heavily damaged transportation networks and infrastructure.

• Sustainable Construction: Developing resilient, sustainable building systems and analyzing the relationships between time, cost, and environmental impacts.

• Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC): Formulating frameworks to evaluate the cost-benefit trade-offs of accelerated versus conventional bridge construction techniques. 

His academic contributions are widely published in prominent American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) journals. He received national recognition as a co-recipient of the ASCE Journal of Construction Engineering and Management Best Paper of 2009 award.

Summary:
Dr. Omar M. Nofal, an assistant professor at Florida International University, specializes in structural engineering and risk and reliability analysis of structures. His research aims to enhance the resilience and functionality of the built environment against natural hazards, focusing on flood and hurricane impacts. He employs advanced techniques, including digital twin modeling, to improve high-resolution risk assessments for buildings and communities.

 Educational Background

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering

  • Colorado State University, 2021

  • Focus: Hazard, exposure, and vulnerability modeling; risk and resilience analysis; multi-hazard risk assessment for coastal communities.

• Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering

  • Cairo University, 2014-2017

  • Research focused on structural engineering topics, specifically lateral load analysis and the design of lateral load-resisting systems.

• Bachelor's Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering

  • Cairo University, 2008-2013

• Community Engagement: Participated in post-hazard field studies and community recovery tracking activities.

• Federally Funded Research: Contributed to NSF, NIST, NOAA, and DHS-funded projects during his Ph.D. and postdoctoral fellowship.

• Current Work: Developing digital twin models for communities to enhance high-resolution risk and resilience assessments for buildings and communities.

Master's Supervisors

Summary:
Dr. Xiaodong Qian, an Assistant Professor at Wayne State University, specializes in transportation engineering, with research interests spanning transportation equity, emerging mobilities, transportation safety and health, and system resilience. His work integrates strong theoretical foundations with practical applications, contributing significantly to these fields through various publications and funded projects.

Key Points:

• Position: Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Wayne State University.

• Educational Background:

  • Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering, University of California, Davis (2019)

  • B.S. in Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China (2014)

• Research Interests:

  • Transportation Equity: Investigating equitable access and distribution in transportation systems.

  • Emerging Mobilities: Focus on shared micro-mobility solutions and connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs).

  • Transportation Safety and Health: Examining how transportation impacts public health and safety.

  • System Resilience: Studying the resilience of transportation systems to disruptions and challenges.

• Publications: Contributed to journals such as the Journal of Transportation Research Part A & D, Journal of Transport Geography, and Journal of Transport and Health.

• Funding and Projects: Secured funding from organizations including NOAA, EGLE, and Caltrans.

Summary:
Dr. Hasan M. Al-Ahmadi, Associate Professor at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) and Director General of the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Science and Technology Center, is an expert in transportation engineering. His work emphasizes public transportation systems, traffic operations, intelligent transportation systems, and pavement management, earning him recognition for educational excellence.

Key Points:

• Position:

  • Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department, KFUPM

  • Director General, Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Science and Technology Center

• Education:

  • Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering: Michigan State University (1990)

  • M.S. and B.S. in Civil Engineering: KFUPM (1985, 1982)

• Specializations and Research Interests:

  • Transportation Planning and Modeling

  • Traffic Operations & Safety

  • Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

  • Pavement Management

• Professional Recognition:

  • Awarded for excellence in evaluating airfield and road networks at King Khalid Airbase (1999)

• Memberships:

  • Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

  • Saudi Society of Civil Engineering

  • Saudi Consultant Engineering Committee

M.B.A. Supervisor

Summary:
Dr. Sagib Kumar Ghosh, a Professor of Marketing at the University of Chittagong, is the Provost of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall. With expertise in service quality, technology-based customer loyalty, and market research, he has led multiple projects funded by organizations like UNICEF and the World Bank, focusing on market dynamics, customer satisfaction, and assessment.

Key Points:

• Position:

  • Professor, Marketing, University of Chittagong

  • Provost, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall

• Education:

  • Ph.D. in Marketing: University of Dhaka (2018)

  • MBA in International Business: Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand (2006)

  • MIM in Marketing & HRM: ESCP Europe, France (2007)

• Research and Projects:

  • Labor Market Survey (2020): Co-researcher on a UNICEF-funded study.

  • Technology-Based Service Quality and Customer Loyalty (2016-2018): Chief Investigator, UGC Research Award.

  • Market Potential for Mollusk Product of Bangladesh (2002-2003): Chief Investigation Officer, DFID-funded.

  • https://bup.edu.bd/faculty-member/details/464