Seminars and In the News

INVITED SEMINARS

“Are Earthquake Proof Bridges Possible? Current Progress and Future Prospects,” Lehigh University, August 31, 2023.
“February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, Earthquakes,” Earthquake County Alliance (ECA) SoCal Spring 2023 Workshop, Zoom, June 13, 2023.
“February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, Earthquake Sequence Buildings Briefing,” Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Learning From Earthquakes (LFE), Zoom, May 23, 2023.
“Multi-Hazard Performance of Nuclear Fuel Storage Casks,” Algerian American Foundation, Summery University, Zoom, September 10, 2021.
“Next Generation Bridge Columns for Multi-Hazard Resilience,” University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, December 3, 2018.
“Seismic Resistant Bridge Columns Using High-Performance Materials,” Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, December 21, 2017.
“Seismic Resistant Bridge Columns Using High-Performance Materials,” Furukawa Techno Material, Hiratsuka, Japan, December 19, 2017.
“Degradation of Natural Fiber in Cement Composites Containing Diatomaceous Earths (DEs),” Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, December 18, 2017.
“Modeling Corrosion-Induced Damage in Reinforced Concrete Structures,” Center for Advance Materials, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar, March 13, 2017.
“Multi-Hazard Performance of Nuclear Fuel Storage Casks,” Meeting of the Turkish Construction Professionals of Southern California (TCP-CA), Los Angeles, CA, January 25, 2017.
“Column Base-Plate Connection Behavior in Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) Researchers’ Symposium, Nashville, TN, February 10, 2016.
“Testing of Column Base-Plate Connections in Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” 2015 Continuing Education Seminar for Professional Engineers, NCI Building Systems, Houston, TX, October 9, 2015.
“Innovative Design of Bridge Columns Using High-Performance Materials,” University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO, March 16, 2015.
“Influence of Column Base-Plate Connection Rotational Stiffness on the Design of Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) Researchers’ Symposium, Huntsville, AL, February 25, 2015.
“Experimental Investigation of Innovative Bridge Columns for a Resilient Bridge Infrastructure,” 30th US-Japan Bridge Engineering Workshop, Washington, DC, October 21-23, 2014.
“Design and Construction of a Multi-Axial Earthquake Simulation Facility at the University of Houston,” Celebrating Professor Amr Elnashai’s 40 Years of Research Contribution to Earthquake Engineering, Chicago, Illinois, June 25, 2014.
“A New Framework for Lifetime Sustainability Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Structures in Hazard Prone Regions,” US-Israel Workshop on Industrial Ecology in Multi-Scale Design and Construction of Sustainable Built Environments, Tel Aviv, Israel, March 9-11, 2014.
“Column Base-Plate Connection Flexibility in Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) Researchers’ Symposium, Nashville, TN, February 26, 2014.
“Performance of Cu-based Shape-Memory Alloys and Their Potential for Seismic Applications,” Rice University Civil Engineering Seminar Series, Houston, TX, November 1, 2013.
“Column Base Testing,” 2013 Continuing Education Seminar for Professional Engineers, NCI Building Systems, Houston, TX, October 11, 2013.
“Use of High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete to Reduce Seismic Risk,” American Concrete Institute (ACI) Houston Chapter, Houston, TX, July 9, 2013.
“Column Base-Plate Connection Flexibility in Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) Researchers’ Symposium, Atlanta, GA, March 6, 2013.
“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” American Concrete Institute (ACI) Student Chapter, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, March 31, 2011.
“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, March 14, 2011.
“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” University of Houston, Houston, TX, March 1, 2011.
“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, February 23, 2011.
“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” University of Massachusetts Amherst, Boston, MA, February 9, 2011.

