PhD Position in Structural Assessment, Disaster Resilience, and K-12 STEM Education at Penn State Penn State University in United States

PhD position available in Rebecca Napolitano’s lab at Penn State University (Assistant Professor, Penn State). This NSF-funded opportunity sits at the intersection of civil engineering, structural assessment, disaster resilience, historic structures, and K-12 education research.

The project focuses on understanding how communities recover after disasters such as floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes, while also exploring how real-world engineering data can be translated into high school STEM classrooms. This is a strong fit for applicants interested in the built environment, structural performance, resilience, and engineering education.

The position starts in Spring 2027 and includes full funding (RA). The post does not list a deadline, GPA requirement, or test-score requirement. Applicants are asked to email their CV and a short note explaining why the opportunity resonates with them.

Ideal candidates will likely have interests in structural engineering, disaster recovery, community resilience, and educational outreach or curriculum translation. Penn State University is the host institution, and the opportunity is based in the United States.