PEOPLE
CONCISE Director
Biography
I am the director of CONCISE Laboratory at Lehigh University. I am an assistant professor at the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Lehigh University. Prior to joining Lehigh, I was a faculty member at Penn State Harrisburg, where I taught environmental engineering courses and performed research on smart water systems. My background is in chemical engineering (BSc. and MSc. from Sharif University of Technology) and I have a PhD in civil and environmental engineering, from University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV).
My research interests include cybersecurity of water systems, water-energy nexus, mathematical optimization of interconnected critical infrastructure systems, physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods of water, runoff water, and wastewater, dynamic modeling of hydraulic systems, applied machine learning, biofuel and renewable energy production processes; green roofs, and desalination design optimization.
Education
2013 - Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
2007 - M.Sc., Chemical Engineering. Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
2005 - B.Sc., Chemical Engineering. Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
Teaching Experience
Lehigh University (2021- Present)
Spring 2022, 2023 | Interdependent Urban Systems, CEE 397/497
Fall 2021, 2022, 2023 | Hazardous Waste Treatment and Management, CEE 378/478
Contact Information
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
Office: STEPS Building 334, 1 West Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18015
Tel: +1 (610)-758-3558
Email: moazeni@lehigh.edu
PhD Students
Oluwabunmi Iwakin
Machine Learning and Optimization | Water System Resilience and Demand forecast | Waste-energy Conversions | In-Situ Chemical Analysis of MSW Streams
Oluwabunmi is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Concise Lab at Lehigh University. He obtained his bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Technology Akure in 2019. His research uses statistical analysis, numerical modeling, optimization, and machine learning algorithms to enhance the design and operation of interconnected urban infrastructures. His current research involves the optimal resilience-based modeling of water distribution networks in informing the design and operational decisions supporting water distribution networks. He is also a Research Assistant at Lehigh University’s Energy Research Center, where his research applies machine learning techniques for the analysis and characterization of MSW streams. Outside of research, he enjoys playing chess, scribbling, and occasionally playing football.
SASKIA ANINDYA PUTRI
Advanced Predictive Control | System Identification | Water-energy Systems | Naval Power and Eng. Systems
Saskia Putri is a Ph.D. student in Civil Engineering at Lehigh University, focusing on water resources engineering under the Concise lab. Her educational background includes a B.Eng in Environmental Engineering from Universitas Indonesia and an M.Eng from Pennsylvania State University, with a scholarship from the U.S. Agency for International Development. During her first doctoral year, her work on the predictive control of interlinked water-energy microgrids was published in the Journal of Applied Energy and presented at the IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting. Her research interests revolve around model predictive control, co-optimization, and system identification for power and water distribution systems. Currently, Putri is continuing her research on a U.S Department of Defense project involving deep learning-based predictive control for next-generation naval power and energy systems. Besides her research, she enjoys discovering new cuisines and locations, watching movies, and engaging in physical fitness activities.
NaZIA RAZA
Machine Learning | Numerical Optimization Methods | Cybersecurity | Water Systems
Nazia is pursuing her Ph.D. at Concise Lab of the Lehigh University. In 2019, she gradutaed with a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from NED University of Engineering and Technology, receiving gold medals in recognition of her acheivemnet as the top student of her department. Her research work mainly focuses on the cybersecurity aspects of smart water distribution systems. Her research leverages numerical optimization to analyze the cyber vulnerabilities of the water systems against the targeted stealthy false data injection attacks under system's uncertainties. This cutting-edge research has been recognized in the prestigious International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection. Now, she is venturing into the realm of deep learning, developing sophisticated models to detect these cyberattacks more effectively. Besides protecting the smart water systems against the cyberattacks, she finds joy and balance in singing, reading and writing poetry.
daniela villacres
Control for Water Systems | Optimization | Machine Learning
Daniela is a Ph.D. student at the CONCICE Lab at Lehigh University starting in fall 2024. In 2014, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas, Ecuador. She earned a scholarship from the Ecuadorian government, which allowed her to acquire a Master of Science degree in civil engineering at University of Florida, in 2018. She has worked as a professor in three universities in Ecuador, teaching classes such as fluid mechanics, groundwater geology, drinking water systems, water treatment plants, plumbing installations in smart buildings. Also, she has developed different consultancies proposing strategies to water supply, sewage, and storm water systems in Ecuadorian regions with challenging problems (e.g. the case of Santa Cruz Island - Galápagos). Currently, her research interests are related to computational models to control water system, machine learning, and optimization. Apart of her academic life, she enjoys reading, walking in nature, and listening or playing music.
Master Student
ALLEN BAI
Optimization | Predictive Control | Smart Wastewater Treatment Plants
Allen is currently pursuing his Masters of Science at Lehigh University. He obtained his bachelor's degree in Building Environment and Energy Applications Engineering from Changsha University of Science and Technology, in 2019. Allen had the opportunity to work with the water industry to implement his research findings. He employed Nonlinear economic model predictive control (NEMPC) to Galeton's water system to minimize the pumping electricity consumption while meeting the water demand. Outside his studies, he enjoys playing computer games, listening music, and watching movies.
Undergraduate Student
VANIAH BARRERA
Water System Simulation and Control | Optimization | Hardware-in-the-Loop
Vaniah is pursuing her bachelor's in Civil Engineering at Lehigh University. As an undergraduate student, she is interested in learning about the interconnected water systems management and control. She joined Concise Lab to gain water systems management experience while working on an industry's collaborative PITA project. Her research delves in the optimization of pump operations and cost minimization contributing to ensuring the resilience of water systems and equitable water allocation. She is exploring Hardware-in-the-loop experiments with the testbed. Apart from her studies, she enjoys her leisure time by involving in outdoor activities such as backpacking and running.
MADALYN JORDAN
Water Distribution System Modeling | Real-time Data Analysis | Cybersecurity
Madalyn is a passionate undergraduate graduate, pursuing her bachelor's in Environmental Engineering at Lehigh University. As an undergraduate researcher, Maddi wants to explore the design and operational dynamics of smart water systems. Currently, she is exploring the design aspects of water supply networks by performing network simulations in WaterGEMS. She is also involved in performing data analysis of a real-world water supply network. Her future goal in CONCISE Lab is to advance in the cybersecurity domain of water systems. Beyond her studies, she enjoys grabbing coffee, traveling, and spending time with her pets.
Former Students
menglin Jiang
Model-Predictive Control of Integrated Water-Energy Systems
Alexis romeo
Model-Predictive Control of Integrated Water-Energy Systems
Nick Kozachuk
AI-Based Algorithms of Real-time Water Demand and Quality Forecasting