Houtan Jebelli, Ph.D., holds a position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan, in addition to a bachelor's degree in the same field from Tehran Polytechnic University. Further strengthening his academic portfolio, Dr. Jebelli has an MSc in Structural Engineering from the Sharif University of Technology, an MSc in Construction Engineering and Management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and an additional MSc in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, which he achieved while undertaking his Ph.D.

As the Director of the Robotic, Automation, and Intelligent Sensing (RAISE) Lab, Dr. Jebelli heads a research group that introduces innovative human physiology elements into robotic control and motion planning systems, thereby enhancing the interaction and adaptation between workers and robots. Under his leadership, the RAISE Lab focuses on pioneering advancements in the field of construction robotics, particularly in fostering enhanced human-robot interaction. The team strives to develop human-centric robotic perception and adaptation mechanisms that can be seamlessly integrated into construction sites. This involves the customization of worker-robot collaborations and co-adaptation, with a strong emphasis on safety and efficiency. Their research also extends to the use of physiological computing to automate construction processes and to implement health monitoring systems for construction workers, grounded in real-time physiological data.

Dr. Jebelli's contributions have been recognized through several awards and fellowships, including the Charles M. Eastman Top Ph.D. Paper Award, two Outstanding Thesis Awards, the Rackham Research Grant, the John L. Tishman Fellowship, and the Calvin C. Solem Foundation Fellowship. In addition to his responsibilities in research and academia, Dr. Jebelli reviews for numerous academic journals and symposia and actively engages in professional communities such as the ASCE Data Sensing and Analysis (DSA) and ASCE Visualization, Information Modelling, and Simulation (VIMS) committees."

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