CURRENT PHD STUDENTS ADVISED OR CO-ADVISED:

Emily Boldor, MS-PhD Student

“Evaluation of rainfall-seismic performance of housing infrastructure in Hawaii”   Expected 2030

Amir Sayari, PhD Student

“Evaluation of rainfall-seismic liquefaction triggering and consequence”   Expected 2028

Katharine Rhoades, PhD Student

“An integrated study seismic retrofit of non-ductile concrete buildings”    Expected 2027

Jonathan Schmidt, PhD Student

“Regional mapping of ground failure & impact on transportation”           Expected 2027

Sina G. Senji, PhD Student

“Effects of calcite precipitation on liquefaction resistance”                     Expected 2027

FORMER PHD STUDENTS (PRIMARY ADVISOR OR CO-ADVISOR)

Dr. Lianne Brito, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering and Geomechanics, 2024 (Dissertation topic: Machine-learning based predictive models for liquefaction ejecta in the free-field). — Current appointment: USGS/Army Corps of Engineers.

Dr. Caroline Bessette, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering and Geomechanics, 2024 (Dissertation topic: Mitigation of liquefaction in interlayer deposits using dense granular columns). — Current appointment: TBD.

Dr. Hailey-Rae Rose, PhD in Geotechnical and Structural Engineering, 2023 (Dissertation topic: Centrifuge modeling of jointed pipelines subject to axial loading). — Current appointment: Exponent-Denver.

Prof. Yu-Wei Hwang, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering and Geomechanics, 2021 (Dissertation topic: Numerical modeling of structure-soil-structure interaction on liquefiable soils and effects of mitigation in urban settings) — Current appointment: Assistant Professor at National Taiwan University.

Dr. Zachary Bullock, PhD in Geotechnical and Structural Engineering, 2020 (Dissertation topic: Performance-based Evaluation and Mitigation of Liquefaction near Buildings) — Appointments: Assistant Professor at University of British Columbia & more recently, Industry.

Dr. Juan Carlos Tiznado Aitken, Dual PhD from CU Boulder and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Geotechnical Engineering, 2020 (Dissertation topic: Performance-Based Design of Compacted Stone Columns in Embankments Founded on Liquefiable Deposits.) — Current appointment: Assistant Professor at Pontificia Universidad Caolica de Chile.

Dr. Jenny Ramírez Calderón, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, 2019 (Dissertation topic: Numerical Modeling of the Influence of Different Liquefaction Remediation Strategies on the Performance of Potentially Inelastic Structures.) — Current appointment: GeoSyntec Consultants (Washington DC).

Dr. Mahir Badanagki, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, 2019 (Dissertation topic: Influence of Dense Granular Columns on the Seismic Performance of Level and Gently Sloped Liquefiable Sites.) — Current appointment: Golder Associates (Colorado).

Dr. Balaji Paramsivam, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, 2018 (Dissertation topic: Influence of Traditional and Innovative Liquefaction Mitigation Strategies on the Performance of Soil-Structure Systems, Considering Soil Heterogeneity) — Current appointment: Fugro West Inc. and more recently, Moody’s (California).

Dr. Juan Carlos Olarte Guarin, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, 2017 (Dissertation topic: Influence of ground densification with drainage control on the performance of shallow-founded structures) — Current appointment: Assistant Professor at Universidad de Medellin, Colombia.

Dr. Zana Karimi, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, 2016 (Dissertation topic: A Numerical and experimental study of seismic soil-structure interaction on liquefiable ground) — Current appointment: AECOM (Denver, CO).

Dr. Ashkaan Hushmand, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, 2016 (Dissertation topic: Seismic response of water reservoir structures, a centrifuge experimental study) — Current appointment: HushmandAssociates, Inc. (Irvine, CA)

Dr. Kenneth Gillis, PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, 2015 (Dissertation topic: Seismic response of shallow underground structures in dense urban environments) — Current appointment: Science/Engineering Instructor at Boulder Prep High School (Colorado)

FORMER POST-DOCTORAL SCHOLARS ADVISED OR CO-ADVISED:

Dr. Sara Glad, Post-doctoral Scholar, 2020-2022

Dr. April Bowman, Post-doctoral Scholar, 2018-2019 — Current appointment: Army Corp of Engineer (ERDC)

Dr. Patrick Dixon, Post-doctoral Scholar, 2021-2023 — Current appointment: NIST

Dr. Peter Kirkwood, Post-doctoral Scholar, 2016-2018 

Dr. Zana Karimi, Post-doctoral Scholar, 2016-2017 — Current appointment: AECOM (Denver, CO).

