Burcu Akinci
Head and Paul Christiano Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Burcu Akinci is the head of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. She earned her B.S. in civil engineering (1991) from Middle East Technical University and her M.B.A. (1993) from Bilkent University at Ankara, Turkey. After that, she earned her M.S. (1995) and her Ph.D. (2000) in civil and environmental engineering with a specialization in construction engineering and management from Stanford University.
Her research interests include development of approaches to model and reason about information-rich histories of facilities, to streamline construction and facility management processes. She specifically focuses on investigating utilization and integration of building information models with data capture and tracking technologies, such as 3D imaging, and embedded sensors and radio-frequency identification systems to capture semantically-rich as-built histories of construction projects and facility operations.
Akinci has one patent, two patent applications, more than 60 referred journal publications, and 80 refereed conference publications. She co-edited a book on CAD/GIS integration and another book on embedded commissioning. She has graduated more than 16 Ph.D. students and 15 M.S. thesis students, and is currently advising/co-advising four Ph.D. students.
Making Infrastructure Systems More Resilient, Sustainable and Robust
Smart Infrastructure for Smarter Decisions
Education
2000 Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University
1995 MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University
1993 MBA, Bilkent University
1991 BS, Civil Engineering, Middle East Technical University
Research Interests
- advanced infrastructure systems
- civil engineering
- Climate-resilient environmental systems and technologies
- computer vision
- computer-aided design (CAD)
- construction & building technology
- cyberphysical systems (CPS)
- energy
- information and communication technology (ICT)
- Intelligent engineered systems and society
- smart infrastructure
- Sustainable energy and transportation systems
Media mentions
WESA
Akinci quoted on the use of drones for utility inspections
CEE Head Burcu Akinci was quoted in WESA on the use of robots to conduct utility inspections.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Revolutionizing engineering with AI and digital twins
CEE hosts its inaugural Spring Industry Day with speakers and panels discussing how cutting-edge technologies are reshaping the future of our field.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Carnegie Mellon alumni fund climate adaptation research
Yeming and Aaron Rankin, Carnegie Mellon alumni, make a transformative commitment establishing the Engineering Resilience for Climate Adaptation Fund, fostering impactful research. Their generous initiative aims to cultivate a center of excellence, driving innovation and resilience to combat climate change's impact, ultimately shaping a more sustainable future.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
New directions: graduate program changes reflect an evolving field and future
CEE faculty is revamping graduate programs to address pressing challenges like climate change and inequities with four new pathways—IESS, CREST, SETS, and MCM—equipping students with interdisciplinary skills to drive positive change. These changes will also impact undergraduate research and PhD topics, fostering innovation in civil and environmental engineering.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CEE’s industry partnership initiative: shaping tomorrow’s engineers
The CEE Industry Partnership Program aims to foster collaboration between the civil and environmental engineering department, students, and industry leaders to drive innovative solutions. Through events like open houses, career expos, and panel sessions, it facilitates valuable interactions, knowledge exchange, and recruitment opportunities, benefiting both the companies and the department's students and faculty.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Professor Akinci named ASCE Fellow: recognized for innovation
Professor and Department Head Burcu Akinci has been named an ASCE Fellow. This esteemed recognition is a testament to her remarkable contributions and innovative solutions in the field of civil engineering, which have positively impacted lives globally. ASCE fellows represent only 3% of its members, making this honor a true mark of distinction.
CMU College of Engineering
2023 Engineering Faculty Awards announced
The 2023 Engineering Faculty Awards highlight faculty members who have shown outstanding educational, research, and service efforts. Congratulations to all of this year’s awardees!
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Shaping future leaders: Professor Burcu Akinci receives Outstanding Mentoring Award
In recognition of her exceptional dedication to mentoring, Professor Burcu Akinci has been awarded the prestigious Outstanding Mentoring Award from the College of Engineering. Having guided and inspired numerous students and junior faculty members, her impact extends far beyond academia, making her an example of mentorship excellence.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Akinci receives ASCE Peurifoy Construction Research Award
Burcu Akinci, Professor and Head of CEE, has been honored with the ASCE Peurifoy Construction Research Award for her groundbreaking work on digital twins and context-aware AI in construction and infrastructure management. She is the first engineer from CMU to receive this prestigious award.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Deep space exploration: Hwang utilizes digital twins and fault diagnosis for NASA research
PhD student Min Hwang is using digital twins to develop fault diagnosis and response systems for environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) in space missions. Hwang's research for NASA looks to quickly identify and address faults, potentially saving lives during deep space exploration.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Undergraduate program: building CEE skills across the curriculum
At CEE, we empower our students with the skills to make a real difference in their careers and communities. As students progress through their studies, our program threads approach allows for a deepening of their knowledge, expertise, and practical skills, ensuring that they are equipped to tackle real-world challenges with confidence and competence.
Carnegie Mellon University
Three Engineering faculty named University Professors
Three College of Engineering faculty members have been elevated to the rank of University Professor, the highest distinction a faculty member can receive at Carnegie Mellon: CEE Head Burcu Akinci, CyLab Director Lorrie Faith Cranor, and CEE’s Greg Lowry.