Fernando Moreu, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, associate professor in the department of civil, construction & environmental engineering at the University of New Mexico, has been named a fellow by the ASCE Board of Direction.
Moreu’s research in human-structure interfaces has established a new paradigm in structural inspections and safety, including human factors in the quality of inspections towards human-centered engineering. His work in dynamics, signal processing, and cyber-physical theory using augmented reality has created a new discipline in structural health monitoring, where humans can control robotic trajectories and actions and use AI models displayed holographically in the field to assist with analysis. His groundbreaking research helped establish human-machine bidirectional partnerships, giving humans real-time access to digital twins, which are now developed in many civil engineering programs in the country and across the top universities in the world.
Since 2015, he has received 48 research and outreach grants totaling over $8.9 million. Two of his Ph.D. and postdoc students are now assistant professors in top universities in the U.S., while other of his Ph.D. graduates work in national laboratories (two) and specialized consulting engineering firms (two).
Moreu is a global leader in the development of smart management of infrastructure through bottom-up design and manufacturing of ad hoc systems for the internet of things, nonlinear control of dynamics, and new sensing paradigms, including neuromorphic sensing, automation, and human-in-the-loop controls. His knowledge of fundamental dynamics intertwines with more than ten years of experience in private industry at ESCA Consultants, Inc., resulting in pragmatic, yet creative, innovations in civil engineering.
His unique knowledge of fundamental science and engineering informs new solutions to urgent needs. He developed the low-cost efficient wireless intelligent sensors (LEWIS), a hands-on approach to field-sensing and laboratory research that has revolutionized structural dynamics solutions based on the sensors’ accuracy and affordable costs. Using LEWIS, he has developed a network of sensors that can inform communities of imminent flooding risks after wildfires, utilizing new technology to communicate real-time information about changes in flooding levels.
Moreu received the 2023 First Place Award at the International Workshop in Structural Health Monitoring at Stanford University, for the “SHM in Action” competition held bi-annually. He is also the recipient of the 2021 UNM Stamm Endowed Research Award; the 2022 UNM School of Engineering Outstanding Junior Faculty Research Award; and a 2023 Fulbright Fellowship to conduct research at National Taiwan University for seven months.
He was the 2010 ASCE Illinois Central Section Young Engineer of the Year. Moreu has also developed a new cybersecurity program at UNM to create hands-on applications that are transferable, replicable, and resilient to both physical and cyberattacks.
Before pursuing his Ph.D., Moreu worked as a structural engineer for ten years. He has authored over 211 publications and given over 176 presentations, including 142 invited talks, distinguished lectures, and keynotes. His bachelor’s degree in civil engineering is from the University of Granada in Spain, and master’s and doctoral degrees in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has been a licensed PE since 2010.
