Join Our Group

We are looking for people who want to work at the boundary of infrastructure engineering, computer science, and disaster research, building models that change how communities prepare for hazards, not just describe them. Our group spans civil engineering, computer science, and the quantitative social sciences.

Openings are described below. If your background is close but not an exact match, write anyway — tell us what you want to work on and why. Due to the high volume of inquiry emails, I apologize that I may not be able to respond to every message.

Graduate Research Assistant (Ph.D.)

Status: Accepting applications  ·  Funding: Fully funded  ·  Start: Spring or Fall 2027

Fully funded Ph.D. research assistantships are available in urban resilience, network science, disaster science, and data-driven infrastructure modeling. The admitted candidates will enroll in the Ph.D. program in Civil Engineering (Civil Infrastructure Systems / Transportation) at the University of Delaware.

We are looking for: a background in computer science or engineering, industrial or systems engineering, applied mathematics, network science, geospatial science, civil engineering, or a related discipline. Qualified candidates are expected to have strong programming and analytical skills.

To apply: email a CV, transcripts, and writing samples (such as manuscripts, reports) to sjdong(at)udel.edu before you apply, so we can discuss fit. Formal applications go through UD Graduate Admissions.

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Status: Accepting applications  ·  Term: Regular semester or summer  ·  Support: hourly pay

Undergraduates in the group take on a defined piece of a larger project, such as building a dataset, running an analysis, developing a visualization, and often end up as co-authors. Several of our former undergraduate researchers have gone on to Ph.D. programs. It is a good way to find out whether research suits you before committing to graduate school.

We are looking for: University of Delaware undergraduates in civil engineering, computer science, data science, geography, or a related major; some programming experience, though no prior research methods coursework is expected; and a willingness to commit 5-10 hours per week for at least one semester.

To apply: email sjdong(at)udel.edu with your transcript (unofficial is fine) and a few sentences on what interests you about the group's work.

Visiting Scholars and Students

We host visiting Ph.D. students and scholars with their own funding for certain length of stay. If you are interested, write with a CV, your proposed dates, your funding source, and a paragraph on what you would work on while here.