Team – Stochastic Structures

Dr. Mohsen “Zaker” Esteghamati

“StoStruct” Director [Bio]

Structure Group Head at USU

Assistant Professor of Structural Engineering

Graduate researchers

Shivalinga Baddipalli

Ph.D. student

Shiva’s research centers on seismic resilience, specifically advancing computational tools for large-scale functional recovery assessment in multi-hazard settings with an emphasis on cascading effects. He pursued his master’s in Structural Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, India. He subsequently worked as a project associate at IIT Mandi. His research experience includes performance-based earthquake engineering, blast response of RC buildings, seismic vibration control, and rapid visual screening-based seismic assessment of RC buildings. [Personal Website]

Parham Bakhtiari

Ph.D. student

Parham is a PhD student with a keen interest in utilizing machine learning and advanced data analysis techniques. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran, and a master’s degree in earthquake engineering from the University of Tehran, Iran. He brings over four years of industry experience as a structural engineer.

Negin Fayaz

Ph.D. student (Co-advised by Dr. Matt Hebon, USU)

Negin is a PhD student interested in steel structures, natural hazards, and computational modeling. She earned her BSc and MSc in Civil-Structural Engineering from the University of Guilan in Rasht, Iran.

Ali Montazeri Namin

MS student

Ali is a civil engineer with 8 years of construction experience. He is passionate about data science and its application in his field. Ali received his BS from Iran University of Science and Technology. Ali enjoys using machine learning-assisted modeling to understand the behavior of structures under extreme conditions. In his free time, he enjoys playing water polo and working out in the gym.

Brig Adams

MS student

Brig is an MS student interested in data-driven solutions for modern engineering problems. His passion for engineering and data is rooted in a love for solving problems and helping others. He completed his BS in Civil Engineering at Utah State and hopes to further his knowledge in Structural Engineering. Outside of studying engineering, Brig enjoys golf, fishing, and basketball.

Max Masek

MS student (Co-advised with Dr.Matt Hebdon, USU)

Undergraduate researchers

Annalee Thompson

Annalee is a student at Utah State University pursuing a BS in Civil Engineering with a focus in Structural Engineering. She grew up in Richfield, Utah, and her passion for engineering began young, building backyard projects with her dad. She enjoys taking on challenges and is involved in the university’s Tau Beta Pi and EERI chapters. In her free time, she likes to run, watercolor paint, and read.

Nicholas Leavitt

Nicholas is an undergraduate student in Civil Engineering at Utah State University. Growing up in Las Vegas, he has always had an interest in engineering, influenced by his father, a civil engineer for the City of Las Vegas. He intends to earn his bachelor’s degree in structural engineering from USU to help make the world more sustainable for others. In his free time, Nick loves building Lego sets, going to the gym, and playing music.

Anderson Pucuhuaranga Roman

Anderson is an undergraduate student in Civil Engineering at Utah State University. He is interested in structural engineering, seismic resilience, and the development of infrastructure systems that improve long-term community safety and sustainability. Originally from Peru, Anderson brings a strong sense of cultural perspective and community engagement to his academic work. He serves as an officer for the Spanish Club and is an active member of WE Engineers and the E-Council, contributing to engineering outreach and student engagement initiatives within the College of Engineering.

Support members

Nacho

PI’s left hand

Thrives on chaos. Expertise in hunting squirrels. Does not keep his GitHub in order. 12/10 a good boi.

YaYA

PI’s right hand

The friendly one. Expertise in getting attention and belly rubs. Very bad at respecting personal boundaries. Definitely a team player. No scale available to measure his good boi-ness.

Group Alumni

Shailaja Ratna Pandey

MS, Completed in Spring 2026

Thesis: “A multi-label computer vision-based approach for condition
assessment of traffic signs: database compilation, model training,
and evaluation”