People | umcaselab

Team Members

Gustavo AGUILAR

Ph.D. Candidate 2026

Gustavo, a South Florida local, received his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering (2021) and M.Sc. in Structural Engineering (2022) from the University of Florida. Since Fall 2022, he is a University of Miami PhD candidate focusing on the effects of the combined action of hurricane-generated winds, storm surge, and waves on coastal structures with the aim to mitigate these natural hazard risks.

Sandesh LAMSAL

Ph.D. Candidate 2026

Originally from Nepal, Sandesh graduated from the National College of Engineering, Tribhuvan University in 2018 with a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, and started a M.Sc. in Structural Engineering at Texas Tech University before joining the University of Miami where he has been focusing on the form finding, analysis, and design of hybrid coral reefs.

Claudia DEVEAUX GARRIDO

Ph.D. Candidate 2027

Claudia, originally from the Dominican Republic, graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) with a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering in 2019 and a M.Sc. in Earthquake Engineering in 2022. She also worked in structural engineering and disaster risk management in both private and public sector respectively in her country from 2019 to 2023. Since Spring 2024, she is a University of Miami PhD student focusing on nature-based solutions for coastal protection.

Jack LEE

Ph.D. Candidate 2027

Originally from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Jack graduated from the University of Miami with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in Spring of 2024. Currently, his work centers on coastal protection solutions, specifically focusing on 3D-printed concrete SEAHIVE® units and clusters.

Sumit KUMAR

Ph.D. Candidate 2027

Originally from India, Sumit graduated from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Sikkim in 2019 with a B.tech. in Civil Engineering, and a M.S. (Research) in Structural Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi in 2024. He also worked as structural design engineer at AECOM from 2019 to 2021. Currently, his work is focusing on the static, dynamic and kinematic analysis and optimization of tensegrity structures through cellular morphogenesis.

Kayla THOMPSON

Bs. in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering 2025

Originally from Jupiter, Florida, Kayla is an undergraduate student in the College of Engineering pursuing her Bachelor of Science in two majors: Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering. Her interests lie in coastal design, protection, and restoration, and she is now working as an undergraduate research assistant, focusing on the design and integration of civil structures within the natural environment and the urban fabric.

Nikolet KOSTUR

Ph.D. Candidate 2027

Originally from Portland, Oregon, Nikolet obtained her B.Sc. in Biology from Davidson College in 2021. She is currently pursuing a PhD through the London Natural Environment Research Council program at King's College London, the Institute of Zoology, and the University of Miami. Her project focuses on the future of urban shoreline ecosystems and the ecological performance of SEAHIVE / gray-green infrastructure in urban coastal areas.

Chiara SIMONCINI

Visiting Ph.D. Student

Originally from Italy, Chiara graduated from the School of Architecture, University of Florence in 2021 with a M.Sc. in Architectural design and since January 2022 is a Ph.D. candidate in Architectural Design at University of Florence. She will be joining University of Miami in Fall 2022 to focus on a historical analysis of the urban fabric in coastal communities aiming towards a more sustainable and resilient future.