Hello, I'm Gadisa Merdassa
Ph.D. Candidate in Structural Engineering
Researching how living organisms can be used to build smarter, more resilient structures — as a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Colorado Boulder
Ph.D. Candidate in Structural Engineering
Researching how living organisms can be used to build smarter, more resilient structures — as a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Colorado Boulder
I'm Gadisa — a structural engineer from Ethiopia, currently working toward a Ph.D. at the University of Colorado Boulder.
My NSF-funded research is on Living Building Materials — bio-integrated composites where microbial activity plays a role in structural behavior. Before starting the Ph.D., I worked as a structural and bridge engineer in Ethiopia and the US.
Growing up in Ethiopia, I saw infrastructure shape how communities connected — bridges, roads, and buildings that people depended on daily. That grounded experience is part of why I ended up in structural engineering.
My Ph.D. research is NSF-funded and focuses on Living Building Materials — composites where microbial activity influences structural behavior. It's an area that sits at the intersection of structural engineering and biology.
Before starting the Ph.D., I worked in structural and bridge engineering in Ethiopia and the US — bridge load rating for state DOTs, component design, road maintenance, and prestressed concrete bridge work.
I served as a Teaching Assistant at CU Boulder for a year, supporting courses in Mechanics of Materials, Engineering Statistics, and Design of Steel Structures.
A quick look at where I've studied, what I research, and where I've worked
Civil Engineering at Hawassa University in Ethiopia, followed by graduate studies in Structural Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Each degree built directly on the last.
My doctoral work, funded by the NSF, investigates bio-integrated structural materials. The central question is whether microorganisms can be harnessed to improve how structures hold up and recover from damage.
Research and teaching at CU Boulder — working as a Graduate Research Assistant on the NSF Living Materials project and as a Teaching Assistant for core structural engineering courses.
Bridge and structural engineering work in the US and Ethiopia — from bridge load rating for CDOT and VDOT to highway design and infrastructure management on major national projects.