Houtan Jebelli

Primary Research Area

• Construction Engineering and Management

Research Areas

• Construction Engineering and Management
• Societal Risk & Hazard Mitigation
• Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Systems

For More Information

• Research website

Biography

Dr. Houtan Jebelli, Ph.D., is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining UIUC, he held positions as an Assistant Professor of Construction Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Jebelli earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan. He also holds a bachelor's degree from Tehran Polytechnic University, a Master's degree in Structural Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, a Master's degree in Construction Engineering and Management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a third Master's in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, with a focus on Machine Learning and Robotics, also from the University of Michigan.

As the director of the Robotic, Automation, and Intelligent Sensing (RAISE) Lab at UIUC, Dr. Jebelli's research centers around construction automation and robotics, particularly the integration of human physiology into robotic control and motion planning systems. This work enhances interactions and adaptations between workers and robots on construction sites. The RAISE lab aims to develop human-centric robotic perception and adaptation mechanisms, promote worker-robot collaborations, and emphasize safety and efficiency. Their work also incorporates physiological computing to automate construction processes and implement health monitoring systems for workers, using real-time physiological data.

Dr. Jebelli's substantial contributions to the field include authoring three books, four book chapters, 41 peer-reviewed conference papers, and 33 peer-reviewed journal papers. His expertise in securing funding has led to over $4.5 million in grants from organizations such as the National Science Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In recognition of his dedication and excellence, Dr. Jebelli has received several awards, including the Charles M. Eastman Top Ph.D. Paper Award, two Outstanding Thesis Awards, the Rackham Research Grant, the John L. Tishman Fellowship, and the Calvin C. Solem Foundation Fellowship.

Beyond his research, Dr. Jebelli is deeply committed to education and mentorship, nurturing the intellectual growth of both undergraduate and graduate students. He actively contributes to the broader academic community, serving as the Vice-Chair for the ASCE Global Computing committee and participating in the ASCE Data Sensing and Analysis (DSA) and ASCE Visualization, Information Modelling, and Simulation (VIMS) committees.

Education

• Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, 2019
• MS, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 2016
• MS Minor, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2016
• MS, Construction Engineering and Management, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, 2015
• MS, Structural Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 2013
• BS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tehran Polytechnic University, 2012