IN THE NEWS

“I-10 Fire Instructive for Concrete Specialist,” Concrete SmartBrief, E-mail distribution, December 6, 2023.
“I-10 Fire Instructive for Concrete Specialist,” SmartBrief for Civil Engineers, E-mail distribution, December 6, 2023.
Interview with USA Today, quoted in “Repairs to arson damage on I-10 in Los Angeles will take weeks; Angelenos urged to ‘work together’ during commute disruption”, November 15, 2023, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/14/los-angeles-damaged-freeway-arson-repairs/71582070007/.
Interview with NBC 4 regarding the I-10 Freeway Fire, aired on November 14, 2023, 11 pm News, NBC 4.
“Is the United States “Earthquake State”, California, ready for the big one?”, The Voice of America-Turkce, (in Turkish), October 12, 2023, https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyS9rZPPYfO/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==.
“GEER and EERI Release Major Joint Reconnaissance Report,” The Pulse of Earthquake Engineering, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), May 15, 2023.
“Why One Upscale Apartment Building Became a Death Trap,” the New York Times, May 12, 2023.
“Engineered aggregates could improve self-healing concrete,” SmartBrief for Civil Engineers, March 7, 2022.
“Engineered aggregates could improve self-healing concrete,” Concrete SmartBrief, American Concrete Institute (ACI), March 4, 2022.
“Could plastic replace steel in bridges?” KPRC2, Available from: http://www.click2houston.com/news/investigates/could-plastic-replace-steel-in-bridges/32384918, April 15, 2015.
“Modern Construction: Standing Solid on Shaky Ground, New Advances in Design and Testing for Seismic Demands,” Structure Magazine, National Council of Structural Engineers Association, Council of American Structural Engineers, Structural Engineering Institute, August 2014.
“Finding a New Way to Rehabilitate Deteriorating Reinforced Concrete,” ASM International, May 8, 2014.
“Standing Up to Earthquakes”, www.cenews.com, May 2014.
Live-by-phone interview with CBS/KCBS radio (San Francisco, California) on the use of high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete in buildings for reducing earthquake risk, April 5, 2014.
Interview with Fox 26 (Houston, Texas) regarding the damaging effects of the M8.2 Iquique (Chile) Earthquake, April 2, 2014.

INVITED SEMINARS

“Are Earthquake Proof Bridges Possible? Current Progress and Future Prospects,” Lehigh University, August 31, 2023.

“February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, Earthquakes,” Earthquake County Alliance (ECA) SoCal Spring 2023 Workshop, Zoom, June 13, 2023.

“February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, Earthquake Sequence Buildings Briefing,” Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Learning From Earthquakes (LFE), Zoom, May 23, 2023.

“Multi-Hazard Performance of Nuclear Fuel Storage Casks,” Algerian American Foundation, Summery University, Zoom, September 10, 2021.

“Next Generation Bridge Columns for Multi-Hazard Resilience,” University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, December 3, 2018.

“Seismic Resistant Bridge Columns Using High-Performance Materials,” Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, December 21, 2017.

“Seismic Resistant Bridge Columns Using High-Performance Materials,” Furukawa Techno Material, Hiratsuka, Japan, December 19, 2017.

“Degradation of Natural Fiber in Cement Composites Containing Diatomaceous Earths (DEs),” Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, December 18, 2017.

“Modeling Corrosion-Induced Damage in Reinforced Concrete Structures,” Center for Advance Materials, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar, March 13, 2017.

“Multi-Hazard Performance of Nuclear Fuel Storage Casks,” Meeting of the Turkish Construction Professionals of Southern California (TCP-CA), Los Angeles, CA, January 25, 2017.

“Column Base-Plate Connection Behavior in Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) Researchers’ Symposium, Nashville, TN, February 10, 2016.

“Testing of Column Base-Plate Connections in Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” 2015 Continuing Education Seminar for Professional Engineers, NCI Building Systems, Houston, TX, October 9, 2015.

“Innovative Design of Bridge Columns Using High-Performance Materials,” University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO, March 16, 2015.

