Research Team

Current Students

Rose Thomas

Accelerated MS student (AME)

Honors Engineering Research Experience (HERE) Scholar

Research Interests:

  • Additive manufacturing of 3D isolators

Esteban Villalobos Vega

PhD candidate

GCoE PhD Recruitment Excellence Fellow

Research Interests:

  • 3D seismic isolation

  • Real-time hybrid simulation

Richard Campos

PhD student

Research Interests:

  • Transportation, power, and water infrastructure networks

  • Community resilience

Miguel Payan

Undergraduate student

OK-LSAMP Scholar

Honors Engineering Research Experience (HERE) Scholar

Research Interests:

  • Additive manufacturing of double isolation systems

Former Students

Stone Bracket

Master of Science (Spring 2022) & Bachelor of Science (Spring 2021)

Honors Engineering Research Experience (HERE) Scholar

National Merit Scholar

Research Interests:

  • Vertical isolation using post-buckled struts

Daleen Torres

Undergraduate student (University of Puerto Rico - MayagĂĽez)

NHERI Summer REU

Research Interests:

  • Multi-directional behavior of rolling pendulum (RP) isolators

Chase Hibbard

Undergraduate student

3D3 Scholar

Research Interests:

  • Low-cost 3D-printed shake table for outreach activities

Michael Earl

Accelerated MS student (ECE)

National Merit Scholar

Research Interests:

  • Instrumentation and data acquisition

Puthynan Bin

Master of Science (Spring 2021) & Bachelor of Science (Spring 2020)

Davis United World College Scholar

Thesis: Evaluating the Performance of a Nonlinear Dual-Mode Vibration Isolator/Absorber System

Accolades:

  • 2nd Place at the OU Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2021

Research Interests:

  • Experimental evaluation of a dual-mode vibration isolator/absorber system

Braulio Covarrubias Vargas

Master of Science (Spring 2021) & Bachelor of Science (Spring 2020)

Davis United World College Scholar

Thesis: Real-Time Hybrid Simulation Study of a Rolling Pendulum Equipment Isolation System

Where is he now?

  • Braulio is a structural engineer in Dallas, TX

Thomas Cain

Master of Science (Spring 2020) & Bachelor of Science with honors (Spring 2019)

Honors Engineering Research Experience (HERE) Scholar

National Merit Scholar

Thesis: Designing and Characterizing Negative Stiffness Devices for Apparent Weakening and Vertical Isolation

Accolades:

  • People's Choice at the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2020

  • Honorable Mention, OU Undergraduate Research Day 2019

  • Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Grant

Where is he now?

  • Thomas is a structural engineering at Protection Engineering Consultants in San Antonio, TX

Mehrun Nisa

Bachelor of Science (Spring 2020)

Davis United World College Scholar

Research Interests:

  • Numerical evaluation of a dual-mode vibration isolator/absorber system

Mohammad Tehrani

Doctor of Philosophy (Summer 2019)

Dissertation: Design and Assessment of Innovative Dual-mode Rolling Isolation Systems

Accolades:

  • Gallogly College of Engineering Dissertation Excellence Award

  • Robberson Conference Presentation & Creative ExhibitionTravel Grant

Where is he now?

  • Mohammad is a structural engineering at Englekirk Structural Engineers in Los Angeles, CA

Sumangali Sivakumaran

Master of Science (Fall 2019)

Research:

  • Worked on ABC-UTC project, co-advised by Prof. K.K. Muraleetharan (Co-PI)

Accolades:

  • Honorable Mention 1, 2018 Oklahoma Transportation Research Day Poster Competition

Skylar Calhoun

Master of Science (Summer 2018) & Bachelor of Science (Spring 2017)

OK-LSAMP Scholar

Thesis: Evaluation of Rolling-type Isolation Systems for Seismic Hazard Mitigation

Accolades:

  • 2nd place poster at the 21st Annual OK-LSAMP Research Symposium

  • Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Grant

Where is he now?

  • Skylar is a structural engineering with Wallace Engineering in Oklahoma City, OK

Stephanie Fox

Undergraduate student (Freshman, AME)

Honors Engineering Research Experience (HERE) Scholar

National Merit Scholar

Research Interests:

  • Characterization of 3D printed structures through static analysis

Justin Porter

Bachelor of Science with honors (May 2019, AME)

Honors Engineering Research Experience (HERE) Scholar

National Merit Scholar

Accolades:

  • Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Grant

Where is he now?

  • Justin is pursuing his PhD at Rice University

Guy Elisha

Bachelor of Science with honors (May 2019, AME)

Honors Engineering Research Experience (HERE) Scholar

Davis United World College Scholar

Where is she now?

  • Guy is pursuing her PhD at Northwestern University

Corey Casey

Master of Science (Fall 2017)

Thesis: Rolling-type Isolation: An Experimental Characterization and Numerical Parametric Study

Where is he now?

  • Corey currently works at ZFI Engineering Co. in Oklahoma City, OK as a structural engineer

Samantha Heinrich

Master of Science (Spring 2017) & Bachelor of Science (Spring 2016)

Thesis: Oklahoma Earthquakes and Their Effects on Highway Bridges

Accolades:

  • 2nd place poster at the Oklahoma Transportation Research Day

  • The Phi Kappa Phi Award for Distinguished Undergraduate Research, OU Undergraduate Research Day 2016

Where is she now?

  • Samantha currently works at Triad Design Group in Oklahoma City, OK

Ivanna Kaid Bay Cortez

Master of Science (Fall 2016)

Thesis: Effects of Seismic Loading on Oklahoma Highway Bridges

Where is she now?

  • Ivanna currently works at CP&Y in Oklahoma City, OK as a bridge engineer

Kevin Wise

Master of Science (Aug 2016)

Thesis: Design Guidance for Installing Vibration Sensitive Equipment in Industrial Facilities

Where is he now?

  • Kevin is a project engineer at Tinker Air Force Base

Kristen Hayden

Bachelor of Science with honors (May 2017)

Research Interests:

  • Sliding isolation to protect equipment

  • Friction and geometric nonlinearities in sliding isolation systems

Accolades:

  • Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Grant

Where is she now?

  • Kristen recently took a job with Connect Structural Engineering in Dallas, TX