2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Investigating the Need for Forensic Engineering Graduate Program to Meet the Growing Workforce Demand

Presented at Graduate Studies Division (GSD) Technical Session 2: Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Learning in Engineering Graduate Programs

Forensic engineering is a growing career choice in the civil engineering discipline for the evaluation of structural failures and poor structural performance of houses damaged in a natural disaster, deteriorating infrastructure, and maintenance of the built environment. However, most of the forensic engineers in a professional role for field investigations are structural engineers who may or may not have developed forensic skills during their academic careers. This study aims to: (1) investigate Bachelor’s in Construction Management program in 72 American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) accredited institutions to identify accessibility to forensic engineering-based courses; (2) identify essential forensic engineering skills; and (3) gaps in students’ skills and projected demand for a workforce skilled in forensic engineering. The results of this study indicated that forensic engineers need specific skills and competencies to objectively analyze the causes of failure using the collected evidence, including (a) technical competency; (b) legal knowledge including technical vocabulary and legal procedures; and (c) interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate technical information to the people from non-engineering background. However, the student survey results indicated that many students lack such skills and there is a pressing need to teach these skills in graduate programs. Additionally, the results highlighted that only 4 out of 72 ACCE institutions which consisted of 5.6% of the accredited degree programs offered courses that are related to forensic engineering. With growing concern for climate change impact and deterioration of infrastructure such as bridges, the workforce demand for forensic engineers is expected to increase. The findings of this study are directed to engineering education administrators and interested parties in the current state of forensic engineering education to suggest that universities need to allow construction management students to develop forensic engineering skills and help them become successful in their professional career.

Authors

Mr. Piyush Pradhananga http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4560-6001 Florida International University [biography]

Piyush Pradhananga is a Ph.D. Candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Florida International University (FIU). Piyush holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Tribhuwan University (TU). Piyush is currently a Dissertation Year Fellow at FIU where he focuses on multidisciplinary research that harmonizes sustainability in construction. His research interests include Sustainable Construction, Robotics and AI-based Construction, Engineering Education, Sustainable Infrastructure, Resilient and Sustainable Post-Disaster Reconstruction, and Circular Economy. He also holds professional credentials in LEED Green Associate for sustainable buildings and ENV SP for sustainable infrastructures as well as several micro-credentials in the commercialization of research. As a Ph.D. Candidate, Piyush has published a dozen peer-reviewed journals and several conference papers.
Ms. Claudia Calle Müller http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2023-9361 Florida International University [biography]

Claudia Calle Müller is a Ph.D. Candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Florida International University (FIU). She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru ́ (PUCP). Claudia has over 4 years of experience in structural engineering designing reinforced concrete residential and commercial buildings in Peru; over 2 years of experience in entrepreneurship; and over 4 years of teaching experience. Currently, she is a Graduate Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant at the Moss School of Construction, Sustainability, and Infrastructure at FIU where she focuses on multidisciplinary research on sustainability, equity, resilient and sustainable post-disaster reconstruction, engineering education, circular economy, and well-being. Claudia holds professional credentials in LEED Green Associate for sustainable buildings and ENV SP for sustainable infrastructures.
Miss Rubaya Rahat http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0524-5619 Florida International University [biography]

Rubaya Rahat grew up in Bangladesh, where she pursued her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). After graduating she worked for two years in a construction management company in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She was involved in various residential and infrastructure projects. Rubaya now is a Ph.D. student at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Teaching/Research Assistant at Moss School of Construction, Sustainability and Infrastructure, Florida International University. Her research interest includes Sustainable and resilient infrastructure, Engineering Education, and Sustainable transportation system.
Mr. Mohamed ElZomor P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7734-9601 Florida International University [biography]

Dr. Mohamed ElZomor is an Assistant Professor at Florida International University (FIU), College of Engineering and Computing and teaches at the Moss School of Construction, Infrastructure and Sustainability. Dr. ElZomor completed his doctorate at Arizona

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