“Influence of Column Base-Plate Connection Rotational Stiffness on the Design of Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) Researchers’ Symposium, Huntsville, AL, February 25, 2015.

“Experimental Investigation of Innovative Bridge Columns for a Resilient Bridge Infrastructure,” 30th US-Japan Bridge Engineering Workshop, Washington, DC, October 21-23, 2014.

“Design and Construction of a Multi-Axial Earthquake Simulation Facility at the University of Houston,” Celebrating Professor Amr Elnashai’s 40 Years of Research Contribution to Earthquake Engineering, Chicago, Illinois, June 25, 2014.

“A New Framework for Lifetime Sustainability Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Structures in Hazard Prone Regions,” US-Israel Workshop on Industrial Ecology in Multi-Scale Design and Construction of Sustainable Built Environments, Tel Aviv, Israel, March 9-11, 2014.

“Column Base-Plate Connection Flexibility in Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) Researchers’ Symposium, Nashville, TN, February 26, 2014.

“Performance of Cu-based Shape-Memory Alloys and Their Potential for Seismic Applications,” Rice University Civil Engineering Seminar Series, Houston, TX, November 1, 2013.

“Column Base Testing,” 2013 Continuing Education Seminar for Professional Engineers, NCI Building Systems, Houston, TX, October 11, 2013.

“Use of High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete to Reduce Seismic Risk,” American Concrete Institute (ACI) Houston Chapter, Houston, TX, July 9, 2013.

“Column Base-Plate Connection Flexibility in Low-Rise Metal Buildings,” Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) Researchers’ Symposium, Atlanta, GA, March 6, 2013.

“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” American Concrete Institute (ACI) Student Chapter, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, March 31, 2011.

“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, March 14, 2011.

“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” University of Houston, Houston, TX, March 1, 2011.

“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, February 23, 2011.

“Optimal Seismic Design of Buildings Using Advanced Materials,” University of Massachusetts Amherst, Boston, MA, February 9, 2011.

IN THE NEWS

“I-10 Fire Instructive for Concrete Specialist,” Concrete SmartBrief, E-mail distribution, December 6, 2023.

“I-10 Fire Instructive for Concrete Specialist,” SmartBrief for Civil Engineers, E-mail distribution, December 6, 2023.

Interview with NBC 4 regarding the I-10 Freeway Fire, aired on November 14, 2023, 11 pm News, NBC 4.

“Is the United States “Earthquake State”, California, ready for the big one?”, The Voice of America-Turkce, (in Turkish), October 12, 2023, https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyS9rZPPYfO/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==.

“GEER and EERI Release Major Joint Reconnaissance Report,” The Pulse of Earthquake Engineering, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), May 15, 2023.

“Why One Upscale Apartment Building Became a Death Trap,” the New York Times, May 12, 2023.

“Engineered aggregates could improve self-healing concrete,” SmartBrief for Civil Engineers, March 7, 2022.

“Engineered aggregates could improve self-healing concrete,” Concrete SmartBrief, American Concrete Institute (ACI), March 4, 2022.

“Could plastic replace steel in bridges?” KPRC2, Available from: http://www.click2houston.com/news/investigates/could-plastic-replace-steel-in-bridges/32384918, April 15, 2015.

“Modern Construction: Standing Solid on Shaky Ground, New Advances in Design and Testing for Seismic Demands,” Structure Magazine, National Council of Structural Engineers Association, Council of American Structural Engineers, Structural Engineering Institute, August 2014.

“Finding a New Way to Rehabilitate Deteriorating Reinforced Concrete,” ASM International, May 8, 2014.

“Standing Up to Earthquakes”, www.cenews.com, May 2014.

Live-by-phone interview with CBS/KCBS radio (San Francisco, California) on the use of high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete in buildings for reducing earthquake risk, April 5, 2014.

Interview with Fox 26 (Houston, Texas) regarding the damaging effects of the M8.2 Iquique (Chile) Earthquake, April 2, 2014.