US-South America Workshop: Innovative Materials for Civil Infrastructure, Research & Education; Santiago, Chile, October 13-15, 2008.

Pennsylvania State Univ University Park, University Park PA

Investigators

Abstract

Lopez de Murphy 0757271 This US-Chile award will support a workshop on the use of innovative materials for civil infrastructure. The event will be held in Santiago, Chile on October 13 to 15, 2008. This workshop will be organized by Maria del Mar Lopez de Murphy of Pennsylvania State University, Houssam Toutanji of the University of Alabama at Hunsville, and Hernan Santa Maria of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. The meeting will serve as a forum to advance ideas and promote teaching in the use of new materials for resilient and sustainable infrastructure and for innovative repair and rehabilitation systems. Additionally, it will integrate knowledge from diverse fields, such as materials science, structures, hazard mitigation, modeling and simulation, construction technology, and testing and evaluation techniques. The workshop will include research and field application presentations from North and South American participants as well as visits to Chilean laboratories and constructions sites. The meeting will foster communication and contact between a diverse group of senior researchers, practicing engineers, industry, and young researchers, such as tenure-track faculty, postdoctorates and graduate students, from the U.S., Chile, Colombia, and Brazil. As such, it is expected to advance partnerships in the area of innovative materials for civil infrastructure within the broader academic and industrial communities. Particular emphasis will be placed on the participation and training of graduate students, and other young researchers, and integrating diversity into the proposed workshop.