Dr. Derya Deniz, Post-doctoral Scholar, 2014-2015 — Current appointment: Associate Professor at Ozyegin University (Turkey)

Dr. Min Zhang, Research Associate and Centrifuge Engineer, 2012-2015 — Current appointment: GSG consultants (Chicago).

Dr. Majid Ghayoomi, Research Associate, 2011-2012 — Current appointment: Associate Professor at University of New Hampshire.

FORMER MS STUDENTS (PRIMARY ADVISOR OR CO-ADVISOR)

Mr. Jacob Klingaman, MS in Geotechnical Engineering, 2022 (Thesis topic: rehabilitation of gas pipelines under loading from traffic or adjacent excavation)

Mr. Raniero Beber under the bi-lateral agreement between the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Trento in Italy, 2016-17 (Thesis topic: Site Response in Liquefiable Layered Deposits Considering Spatial Variability in Hydraulic Conductivity)

Mr. Jacopo Zannin under the bi-lateral agreement between the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Trento in Italy, 2015-16 (Thesis topic: Centrifuge Modeling of Site Response on Liquefiable Ground)

Ms. Christina Jones, MS in Geotechnical Engineering, 2015 (Thesis topic: Seismic response of temporary braced excavations near tall buildings)

Mr. David Provost, MS in Geotechnical Engineering, 2015 (Thesis topic: Dynamic properties of Nevada Sand under sinusoidal and irregular cyclic loading)

Mr. Cyrus Hoda, MS in Geotechnical Engineering, 2015 (Report topic: State of knowledge and practice in liquefaction remediation)

Mr. Kenneth Gillis, MS in Geotechnical Engineering, 2013 (Thesis topic: Dynamic calibration of tactile sensors for measurement of soil pressures in centrifuge)

Mr. Devon McLay, MS in Geotechnical Engineering, 2013 (Thesis topic: Performance of a buried reservoir structure under earthquake loading)

Undergraduate Student Research Advising

Ms. Alexandra Ivanova, SPUR Program, Summer 2025

Mr. Ian McLeod, SPUR Program, Summer 2025

Mr. Gionni Madrid, SPUR Program for Community College Students, Summer 2024

Ms. Ada Sanders, SPUR Program for Community College Students, Summer 2024

Mr. Gabriel Gonclaves, the SMART program, Summer 2023

Ms. Ariana Carmody, Fall 2022-2023

Mr. Caleb Schmidt, Summer 2022

Ms. Joelle Westcott, Summer 2018-2023

Ms. Eleanor Taylor, 2022-2023

Mr. Joshua MDuffie, the SMART Program, Summer 2018

Ms. Daniarely Loma Jasso, Summer 2017

Ms. Isabel McLeod, Summer 2017

Ms. Nicole Souder, Fall 2016

Ms. Samantha Guillies, Fall 2016-Spring 2017

Ms. Lianne Brito, the SMART Program, Summer 2016

Mr. Matthew Paul Egeler, Fall 2015-Spring 2016

Mr. Luciano De Oliveira Souza Junior, Fall 2015-Summer 2016

Mr. Leonardo Soligo Gomes, Fall 2015-Summer 2016

Ms. Rebecca Scheetz, August 2014-Spring 2016

Ms. Anisha Lamsal, September 2014-2015

Ms. Devon Marsh, September 2014-2015

Mr. Tiago De Oliveira Almeida, Summer 2014

Ms. Jalila Elfejji, the Summer Multicultural Access to Research Training (SMART) Program, 2014

Mr. Frias Miguel, the SMART Program, Summer 2013

Mr. Christian G. Hernandez Negron, the SMART Program, Summer 2012