Faculty

Nicholas E. Wierschem

Nicholas E. Wierschem

Associate Professor

Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, May 2014
Master of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, May 2010
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, May 2007

Ph: (520) 245-3837
Email: nwiersch@utk.edu
Website: www.NWierschem.com

Graduate Students and Visiting Students

Sima Abolghasemi

Sima Abolghasemi

PhD Student

Master of Science, Civil and Structural Engineering, University of Guilan at Rasht, Guilan, Iran, 2016
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Guilan at Rasht, Guilan, Iran, 2013

Email: sabolgha@vols.utk.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sima-abolghasemi-a1472890/

Deidra Anderson

Deidra Anderson

MS Student

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), 2024

Email: dander98@vols.utk.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidra-anderson-3434181a7

Lydia Foster

Lydia Foster

MS Student

Masters of Science, Civil Engineering, The University of University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Expected 2026
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, The University of University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2024

Email: gtv844@vols.utk.edu

Undergraduate Students

Griffin Barley

Griffin Barley

Undergraduate Research Assistant
Co-advised with Dr. Denavit

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Expected 2024

Email: gbarley@vols.utk.edu

Zachary Cady

Zachary Cady

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Expected December 2025
Associate of Science, Civil Engineering, Walters State Community College, Morristown, TN, 2023

Email: zcady@vols.utk.edu

Luke Gaggley

Luke Gaggley

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Expected December 2025

Email: rgaggley@vols.utk.edu

Tyler Haney

Tyler Haney

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Expected May 2025

Email: thaney3@vols.utk.edu

Alumni

Alex Burns

Alex Burns

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Co-advised with Dr. Denavit

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2022

Email: jburns39@vols.utk.edu

Wyatt Cupp

Wyatt Cupp

Former MS Student
Structural Designer at KPFF Consulting Engineers in Washington DC

Masters of Science, Civil Engineering, The University of University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2024
Bachelor of Science, Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, AL, 2022

Email: wcupp@vols.utk.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wyatt-cupp/

Codi Drake

Codi Drake

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Anticipated 2019

Email: dnn739@vols.utk.edu

Talecia Dyson

Talecia Dyson

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Anticipated 2020

Email: tdyson@vols.utk.edu

Ruichen Guo

Ruichen Guo

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2020

Email: rguo6@vols.utk.edu

Lindsay Helferich

Lindsay Helferich

Former MS Student
Engineer at Haines Structural Group

Master of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2021
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, 2019

Email: lhelferi@vols.utk.edu

Christopher Hill

Christopher Hill

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2023

Email: chill100@vols.utk.edu

Abdollah Javidialesaadi

Abdollah Javidialesaadi

Former PhD Student
Structural Engineer/Analyst at GE Vernova

Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2020
MSc, Structural Engineering, Iran University Of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran, 2011
BSc, Civil Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran, 2008

Email: ajavidia@vols.utk.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdollah-j-88279abb

Timothy Jones

Timothy Jones

Former MS Research Assistant
Engineer at Burns & Mcdonnell in Kansas City, MO

Master of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2017
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, 2015

Email: tjone109@vols.utk.edu

Williams King

Williams King

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Anticipated 2018

Email: wking11@vols.utk.edu

Trey Lavender

Trey Lavender

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Expected 2022

Email: tlavende@vols.utk.edu

Wenke Li

Wenke Li

Former Visiting PhD Student
Research Associate, Harbin Engineering Univesity

Visiting Ph.D. Student, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2017 – 2018
Ph.D., Marine Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, China, 2015 – 2019
Master of Engineering, Marine Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, China, 2014 – 2015
Bachelor of Engineering, Marine Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, China, 2010 – 2014

Phone:(+86) 13251512120
Email: liwenke@hrbeu.edu.cn

Paxton Lifsey

Paxton Lifsey

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Co-advised with Dr. Denavit

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2022

Email: plifsey@vols.utk.edu

Carter Manson

Carter Manson

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2024

Email: cmanson@vols.utk.edu

Lucas Nelson

Lucas Nelson

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2023

Email: lnelso19@vols.utk.edu

Karolina Ohstrom

Karolina Ohstrom

Former High School Research Assistant

, Farragut High School, Farragut, TN, 2018

Grady Owen

Grady Owen

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2023

Email: gowen5@vols.utk.edu

Ridge Ramsey

Ridge Ramsey

Former MS Student
Graduate Transportation Associate, Tennessee Department of Transportation

Master of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2018
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Montgomery, WV, 2016

Email: jramse28@vols.utk.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ridge-ramsey-113933155

Anika Sarkar

Anika Sarkar

Former PhD Student
Assistant Professor University of New Orleans

Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2024
Master of Science, Infrastructure Materials Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 2019
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2016

Email: asarkar6@vols.utk.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anika-tabassum-sarkar-594229161/

Alex Shafer

Alex Shafer

Former MS Student
Engineer at Haines Structural Group

Master of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2022
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2020

Email: ashafer4@vols.utk.edu

Jonathan Shell

Jonathan Shell

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2023
Associate of Science, Civil Engineering, Walters State Community College, TN, 2021

Email: jshell14@vols.utk.edu

Tyler Short

Tyler Short

Former MS Research Assistant
Co-advised with Dr. Denavit
Structural Engineer at Segars Engineering

Master of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2017
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2016

Email: tshort3@vols.utk.edu

Kathryn Stehle

Kathryn Stehle

Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2024

Email: kstehle@vols.utk.edu