People
Experienced researcher
Name: Dr. Alejandro Jiménez Rios
Email: alejand@oslomet.no
Affiliation: Oslo Metropolitan University
Dr. Alejandro Jiménez Rios is a Civil Engineer graduated from the University of Guadalajara (UDG), Mexico. He obtained the double title of Advanced Master's Degree in the Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Constructions (SAHC) by the Czech Technical University, Czech Republic, and by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain. At Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, He got a postgraduate diploma in statistics and also a PhD in Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering. His doctoral research focused on the conservation of earthen vernacular architecture in Ireland through the study of the mechanical properties and the structural behavior of Cob. He carried out non-linear finite elements simulations and, in collaboration with the University of Cantabria, Spain, an experimental campaign on the adaptation and application of the flat jack test on Cob walls.
He worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering of the Faculty of Architecture at the Sapienza University of Rome. The research project in which he participated focused on the study of the structural behavior of masonry with the use of a non-standard limit analysis method implemented through the ALMA 2.0 program and on the development/extension of this software.
Currently he works as a MSCA Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Structural Engineering Research Group (SERG), Department of Built Environment (DBE), Faculty of Technology, Art and Design (TDK) at the Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), in Oslo, Norway.
His research interests include: the conservation of existing built heritage through inspection, diagnosis, intervention design and monitoring of buildings and bridges with historical/cultural value; the study of vernacular and sustainable architecture; exploring the mechanical properties and structural behavior of masonry and earthen structures through the application of non-destructive testing and advanced numerical simulations; as well as the development and implementation of new technologies in the architecture, construction and engineering (AEC) industry such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, structural monitoring and digital twins.
Main supervisor
Name: Prof. Vagelis Plevris
Email: vplevris@qu.edu.qa
Affiliation: Qatar University
Prof. Vagelis (or Evangelos) Plevris is an Associate Professor at the Department of Civil & Architectural Engineering of Qatar University in Doha, Qatar. He serves as Chief Editor for "Computational Methods in Structural Engineering", a section of the journal Frontiers in Built Environment, by Frontiers in Switzerland.
He holds a Diploma in Civil Engineering (5-year studies) from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) with specialization in Structural Engineering. He also holds an MSc from NTUA on "Structural Design and Analysis of Structures", a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) and a PhD from the School of Civil Engineering of NTUA. The title of his Doctoral Thesis was "Innovative Computational Techniques for the Optimum Structural Design Considering Uncertainties".
His research interests include (i) Finite Element Method (FEM); (ii) Static and Dynamic Analysis of Structures with FEM; (iii) Earthquake Engineering; (iv) Optimum Design of Structures; (v) Reliability and Probabilistic Analysis of Structures; and (vi) Neural Networks and their Applications in Engineering.
Prof. Plevris is married and has a daughter and a son. He speaks English, Greek, Norwegian, German and Italian.
Secondment Supervisor
Name: Prof. Maria Nogal
Email: m.nogal@tudelft.nl
Affiliation: Delft University of Technology
Prof. Maria Nogal is an Assistant Professor in TU Delft at the section Integral Design and Management. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Trinity College Dublin and Visiting Professor at University College Dublin.
She obtained her Degree and Master's in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Structures in 2012. After working in the private sector as a structural designer and project manager, she studied a Master of Research in Civil Engineering and finished her PhD thesis on mathematical modelling applied to traffic.
Prof. Maria Nogal's research focusses on the resilience of the built environment, its assessment and management, paying special attention to the impact of climate change upon the interconnected infrastructure systems. She is interested in the integration of social aspects (e.g., human capacity of adaptation or behavioral change during stressful situations) to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the performance of engineering systems, and therefore to better support informed decision-making processes.
Institutions
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet)
OsloMet is Norway's third largest university with 21,000 students, 2,200 employees, 4 faculties and 4 national research centres. The university aspires to be a leading provider of research-based knowledge to the welfare state in Norway and abroad. OsloMet offers a broad portfolio of professions-oriented study programs and conducts high-impact research in close collaboration with the private and public sector. OsloMet is currently involved in more than 200 projects funded by the Norwegian Research Council. It is among the Norwegian universities with highest success rate in Horizon 2020 (H2020). OsloMet has a portfolio of 31 H2020 projects and has experience of coordinating and participating in programs such as EU Health Programs, Erasmus+, COST and EEA Norway Grants. OsloMet has an Action Plan for Diversity, and longstanding experience in recruiting and integrating international students and staff, including a well-developed EU section providing advice and resources for fellows. OsloMet supports the MSCA Green Charter. The Sustainability Strategy and Green OsloMet includes initiatives and guidelines on e.g., travels, waste management and recycling, eco-friendly transport and recycling/reuse. OsloMet purchases sustainable goods and services and is leading in the higher education sector in the use of digital tools. All employees follow some main sustainability principles for procurement-related work. In sum, these efforts allow research staff and students to take climate friendly choices in their daily work-life and when developing research projects.
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
With more than 3000 scientific staff members, TU Delft is ranked as the first university in the field of Civil and Structural Engineering in Europe, and the 4th in the world (Word University Ranking). TU Delft carries out application-inspired research with a strong commitment with the cooperation with industry. The group of Engineering Asset Management (EAM), within the Faculty of Civil Engineering, is dedicated to the development and application of engineering and managerial solutions to make engineering assets as part of (public) infrastructures resilient, efficient and environmentally friendly. EAM is all of the activities and processes used to ensure that new and existing assets provide balanced performance levels, for a specified time frame, accounting for the entire life-cycle phases.
International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)
ICCROM is an intergovernmental organization working in service to its Member States to promote the conservation of all forms of cultural heritage in every region of the world. It operates in the spirit of the 2001 UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, which states that “Respect for the diversity of cultures, tolerance, dialogue and cooperation, in a climate of mutual trust and understanding are among the best guarantees of international peace and security.”
For more than six decades, ICCROM has partnered with Member States to support them in safeguarding heritage within their borders and beyond. Working at the international and governmental levels, and with institutions and professionals on the ground, the organization engages and informs new generations of professionals and the general public with an interest in heritage.
The only institution of its kind in the world, ICCROM is small and agile, enabling it to respond swiftly to the needs of its Member States. At the same time, as an intergovernmental organization with a vast network of conservation experts, ICCROM relies on formal institutional collaborations with organizations such as UNESCO, both Headquarters and Regional Offices together with its World Heritage Committee to which ICCROM is an Advisory Body; non-governmental organizations such as ICOMOS, ICOM, ICA and IIC; and scientific institutes and universities in Member States.
Those working on the front lines of heritage preservation, including scientists, conservators, museum curators, site managers, archivists, researchers and archaeologists, rely on ICCROM for its world-class initiatives in conservation training, information, research, cooperation and advocacy.
