People

Dr. Frank DarConte, RA

Director of Applied Research, Ph.D.
Dr.DarConteisalicensedarchitectintheStateofNewYorkandhasasuccessfultrackrecordofleadingprojectteamsdeliveringcomplexbuildingprograms.Heisanadvocateof“projectfirst”thinking,applyingbothhistheoreticalandhispractice-basedexpertiseinconstructionprojectdeliverytofocusonthe ...
buildingofcollaborative,high-performanceteams.Projectteamalignmentprocessmodels,resultingfromhisresearchattheNYUTandonSchoolofEngineering,arecurrentlybeingutilizedbytheStateUniversityConstructionFund(NY)andNewYork’sMetropolitanTransportationAuthorityasteambuildingandriskmanagementtoolsontwomajorprojects. Forovertwodecades,Dr.DarContehasservedasaseniorconstructionmanagementexecutive,providingpre-constructionandconstructionphaseservicesforbothprivateandpublicsectorclientsataregionalandnationalscale.Hehasoverseentheconstructionofcomplexbuildingprogramsunderavarietyofdeliverymethodsforthesuccessfulcompletionofmorethan$1billionofdiverseprojectsrangingfromK-12,highereducation,commercial,institutional,sportsfacilities,andmulti-familyhousingprojects. Hisaccomplishmentsincludeseveralhighlyvisible,large-scaleNYmetropolitanareaprojectssuchasEABPlaza,Uniondale,NY;theUSPSGMF/VMFatSpringCreek,Brooklyn;andtheWestCampusTournamentFacilityattheBillieJeanKingNationalTennisCenter,FlushingMeadow,Queens,NY.Dr.DarConteholdsaPh.D.inCivilEngineeringfromNewYorkUniversityTandonSchoolofEngineeringwherehealsoholdsanappointmentasaresearchprofessor.Inaddition,hereceivedaBSinArchitecturalTechnologyfromtheNewYorkInstituteofTechnologyandanMSinCityandRegionalPlanningfromthePrattInstitute.

Dr. Semiha Ergan

Assistant Professor, Ph.D.
Dr.Ergan’swidevarietyofinterestsincludeITtosupportdesign,construction,andoperationsofcivilinfrastructuresystems;studyingurbanchallengesfortheconstructionindustry;buildinginformaticsforefficientandhealthierbuildings;infrastructureinformationmodelingandvisualization;andunderstandingtheinteractionsbetweenbuildingsandcityperformance.AtNYUTandonshe ...
spearheadsthebiLabwhichfocusesonunderstandingtheoperationalchallengesassociatedwithconstructionandoperationoffacilitiesandinfrastructuresystemsinurbansettings.ShereceivedherPh.D.fromCarnegieMellonUniversity(ComputerAidedEngineering)whereshewasanAssistantResearchProfessoraswellasaVisitingAssistantProfessor.HerMSandBSdegreesarefromtheMiddleEastTechnicalUniversityinAnkara,Turkey.

Lawrence Chiarelli

Industry Professor, PE, Esq.
SincejoiningtheNYUTandonfacultyintheDepartmentofCivilandUrbanEngineeringin2004,ProfessorChiarellihasbeentheProgramDirectorfortheundergraduateandgraduateconstructionmanagementdegreeprograms,AssociateDirectoroftheCenterforConstructionManagementInnovation,andthefacultyadvisorforthestudentchapterof ...
theConstructionManagementAssociationofAmerica(CMAA). ProfessorChiarelliisaFellowoftheAmericanSocietyofCivilEngineers(ASCE)andpastPresidentoftheASCEMetropolitanSection.HeisamemberofChiEpsiloncivilengineeringhonorsocietyandtherecipientoftheNYU-Poly2010DistinguishedTeacherAward.HehasalsoservedastheacademicadvisortotheCMAABoardandonthecommitteetoestablishABETcriteriaforConstructionManagementundertheAppliedScienceAccreditationCommissionaswellasajudgefortheNationalEngineeringExcellenceAwardsfortheAmericanCouncilforEngineeringCompanies(ACEC). ProfessorChiarelliisalicensedProfessionalEngineerinNewYorkandearnedbothaBachelorofEngineeringandMasterofEngineeringfromTheCooperUnion.Inaddition,heholdsaJurisDoctordegreefromBrooklynLawSchoolandisSpecialCounseltothelawfirm,DuaneMorrisLLP.Hispreviousexperienceincludesworkingasastructuralengineer,constructionprojectmanager,andcontractmanagerforaninternationalconstructionmanagementfirm.

