Research @ Rinker School
The Rinker School of Construction Management is a national leader in advancing research across the built environment. From sustainability and smart construction to project delivery and disaster resilience, our faculty and students collaborate through specialized labs, centers, and institutes. These efforts drive innovation, shape industry practices, and create real-world impact—regionally and globally.
Our Diverse Research Areas
Safety and Health in Construction
Focus Areas: Job site safety protocols and hazard mitigation; Regulatory compliance and safety standards; Work health, ergonomics, and well-being; Data-driven safety analytics and predictive risk modeling
Construction Automation and Robotics
Focus Areas: Industrialized, off-site, and modular construction; Human-robot collaboration; Aerial and ground robotics (e.g., drones, legged and wheeled robots); AI and machine learning; Internet of Things (IoT)
Project Delivery and Management
Focus Areas: Lean construction; Alternative project delivery methods and contracting strategies; Team collaboration; Effective training and leadership; Construction economics and finance; Construction law
Virtual Design and Construction
Focus Areas: Building Information Modeling (BIM); Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR); Digital twins; Data usage in facility management, maintenance, and operation
Sustainability and Resiliency in Built Environment
Focus Areas: Building energy modeling; Life cycle analysis; Smart buildings and cities; Resilience and disaster recovery; Affordable and sustainable housing; Innovative cement and concrete technologies
Tech-Supported Workforce Education and Training
Focus Areas: Situated, experiential, and hands-on learning in physical and virtual environments; Digital field trips; AI-enabled education; AI literacy; Robot-assisted learning
Our Research Centers and Institutes
Advanced research hubs across disciplines!
Core Faculty:
Dr. Ryan Sharston
Core Faculty:
Dr. Jason von Meding
Our Research at a Glance
$17.5M on Research Grants
Federal, state, foundation, and industry research grants over the past 36 months.
Diverse Research Topics
From collaboration project delivery and BIM to AI, digital twins, and human-robot interaction.
20 Doctoral Research Faculty
Advising PhD students on diverse research projects.
35 Funded PhD Students
Funded via grants, scholarships, and assistantships.
14 Research Centers and Labs
Covering a wide range of research in construction domains.
Our Research Labs
Faculty-led teams for specialized research!
Director:
Dr. Ravi
Srinivasan
Director:
Dr. Chaofeng
Wang
Rinker Graduate Hub
One of the Places Our Students Can Collaborate and Do Research!
