Minghui Cheng

The University of Miami is offering a fully funded PhD position in Civil Engineering, specifically within Dr. Minghui Cheng’s research group at the Department of Civil & Architectural Engineering. The research focuses on the development of large language models (LLMs) and AI agents for civil structures and infrastructure systems, with applications in structural analysis, finite element analysis, agent-based modeling, uncertainty quantification, surrogate modeling, and digital twin-enabled smart cities. The position is ideal for students interested in the intersection of civil engineering and artificial intelligence, particularly those with a background in machine learning, statistics, and programming (Matlab or Python). Applicants must have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in civil engineering or a related field. International candidates whose native language is not English are required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. The successful candidate should be eager to learn statistics and machine learning and work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment. Preferred qualifications include proficiency in Matlab or Python and prior experience in machine learning and uncertainty quantification. Dr. Minghui Cheng, the group leader, is an assistant professor with research interests in system digital twins for infrastructure systems, life-cycle management, and large language models for structural analysis. The University of Miami is a prestigious private institution located in Miami, Florida, and is ranked 64th in the United States. The position offers full financial support, including tuition and stipends, and will commence in Fall 2026. Interested applicants should email their CV and transcript to Dr. Cheng at [email protected], using the subject line 'CAE PhD Application - Your Name'. A short statement describing research interests, relevant coursework, skills, or career goals should also be included. Key academic keywords for this opportunity include civil engineering, artificial intelligence, large language models, infrastructure systems, structural analysis, machine learning, digital twin, surrogate modeling, and smart cities. The application deadline is December 28, 2025.

Dr. Minghui Cheng’s group at the University of Miami is recruiting a fully funded PhD student and a postdoctoral researcher in Civil Engineering . The work sits at the intersection of LLMs , AI agents , structural analysis , uncertainty quantification , digital twins , and smart infrastructure systems . The project includes development of CivilBot , an AI agent designed to automate structural modeling and analysis. Research topics mentioned in the post include LLMs and VLMs for structural and finite element analysis, uncertainty quantification and optimization through surrogate modeling, and digital twin-enabled smart cities. The position is based in the Department of Civil & Architectural Engineering at the University of Miami. The post explicitly says the opportunity is fully funded , with tuition and stipends covered. The postdoc can start immediately, and PhD applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Eligibility highlights: PhD applicants should have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in civil engineering or a related field. Postdoctoral applicants should hold a PhD in civil engineering or a related field. Preferred skills include Python or Matlab , plus experience in machine learning and uncertainty quantification . International applicants whose native language is not English must take TOEFL or IELTS . How to apply: Email your CV and transcript to the PI. For PhD applications, use the subject line “CAE PhD Application - Your Name” and include a short statement describing your interests, experience, projects, skills, or career goals. For postdoc applications, use “CAE Postdoc Application - Your Name” and include a research statement.