Student Researchers

These students are assisting SPTC partners with various research projects. Scroll to read more and meet the students.

Louisiana Tech University

Md. Reazul Islam
Working with: Joan Lynam
CY1-LTU-OU-LSU-01: Replacing Fossil Fuel Based Asphalt Binder with Sustainable Lignin Binder from Wastes

Navajo Technical University

Jordan Largo
Working with: Anusuya Vellingiri
Jordan is a junior enrolled in a dual degree major for electrical engineering and construction technology. He plans to continue his education at NTU to receive both degrees.

Oklahoma State University

Abigail Winrich
Working with: Jaime Schussler
Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for Climate Resilient Culverts
Abby is currently a Graduate Research Assistant pursuing a Master's in Environmental Engineering at Oklahoma State University. Her research focuses on hydrologic modeling, sediment, and BMPs. Prior to Oklahoma, she received her Bachelor's in Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Ecological Design and Engineering from the University of Vermont where she first developed her passion for water resources. After graduating, she went on to serve as a Sustainable Agriculture Volunteer in Senegal with the Peace Corps. Since then, Abby has worked on a number of different national water quality sampling projects and hopes to return to work for the federal government after graduation.

Texas A&M Transportation Institute

Karim Lujan
Working with: Jacqueline Kuzio
Risk Assessment of Port Infrastructure Considering Uncertainty in Coastal Forcing and Climate Change Impact 
Mr. Lujan is currently working on his master's in public service and administration from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. He currently serves as a graduate student worker at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute where he aids in policy, economic, and new technology research. 

Texas A&M University

Xuechen Ni
Working with: Maria Koliou
CY1-TAMU-R5.1
Xuechen Ni is a PhD student in Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University. He obtained my Master's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida and my Bachelor's degree from Hefei University of Technology. He also worked as an assistant engineer in the structural safety assessment area for around one year.

Muddassir Sanei
Working with: Anand Puppala
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction and Durability of Sustainable Pavement Recycling and Stabilization using Novel Materials
Muddassir originates from Pakistan and completed his Bachelors in Civil Engineering from NUST, Pakistan in 2014. Afterwards, he worked in the industry with contractors and governmental agencies for over seven years and joined Texas A&M for a Masters Degree in 2023.

Jaime Suarez
Working with: Anand Puppala
CY1-TT1-02: Multifunctional Geosynthetic-based Stabilization to Increase Coastal Infrastructure Resilience
Jaime is a master's student at the Zachary Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Texas A&M University. Jaime achieved his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. There he worked with Dr. Juan Carlos Reyes in the analysis of the ground response of the Bogotá savanna following the 2008 Quetame earthquake. Jaime's research interests include soil stabilization, geosynthetics and numerical modeling applied to geotechnical engineering.

University of Arkansas

Savannah Lentz
Work with: Andrew Braham
CY1-OSU-R2.5 Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilient Culverts
Savannah is a junior biomedical engineering major and a member of the Razorback marching band.

Elizabeth (Bette) Poblete
Working with: Cameron Murray
CY1-UARK-LSU-01: Advanced Environment-Friendly Concrete Materials for Rapid Infrastructure Repair and Rehabilitation
Elizabeth (Bette) Poblete is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Arkansas. She has previously earned a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering a the University of Arkansas in 2019 and 2020, respectively. During her B.S., she was a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks women's soccer team. Her research interests include self-consolidating concrete, structural repair, and rapid-setting concrete. She is a student member of the American Concrete Institute where she is an associate member of the committee on Alternative Cements. She is a recipient of the University of Arkansas Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship. 

University of Oklahoma

Courtney Dawson
(CY1-OU-04) Bond Performance of Advanced Environmentally Friendly Concrete Materials for Rapid Infrastructure Repair and Rehabilitation
Courtney is a senior civil engineering major with an interest in structural engineering. During the Fall 2022 semester, she completed undergraduate research with Dr. Royce Floyd involving the bond strength between successive layers of Ultra-High Performance Concrete. With support from the Southern Plains Transportation Center, Courtney will complete research involving various types of cement that yield lower carbon dioxide emissions. 

Cade Harris
(CY1-OU-04) Bond Performance of Advanced Environmentally Friendly Concrete Materials for Rapid Infrastructure Repair and Rehabilitation
Cade Harris is a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Oklahoma, where he is currently pursuing a master’s degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in structural engineering. During his undergraduate studies, Cade examined bond behavior between ultra-high performance concrete and varying reinforcing bars. Cade has also served as an officer for the university’s student chapter of the Architectural Engineering Institute and the Structural Engineering Institute.

Kegan Reynolds
Working with: Yan Rockee Zhang
Kegan is a Junior Undergraduate student at the University of Oklahoma studying for a BS in Electrical Engineering.

University of Texas at El Paso

Francisco Guillen
Working with: Jeffrey Weidner
CY1-UTEP-03: Assessing Building Information Modeling (BIM) Maturity and Identifying Barriers to Implementation among Transportation Agencies in Region 6
Francisco I. Guillén is a first-year graduate student at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where he is pursuing a master's degree in Civil Engineering (MSCE) with a focus in structures. He is the current president of Chi Epsilon - The Civil Engineering Honor Society UTEP chapter and the previous steel bridge captain for the Student Steel Bridge Competition, leading the team to compete at the national level.

Farzad Khallaghi
Working with: Rajib Mallick
CY1-TAMU-R2.4: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction and Durability of Sustainable Pavement Recycling and Stabilization using Novel Materials
Farzad Khallaghi is a PhD student in civil engineering with a focus on asphalt pavement. With a solid background in sustainable development and expertise in project management, he brings a unique perspective to the intersection of infrastructure and environmental responsibility. Committed to advancing both the academic and practical aspects of the field, he is enthusiastic about contributing to sustainable infrastructure solutions.