UC San Diego Structural Engineering Ph.D. student Carlos Franco Mayorga Gallegos was recently honored with the 2023-2024 Nicolas F. Maloof Jr. GA Chapter Fellowship from the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Foundation.
Mayorga’s research focuses on analyzing and designing both conventional and high-performance earthquake-resistant buildings. Under the guidance of Georgios Tsampras, an assistant professor in the Department of Structural Engineering at the Jacobs School of Engineering, one of his major projects involves investigating the seismic responses of instrumented earthquake-resistant buildings in California, with the aim of assessing the current seismic design provisions in the building codes. His second research area explores the analysis and design of buildings equipped with friction-based force-limiting deformable connections, including uncertainty propagation analyses.
Mayorga’s journey into structural engineering traces back to his childhood, where he was immersed in the construction of reinforced concrete structures. His father's involvement in selling aggregates and concrete for civil and residential projects laid the foundation for Mayorga’s lifelong passion. He studied at Santa Maria University in Chile and served as a part-time lecturer after graduating with his master's degree. Before pursuing his doctoral studies, he gained valuable practical experience as a structural engineer through an industry role, contributing to the design of residential and industrial structures.
Motivated by his background and ongoing research interests, Mayorga sought and secured the ACI Foundation fellowship. This fellowship not only provides financial support but, more significantly, grants him access to ACI conventions, including pivotal technical committee meetings such as the Performance-Based Seismic Design of Concrete Buildings Committee (374).
Reflecting on his involvement with the 374 Committee, Mayorga stated, “Having attended the last two meetings, I've had the privilege to interact with and gain insights from highly knowledgeable members, further enriching my understanding of current industry developments.”
As a fellowship recipient, Mayorga will also receive support in finding an industry mentor. The ACI Foundation, a non-profit arm of the ACI, strategically invests in concepts, research, and individuals to propel progress, innovation, and collaboration in the concrete sector.