Safe and Smart Interaction in Construction Lab (SSICL)

Advancing Safety, Intelligence, and Human-Centered Construction

Vision

Welcome to the Safe and Smart Interaction in Construction Lab (SSICL), founded and directed by Dr. Zixian (ZZ) Zhu at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. We are an interdisciplinary research group advancing human-centered technology integration in construction and the built environment, with emphasis on human–AI interaction, safe human–robot interaction, immersive virtual reality, risk simulation and analysis, construction safety, and workforce education and training.

News

2026/07

🎉New paper "Bidirectional multimodal worker-drone communication in a real-world construction environment" was published in Automation in Construction! Check it out: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2026.107171.

2026/07
Dr. ZZ participated in the CoE cohort and completed the Innovation Engineering Blue Belt certification.
2026/07
🎉Congratulations to Farhana! Her paper "Additive Manufacturing for Sustainable Construction 4.0: Trends, Opportunities, and Future Directions" was published in Architecture! Great job, Farhana! Check it out: https://doi.org/10.3390/architecture6030110.
2026/06
🎉SSICL received the NIOSH Pilot/Small Project Research Training Grant through the Deep South Centre for Occupational Health and Safety for research focusing on worker reliance on AI in construction.
2026/06

ENGT faculty received the Trimble survey equipment training held by NEI.

2026/06

Dr. ZZ, with Dr. Sharon LaHood, visited Virginia Tech, Myers-Lawson School of Construction for outreach and support ULL CM program.

2026/05
🎉Congratulations to Md Mahfujur Rahman and Md Shafiqul Islam Chowdhury on completing their M.S. degrees! Dr. ZZ served on their thesis committees.
2026/05

Dr. ZZ received internal funding for AI Engineering Education Initiative: Preparing AI-Ready Engineers.

2026/04

Dr. ZZ, with Dr. Mihrimah Ozmen, served as ENGT faculty volunteer in Lagniappe Day🦞.

2026/04

🎉Geri Bowie completed her ULL Macnair Scholars Program! Dr. ZZ served as her faculty mentor.

2026/04

Mr. Chase Landry, the CEO of Chase Group Construction, visited ENGT250 to give a guest lecture.

2026/03

Dr. ZZ presented our study at the ASCE Construction Reseach Congress 2026 in San Antonio, TX.

2026/03

Amreen joined SSICL as a graduate research assistant. Welcome!

2026/02
Jayden joined SSICL as an undergraduate research apprentice. Welcome!
2026/01

Drone Institute team came to ENGT250 to give a guest lecture.

2025/11

Mr. John R. Stuffle, Project Manager of ULL Facility Management, gave ENGT250 a site visit in Madison Hall.

2025/11
🎉New paper "Bidirectional Human–Drone Safety Communication in Construction" published in Journal of Construction Engineering and Management! Check it out: https://doi.org/10.1061/JCEMD4.COENG-17106
2025/10

Mr. Mark Forsyth, Drone Director at NEI, visited ENGT250 to give a guest lecture.

2025/09
Nathan and Chloe joined SSICL as undergraduate research apprentices. Welcome!
2025/08
Farhana joined SSICL as a graduate research assistant. Welcome!
2025/08
Dr. ZZ participated in the Wingtra Demo Day technical workshop held by NEI.
2025 /08
Dr. ZZ established the Safe and Smart Interaction in Construction Lab after joining the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as a tenure-track Assistant Professor.

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