ASCE has honored Burcin Becerik-Gerber, Ph.D., M.ASCE, with the 2024 Peurifoy Construction Research Award for her contributions to creating intelligent human-centered built environments with the end goal of impacting both human behavior and buildings behavior to fulfill the goals of sustainability, resilience, health and well-being, safety, and satisfaction.
Becerik-Gerber currently serves as the chair of the Sonny Astani Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and holds the esteemed position of co-director of the Center for Intelligent Environments. Her expertise lies in the acquisition, modeling, and analysis of crucial data for userÂcentric built environments. She excels in developing data-driven engineering solutions that enhance efficiency, sustainability, and safety within the built environment. What truly sets her apart is her remarkable vision for future buildings and infrastructure. She envisions structures that are responsive, adaptive, interactive, and possess a profound learning capability. Her innovative approach showcases exceptional talent in the field.
Becerik-Gerber’s work contributes to the development of next-generation construction automation by delving into the profound implications of emerging technologies, investigating their effects on workers, and advancing our understanding of human-technology interaction in the field for enabling work productivity and worker safety.
She is the recipient of ASCE’s Computing in Civil Engineering Award; FIATECH's Outstanding Early Career Researcher; NSF’s Early CAREER Award; Stephen Schrank’s Early Career Award; Project Management Institute’s Donald S. Barrie Award; and MIT’s Technology Review 35 Award–top 35 technology innovators under the age of 35. She has been selected to participate in the National Academy of Engineering’s U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium and in the Frontiers of Engineering Education. She is also a member of the National Academy of Construction. She has received an Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for her work on Lives, Not Grades.
The Peurifoy Construction Research Award is made to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of construction engineering through research and development of new technology, principles, or practice.
