Continuous profession development is a vital component of my teaching and learning experience. It is important for me to stay abreast of new possibilities that can be used to improve the student experience. Courses in feedback and advising have been quite instrumental in creating a supportive climate for students. Additionally, I have assisted the Department in choosing relevant workshops to be offered to lecturers to diversify teaching technology. Below lists activities I have completed over the last two years.
UWI Coaching Program Academic Advising and Mentoring Training Workshop Seismic Design Approach for Reinforced Concrete Buildings Teaching Portfolio Development Workshop Conceptions of Teaching and Learning Building the Classroom with Brain-Based Teaching Strategies Application of Brain-based Learning to Tertiary Education Create Your Professional Image Post Graduate Cert. University Teaching and Learning Teaching Portfolio Workshop First Aid/CPR/AED Training Health and Safety in the Workplace
QUALIFICATION & GRANTING INSTITUTION University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad PG.Cert., University Teaching and Learning Graduation: August 2017
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL Ph.D., Civil Engineering Graduation: June 2014
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY M.S., Civil Engineering Graduation: August 2011
Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD B.S., Civil Engineering, Summa Cum Laude Graduation: May 2009
SKILLS First Aid/CPR/AED Certified, Linux, MTS Testing, Digital Image Correlation, Paraview, ASTM
DISTINCTIONS, HONOURS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
UWI/Guardian Group Premium Teaching Award
GEM Scholar
NSF Scholar
GK12 NSF Scholar
2nd Place GEM Conference 2012
Chair Award
Highest Academic Achievement Award
Reagent Scholar
REFEREED PUBLICATIONS
Smith J, Rampit R, Parey R. “Characterization of Vibration Effects on the Internal Structure and Strength of Regular and High Strength Recycled Concrete” (2018) 6th International Conference on Durability and Concrete Structures.
Smith J, Cusatis G. “Numerical Analysis of Projectile Penetration and Perforation of Plain and Fiber Reinforced Concrete Slabs” (2016) Int. Journal for Num. and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics. doi: 10.1002/nag.2555
Smith J, Jin C, Pelessone D, Cusatis G. “Dynamic Simulations of Concrete and Concrete Structures through the Lattice Discrete Particle Model” (2015) ASCE Structures Congress. pp 63–74. doi: 10.1061/9780784479117.006
Wendner R, Vorel J, Smith J, Bažant Z, Cusatis G. “Characterization of Concrete Failure Behavior: A Comprehensive Experimental Database for the Calibration and Validation of Concrete Models.” (2015) Materials and Structures. pp 3603–3626 48 (11). doi 10.1617/s11527-014-0426-0.
Smith J. “Characterization of Ultra-High Performance Concrete for Impact Resistant Structures.” (2014) Doctoral Thesis, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
Smith J, Cusatis G, Pelessone D, Landis E, O’Daniel J, Baylot J. “Discrete Modeling of Ultra High Performance Concrete with Application to Projectile Penetration” (2013) Int. Journal of Imp. Eng. pp 13–32 (65). doi 10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2013.10.0.
Smith J, Cusatis G, Pelessone D, O’Daniel J. “Discrete Modeling of Projectile Penetration of Ultra-High Performance Concrete.” (2013) Electronic Proceedings (CD) of the International Symposium on the Interaction of the Effects of Munitions with Structures (ISIEMS), Potsdam, Germany
Smith J, Cusatis G, Pelessone D, O’Daniel J, Baylot J. “Calibration and Validation of the Lattice Discrete Particle Model for Ultra High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete.” (2011) ASCE Structures Congress. 20th Analysis and Computation Specialty Conference. pp. 394–405. doi: 10.1061/9780784412374.035.