Dr. Chen Feng

Assistant Professor, Ph.D.
Dr.FengisanAssistantProfessorwithajointappointmenttoNYUTandon’sDepartmentofCivilandUrbanEngineeringandtheDepartmentofMechanicalandAerospaceEngineering. PriortojoiningtheNYUTandonfaculty,Dr.FengwasaresearchscientistattheComputerVisionGroupattheMitsubishiElectricResearchLaboratories ...
(MERL)whereheworkedonvisualsimultaneouslocalizationandmapping(vSLAM)anddeeplearningwhereheinventedseveralpatentedalgorithms. Hecurrentlyisleadingamulti-disciplinaryresearchgroupnamedAI4CE(A-I-force)whichstandsforAutomationandIntelligenceforCivilEngineeringwhereheaimstoadvancetheareaofconstructionroboticswithnovelroboticvisionandlearningalgorithmsandsystems. Heearnedabachelor’sdegreeinGeodesyandGeomaticsfromWuhanUniversity(China)followedbyanMSEinconstructionengineeringandmanagement,anMSEinElectricalEngineering-Systems,andaPh.D.inCivilEngineeringfromtheUniversityofMichiganatAnnArbor.

Judith (Judy) DeScenza Cooper

Associate Director, IDC Innovation Hub, F.SAME
Ms.CooperjoinedtheNYUTandonSchoolofEngineeringinJanuary2019asAssociateDirectoroftheInstituteofDesignConstruction(IDC)InnovationHub.PriortohertenureatNYUTandon,shespent15yearsasaSeniorVicePresidentandGlobalDirectorofCorporateCommunicationsatParsonsBrinckerhoff(PB), ...
a14,000-personengineering,planning,andconstructionmanagementfirm.AtPB,shewasresponsibleforallmediarelations,publications,socialmedia,advertising,branding,andallinternalandexternalcommunications.Ms.CooperalsoworkedatSverdrupCorporation(nowpartofJacobs)whereshewastheDirectorofMarketingfortheNortheastregion,responsibleforthepreparationofallproposalsfromMainetoFlorida.ShealsoservedastheBusinessDevelopmentManagerforthefirm’sNewYorkCityoffice. Ms.CooperisaFellowoftheSocietyofAmericanMilitaryEngineers(F.SAME)andservedasthepastPresidentoftheNewYorkCityPost,pastChairoftheScholarshipFundDinnerDance,andcurrentlyservesastheChairoftheStudentActivitiesCommitteeandViceChairoftheScholarshipFund.ShewasarecipientoftheThomasDianna“SpiritofVolunteerism”awardfromtheMarchofDimes(Constructionsector)andisapastPresidentoftheGreaterNYChapterofWTS(Women’sTransportationSeminar).Shehasabachelor’sdegreefromMisericordiaUniversity(PA)andamaster’sdegreefromNewYorkUniversity.

Dr. Michael Horodniceanu

IDC Foundation Chair in Design & Construction, Ph.D., PE
Dr.HorodniceanuisaProfessorandtheinauguralChairoftheIDCInnovationHub,anewinitiativeaimedatactivelyengagingstakeholdersacrosstheconstructionindustry,includinggovernmentofficials,developers,contractors,legalentities,unions,andconsultantsinformulatingnewapproachestothechallengesfacingtheNYmetropolitanareaandthe ...
widerworld. Heisatransportationexecutivewithover40yearsofacademicandindustryexperienceandover30years’experienceinexecutivemanagement.Hehasmanagedcomplexmega-projectsandoperations,hasexpertiseinmotivatingprofessionalandunionizedworkforces,andhasademonstratedhistoryofdeliveringoncustomercommitments.PriortohiscurrenttenureatNYUTandon,Dr.Horodniceanuheldvariousrolesingovernment,privateenterprise,andacademia.HisbusinessexperienceincludesservingasChairandCEOoftheUrbitranGroup,providingleadershipforamulti-disciplinarytransportation,planning,engineering,andconstructionmanagementfirmwithofficesthroughouttheUS.HisgovernmentexperienceincludesservingastheNYCTrafficCommissioner(1986-1990)wherehewaschargedwithday-to-daytrafficoperationsandthereconstructionoftheroadwayinfrastructurethroughoutNewYorkCity,andmorerecentlyasPresidentofMTACapitalConstruction(2008-2017)wherehewasresponsibleforthenation’slargestpublictransportationconstructionprogramwithover$25billioninconstruction.HistenureattheMTAincludedoversightofseveralmega-projects,includingEastSideAccess,SecondAvenueSubway,No.7LineExtension,andtheFultonTransitCenter.HetaughtatPolytechnicUniversity(theprecursorschooltoNYUTandonSchoolofEngineering)from1975to1980andManhattanCollegefrom1980to1982andwasinstrumentalindevelopingnewtransportation-relatedclassesatbothinstitutions.Dr.Horodniceanuistheauthorofnumerouspublicationsandtherecipientofmanyhonorsandawards,includingCivilEngineeroftheYearfromtheAmericanSocietyofCivilEngineers(2011),BritishConstructionIndustrywardfortheFultonTransitCenter,andtheNewYorkLandmarksConservancy2015Chairman’sAwardfortheCorbinBuilding.HeearnedaB.S.inCivilEngineeringfromTechnion,IsraelInstituteofTechnology;anM.S.inEngineeringManagementfromColumbiaUniversity;andaPhDinTransportationPlanningandEngineeringfromNYUTandon,thenknownasBrooklynPolytechnic.HeisaregisteredProfessionalEngineerinNewYork.