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A Blueprint for Teaching: When Gabriel Dadi looks at students in his classroom, he always takes the long view

VIDEO: Love of Learning Motivates UK Engineering Professor

Appointments

Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky

Research Assistant, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky

Research Assistant, Breakthrough Strategy Committee, Construction Industry Institute

Project Engineer, NDS & Messer Construction

Education

Ph.D., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky

M.B.A., Gatton College of Business and Economics, University of Kentucky

B.S., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky

Publications

• Wang, X., Deshpande, A.S., and Dadi, G.B. (2017). “Application of Parameters-Free Adaptive Clonal Selection in Optimization of Construction Site Utilization Planning.” Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management. 7(2), 1-10.
• Ying, L., Taylor, T.R.B., Dadi, G.B., and Sturgill, Jr., R.E. (2017). “Modeling Long Term Highway Workforce Requirements for State Transportation Agencies.”Transportation Research Record. No. 2612, 2017. DOI: 10.3141/2612-09. 76-84.
• Wang, X., Sturgill, Jr., R.E., Al-Shabbani, Z., Kirk, A., and Dadi, G.B. (2017). “Estimating Earthwork Volume Calculations Using Unmanned Aerial Systems.”Transportation Research Record. No. 2630, 2017 DOI: 10.3141/2630-01. 1-8.
• Liu, H., Jazayeri, E., and Dadi, G.B. (2017). “Establishing the Influence of Owner Practices on Construction Safety in an Operational Excellence Model.”Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, American Society of Civil Engineers. 143(6), 04017005-9.
• Dadi, G.B., Taylor, T.R.B., Goodrum, P.M., and Maloney, W.F. (2014). “Performance of 3D Printed Models as a Means for Spatial Engineering Information Visualization.” Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 41(10), 869-877.
• Dadi, G.B., Goodrum, P.M., Taylor, T.R.B., and Maloney, W.F. (2014). “Communication of Spatial Engineering Information through 3D CAD and 3D Printed Models.” Journal of Visualization in Engineering, 2(9), doi: 10.1186/s40327-014-0009-8.
• Dadi, G.B., Goodrum, P.M., Taylor, T.R.B., and Carswell, C.M. (2014). “Cognitive Workload Demands Using 2D and 3D Spatial Engineering Information Formats.” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, ASCE. 04014001.

Gabriel Dadi’s primary research area is construction safety. He began teaching in UK’s Department of Civil Engineering in 2012—about the time the university began its campus transformation.

“Having construction sites right here on campus is very convenient. I’ve been able to able to take my classes to residence halls, the new baseball stadium, the nearly-finished student center, the Jacobs Academic Science Buildings and more,” Dadi recounts. “It has also been great for our students because many of them have been hired for co-ops or full-time jobs.”

In 2017, Dadi completed a four-year research effort that involved industrial contractors and owners, construction and utility owners and government agencies. His team’s task was to apply the idea of operational excellence to construction safety. He has also worked with the safety personnel at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet with their safety personnel to improve their safety performance by reducing their number of injuries.

Dadi says, “Everybody’s research helps on some level, but I like to believe that what we’re doing will help people go home safely every day from their job.” 

Research Description

My research group has one main objective achieved through two thrusts. Primarily, we seek to make a measurable improvements to the vertical and horizontal construction sectors. The two thrusts towards that improvement are by keeping people safe and healthy and by gaining efficiencies through effective use of technologies in construction. By collaborating closely with industry, we are able to identify issues, design research protocols to understand those issues, execute, and then deliver implementable tools and guidance to improve how we build safely.

Research Interests

Construction Safety Management

Application of Emerging Construction Technologies

Safety Culture