Vecellio Construction Engineering and Management Program

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT

energy consumption behaviors and providing energy education interventions. The team has been augmenting technology solutions with social interventions that improve the efficiency of housing which is an inseparable socio-technical system. In collaboration with VCEMP graduate student Brooke Baugher, Dr. Paige supported the execution of another service-learning trip to Rilima, Rwanda. Through a partnership with Fondazione

Mike Garvin, Ross Myers, Mike Vorster, and Brian Kleiner paused for a photo while attending the Vecellio Lecture in the fall of 2019. Marcegaglia Onlus (FMO), students successfully built a water pumping system. Tripp Shealy began a new NSF funded

The Vecellio Construction formalizing a partnership with the research project studying systems Engineering and Management Program Barchan Foundation. In addition, thinking in engineering students. The (VCEMP) persevered through change he coordinated and presented the project will use concept maps to prime in 2020 and sustained over 50 graduate proposal for VT to co-host the 2022 students to think about the complex and students in the program for the academic Construction Research Congress dynamic relationships in engineering year. A highlight for the faculty was a with ASCE’s Construction Institute. problems. Dr. Shealy’s research team visit to the Vecellio Group to engage He published a book chapter on will use a novel neuro-imaging tool to with members of the Vecellio family who financially distressed PPP projects, a measure students’ brain activation during endowed the program in 2001. Since book review, four journal papers and engineering problem solving. Dr. Shealy the family endowed the program, over three conference papers. used the same neuro-imaging tool to 80 undergraduate students and over 20 Farrokh Jazizadeh continued his complete a project for the VDOT about graduate students have received more research on two NSF grants that focus driver response to dynamic message sign than $600,000 in scholarship funding. on enabling intelligent physical and safety campaign messages. Messages like

The COVID-19 pandemic forced virtual environments that support “May the 4th be with you, text I will not” the postponement of the 20th Vecellio human interactions with the built are increasingly used to catch drivers’ Distinguished Lecture. Once conditions environments for energy efficiency attention. These messages attempt to permit, this signature event for the enhancement and learning new skills. provoke an emotional response among program will be rescheduled. Still, four He has further secured funding from drivers. The results of the study indicate undergraduate Vecellio Scholarships and the Department of Transportation - messages about distracted driving, four Vecellio Fellowships were awarded Federal Railroad Administration to messages with humor, and messages to students who have demonstrated develop Artificial Intelligence tools that use word play elicit higher levels of leadership, academic excellence and for human-in-the-loop and data- cognitive activation in the brain, which is a an interest in pursuing a career in the driven assessment of infrastructure proxy for increased attention. construction industry. Scholars are performance to move towards Sunil Sinha is working on a Water Kyrsten Dallanegra, Sean Foley, Connor automation and supporting human Research Foundation (WRF) Project titled Sandway and Tammy Trinh while Fellows operators with improved decision “Case Study Compilation on Applying Risk are Manik Ahmed, Joseph James, Dwayne making in day-to-day maintenance Management Principles and Innovative Jefferson and Esteban Radillo Amezquita. activities. He has received a VT Technologies to Effectively Manage

Faculty from the program remain COVID19 Rapid Grant to investigate Deteriorating Water Infrastructure.” He active in research, teaching, and how smart building systems could be is working closely with more than 700 outreach. Michael J. Garvin completed a leveraged to assess and mitigate viral water utilities across the country for water research project for the Federal Highway exposures in indoor environments to pipeline performance analysis and artificial Administration (FHWA) that developed a enable safe operations of buildings. intelligence applications. Sunil received decision support tool that will aid public Frederick Paige completed a VT an NSF Engineering Research Center agencies in their selection of alternative Engage Faculty Fellowship and has (ERC) planning grant for development of project delivery methods. He is now continued working with community a national strategy for Smart One Water supporting FHWA initiatives to deploy partners to develop solutions for (SOW) and hosted five workshops this and improve the tool. Mike continued reducing energy consumption year. his efforts to establish the Center for in affordable housing. The STILE Infrastructure Delivery Excellence by Research team has been monitoring