Structural Intelligence Lab
At the intersection of structural engineering and artificial intelligence
The safety and prosperity of our communities rely on the resilience of our built environment, from bridges and long-span roofs to coastal defenses. To safeguard and improve these essential structures, my research operates at the critical intersection of structural engineering and artificial intelligence (AI).
The primary vision of my research group, the Structural Intelligence Lab (SIL), is to develop and thoroughly examine AI-enabled tools for resilient, efficient, and trustworthy infrastructure systems. A major thrust of my recent work involves exploring the structural and hydrodynamic performance of complex geometries, such as hyperbolic paraboloids. Ultimately, my goal is for SIL to be a global research pioneer in both advancing and critically evaluating AI applications in structural engineering.
This research-driven mindset naturally extends into one of my greatest passions: teaching. For me, teaching and research are inseparable, rooted in three core philosophies: learning through productive struggle, anchoring concepts in storytelling, and reinforcing ideas via hands-on experimentation, which I honed at Princeton University over the years. Beyond academia, I have reached over 59,000 learners across 110+ countries through online courses in civil engineering. I aim to bring this expertise to the amazing community and students at Kansas State University.
I am deeply grateful for the foundational support provided during my time at Princeton University, and I remain immensely thankful for the outstanding co-authors, collaborators, and mentors who continue to work alongside me.
Explore the lab
- Meet the lab team: the researchers, Ph.D. students, and collaborators driving our lab's mission.
- Read our publications: our latest peer-reviewed papers and research outputs.
- Browse free resources: courses, code, and other materials we share with the public.
- Contact the lab: research inquiries, prospective student opportunities, and collaborations.
Lab director
Sam Smith, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering
Kansas State University
Email: samsmith@ksu.edu
Department phone: 785-532-5862