Yi Shao
Ph.D.
![Yi Shao Yi Shao](https://www.mcgill.ca/civil/files/civil/styles/medium_focal__220_x_220_/public/image_20240415212428_0.jpg?itok=tAsRgWVY)
Professor Shao’s research aims at improving the sustainability and automation level of the construction industry by promoting circular utilization and autonomous construction. Current projects focus on (1) developing sustainable, resilient, and adaptable structural systems that can be reused/reconfigured due to function/climate changes and are engineered for robotic construction, (2) advancing the knowledge and design theory of structures with Ultra-high Performance Concrete (UHPC) and/or Fiber-reinforced Polymer (FRP), and (3) developing autonomous solutions for various construction tasks. Our research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, which includes the development and usage of high-performance materials, innovative structural systems, advanced design methods, and autonomous construction methods (AI, robotic control, computer vision, etc.).
Our team is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and dynamic educational environment. We support the unique dreams of each student. We are determined to help our team members gain the best educational experience and professional development. Through our research and educational activities, we strive to make the civil engineering industry more accessible and attractive to women, minority groups, and persons with disabilities.
- Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, Berkeley (2022)
- Ph.D., Stanford University (2020)
- M.S., Stanford University (2017)
- B.S., Hunan University (2015)
- Structural design with advanced materials
- Adaptable/reused structures
- Topology optimization
- Vision-guided robotic construction
- AI-assisted design
- Earthquake engineering
- Energy-efficient buildings
CIVE 207 Solid Mechanics (2024 Fall)
CIVE 512 Advanced Civil Engineering Materials (2025 Winter)
CIVE 546 (Section 002) Structural Design Optimization (2025 Winter)
- First-place best paper award, 2nd international UHPC symposium (Albany, NY),2019
- Charles H. Leavell Graduate Student Fellowship, Stanford University, 2016
- Guest Editor, Advances in Structural Engineering (SAGE Journal), 2022-present
- Guest Editor, Advances in Bridge Engineering (Springer Journal), 2023-present
- Co-chair of interactive panels, Third International UHPC Symposium, 2023
- Chapter chair, ACI UHPC Structural Design Guidance, ACI 239-0C Committee, 2022-present