Background
I’m Elie Issa, a Lebanese citizen who grew up in Kuwait. I moved to Lebanon for my undergraduate studies, where I obtained a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering at the University of Balamand, graduating with distinction. I then pursued a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, specializing in sustainable urban mobility at the University of Bologna in Italy, graduating with the highest distinction of Cum Laude. During my master’s, I participated in the GlobalDrive project at the Technical University of Munich, designing a new transport mode for Munich called the PRT. I also spent a semester abroad at the COSYS Grettia lab at the University of Gustave Eiffel through the Erasmus program, working on my thesis focused on using a Virtual Reality Apparatus for Public Space Auditing. With the support of my colleagues and supervisors, I published two papers in this field, highlighting the potential of immersive modern technologies in urban analysis.
Motivation
My decision to pursue a Ph.D. stems from my passion for sustainable transportation, which was sharpened during my master’s degree. This inspired me to apply for the CIRCULAR project: Circular life cycle management of bridges. This project allows me to focus on optimizing the durability, sustainability, robustness, and adaptability of bridges, aligning with my interest in building a more sustainable future through transport. Like many Ph.D. candidates, I am balancing my passion for academic research with my desire to make a hands-on difference in the industry. Through this project at the University of Twente and collaborations with CEMOSA, Croatian Motorways LTD, and InfraPlan, I aim to develop a decision support tool to aid in prolonging, reusing, and designing bridge infrastructures. This will enable me to make a long-lasting impact through both research and industry experience.