About

Venable_Head ShotHi! I am civil engineering and disaster research focused on improving infrastructure and housing safety in natural hazards. I recently completed my PhD at the University of Colorado Boulder in Civil Engineering with a focus in Civil Engineering Systems and Engineering for Developing Communities. My research examined post-disaster housing safety, and you can learn more about it here.

I was originally interested in civil engineering because of my belief in the power of the built environment to transform lives. As I have completed degrees in Civil Engineering and Construction Engineering and Management, I am more convinced of this transformative power, but I have also recognized how engineering projects can fall short, or worse, cause harm to those for whom they are intended, particularly in a disaster. This is why I pursued a graduate degree and am focused my research on the post-disaster context.

I hail from North Carolina and am a proud alumna of Virginia Tech (let’s go Hokies!). You can learn more about my background and experiences by downloading my CV here.

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