Smith J. “Discrete Modeling of Ultra High-Strength, Fiber-Reinforced Concrete.” (2011) Master’s Thesis, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
NON-REFEREED PUBLICATIONS
Smith J, Bishop J. “A Comparison of the Lattice Discrete Particle Model to the Finite-Element Method and the K&C Material Model for Simulating the Static and Dynamic Response of Concrete.” (2013) SAND Report
WORK NOT YET PUBLISHED
Cusatis G, Smith J, Pelessone D, Mencarelli A. “Lattice Discrete Particle Model (LDPM) for Fracture Dynamics and Rate Effect in Concrete: Theory, Calibration, and Applications.” International Journal of Solids and Structures (In review)
Smith J, Gay D. “An Investigation of Prior Education Research on Engineering Student Performance.” American Society for Engineering Education (For submission)
Smith J, Rampit R. “Effect of Consolidation on the Internal Structure and Strength of Regular Strength and High Strength Recycled Concrete.” Cement and Concrete Composites (In progress)
Smith J. “On the Normalization of Bimodal Distribution Class Performance Using a Blended Learning Technique” European Journal of Engineering Education (In progress)
Smith J, Arjoon K, Hansraj A. “Evaluation of Strength Parameters of a Recycled Concrete Blend” Cement and Concrete Composites (In progress)
PRESENTATIONS
“Characterization of Vibration Effects on the Internal Structure and Strength of Regular and High Strength Recycled Concrete.” International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures, July 2018, Leeds, UK (Presentation)
“Characterization of the Micro-Mechanics of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Fiber-Matrix Interaction.” Sigma Xi Conference, November 2013, Raleigh, NC (Poster session)
“The Effect of Penetration on Ultra High-Performance Concrete.” Engineering Mechanics Institute Conference, August 2013, Chicago, IL (Presentation)
“Calibration and Validation of the LDPM for Ultra High-Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete.” 20th Analysis and Computation Specialty Conference, March 2012, Chicago, IL (Presentation)
“Numerical Modeling of Concrete with the Lattice Discrete Particle Model.” GEM Annual Conference, August 2012, San Francisco, CA (Presentation)
“Simulation of the Multi-Axial Loading Behavior of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete” Second RILEM International Conference on Strain Hardening Cementitious Composites, Dec 2011, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Presentation)
“The Lattice Discrete Particle Model (LDPM)” National Science Foundation (NSF) Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation Research Conference (CMMI), January 2011, Atlanta, GA (Poster session)
“Man-Made hazard Mitigation of Reservoir Dams: Multi-Scale Modeling of Concrete and Accurate Fluid-Structure Interaction” National Science Foundation (NSF) Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation Research Conference (CMMI), January 2011, Atlanta, GA (Poster session)
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
Strength Testing and Inspection of Prestressed Concrete Electrical Poles, PI – Jovanca Smith. (In deliberation)
Reducing Shrinkage Cracks in Concrete Composites: An Experimental Investigation, PI – Jovanca Smith. Award $37, 310.00
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago (Member)
American Concrete Institute (Member)
American Society of Civil Engineers (Associate Member)
The Institution of Structural Engineers (Graduate Member)
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH AND SUPERVISION
Rampit Rekha. M. Phil
Randy Parey. M.Sc. Characterization of Vibration Effects on Internal Structure and Strength of Regular Concrete and High Strength Concrete. (Completion 12/2017)
Kathryn Arjoon. M.Sc. Evaluation of the Structural Behavior of Concrete with Recycled Concrete Aggregate and Tyre Chips. (Estimated completion 08/2018)
Salene Bridgal. M.Sc. An Investigation in the Use of Recycled Concrete Aggregate in Hot Mix Asphalt Design as a Sustainable Solution for Low to Medium Trafficked Roads. (Estimated completion 12/2018)
TEACHING AND RELATED EXPERIENCE Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of the West Indies St. Augustine, Trinidad Lecturer
Courses: Introduction to Engineering Mechanics, Structural Design I,
Structural Design II, Structural Analysis, Info Tech for Engineers, Project Design
Research of cement and cementitious materials
Numerical modeling and fracture
Supervise undergraduate and post-graduate research students to degree completion
NSF GK12–Reach for the Stars, Northwestern & Chute Middle School Evanston (IL), USA Student Fellow
Advanced communication and teaching skills by training computational thinking to K-12 students and instructors
Develop inquiry based course material for the research process to be used by K-12 educators
Pedagogy training at Northwestern University
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy (NY), USA Teaching Assistant
Lead discussions in tutorials, mentor, advise, grade assignments, communicate clear instructions, prepare and proctor exams, enforce code of ethics, practice active listening, manage time efficiently
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT
Faculty OHSE
Departmental Curriculum Committee
Department Unit Safety Committee
Concrete/Materials Lab Coordinator
Structures Lab Coordinator
Project Design Coordinator
PUBLIC SERVICE Consultant, Memorial Moravian Church Building Committee (Trinidad) 09/15–Present
OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University Evanston (IL), USA Research Assistant
Implemented the Lattice Discrete Particle Model (LDPM) to analyze dynamic effects in concrete
Oversaw numerical analysis of the penetration and perforation phenomenon in ultra-high performance fiber-reinforced concrete under ideal and non-ideal impact conditions
Managed laboratory experimentation of tensile, compressive and fiber pullout tests to characterize the micro-mechanical failure in steel fiber-reinforced high performance concrete
Governed research timeline and analyzed the micro-mechanical fiber interaction of ultra-high performance concrete numerically with the LDPM and enhanced fiber law
Managed lab facility, supervised and trained Master of Science students from beginning to successful degree completion, and directed project on size effect analysis of concrete at Northwestern University
Directed engineering education and outreach in K-12 education through oral presentation and excursion
Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque (NM), USA Sandia Intern
Demonstrated the effectiveness of discrete vs. continuous numerical models for quasi-brittle materials
Analyzed, interpreted and communicated the effects of asymmetric projectile perforation of concrete
Gained knowledge in numerical techniques by participating in courses offered in the workplace
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy (NY), USA Research Assistant
Investigated fracture of concrete using various compression, bending and tensile tests with the LDPM.
Developed NSF Virtual Center for Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructures to promote eng. education
Clark Construction Bethesda (MD), USA Project Management Intern
Coordinated with subcontractors to implement structural design and ensure conformance to design specifications for the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Posted drawings, created schedule of values, inspected project site
Demonstrated excellent team-work and interpersonal skills to meet company’s objective