Our Team

Dr. Masoud Gheisari is the Director of Graduate Programs & Research and an Associate Professor in the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at the University of Florida. He leads the Human-Centered Technology in Construction (HCTC) research lab. His research focuses on the theoretical and experimental investigation of human-robot interaction in construction and technology-supported education innovation. He earned his Ph.D. in Building Construction (2013) from the Georgia Institute of Technology. To date, he has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed papers in the fields of virtual/augmented/mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) and safe human-drone/robot interaction in construction.

His work has received support worth over $3m in grants from external funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Labor, NIOSH’s Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), and ELECTRI International. Dr. Gheisari’s contributions to research and teaching have earned him numerous awards, including the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) International Outstanding Researcher Award (2021), ENR Southeast’s Top Young Professional (2020), Russell J. Alessi ELECTRI International Early Career Award (2018), and ASCE ExCEEd Fellowship (2015), among others. He is also an Associate Editor for ASCE’s Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering and serves as the Secretary of the Education Committee within the ASCE Computing Division. Curriculum Vitae.

Jiun-Yao is a Ph.D. student in the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at the University of Florida.He is interested in drones and investigating their occupational safety and health challenges in construction. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (2017) and an M.Sc. in Construction Engineering and Management (2019) from National Central University in Taiwan.

Zixian is a Ph.D. Student in the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management (co-advised with Prof. Idris Jeelani). Her research focuses on safety risk assessment through 4D VR simulations and safe human-robot interaction. Zixian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Engineering Management from Beijing Jiaotong University in China (2018) and a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from Cornell University (2019).

Anderson is an undergraduate student pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Florida and is a VR expert on our team. Anderson is in his sophomore year hoping to double major in digital arts and sciences as well. He is from Jupiter, Florida, and graduated from Suncoast Community High School where he worked on virtual environments.

Ajit is a Ph.D. student in the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at the University of Florida. He is interested in AI and drone technologies and their applications in construction work and education. Ajit holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Pokhara University in Nepal (2015) and a Master’s degree in Structural Engineering from Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand (2019).

Parth is a Ph.D. student at the University of Florida’s M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management. His research focuses on computer vision, digital twinning, and immersive technologies. Parth holds a bachelor’s degree in architectural design and building science from the Malaviya National Institute of Technology in India (2019), as well as a master’s degree in civil engineering with a specialization in building technology and construction management from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (2021). He has practical experience as a deputy manager at the engineering and construction unit of Shapoorji Pallonji group in India (2021-23), where he successfully led digital technology initiatives and implemented lean practices on various construction projects.

Caroline is a Visiting Ph.D. Scholar in the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management, coming from the Polytechnic School, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. She is interested in digital twins and advanced technology integration for construction site management. Caroline holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (2019) and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering (2021) from the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil.

Sanad Mirza is an M.Sc. student in the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at the University of Florida. His research focuses on the use of AI in construction work and education. He earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from BRAC University (2021) and has professional experience as an architect in Bangladesh.

Ali is a Ph.D. student in the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at the University of Florida (co-advised with Prof. Idris Jeelani). His research focuses on using autonomous robots, computer vision, and AI to enhance safety performance in construction projects. Ali holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology in Iran (2019), and a Master’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Tehran in Iran (2022).

Rohantha is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management, University of Florida, under the co-supervision of Prof. Gabriel Castelblanco. His research is focused on AI and BIM frameworks, sustainable practices within the AEC industry, and the application of Virtual Reality (VR) and Large Language Models (LLMs) for personalized, immersive learning experiences. He holds an M.Eng. in Civil Engineering from the University of the West of England, Bristol (2019), and an M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (2022).