I’m a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering at the University of Sydney, where I’m thrilled to be part of HERA’s ACM CRC team.

My academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Architecture in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Later, I earned both a Master’s and Doctor of Engineering degree on a full scholarship at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, where I focused on structural design optimisation and the application of probabilistic machine learning to enhance engineering reliability.

My work has been featured in top journals, including Advances in Engineering Software, Engineering Structures, and Reliability Engineering & System Safety. Beyond publishing, I regularly review journal and conference articles, keeping me actively engaged with emerging ideas and research in the field. My research interests span machine learning for reliability-based design, Bayesian model updating, topology optimization, and active learning for sensitivity analysis, all aimed at solving complex engineering challenges.

As part of the ACM CRC team, I’m working on a high-impact project to develop an AI-based monitoring system for assessing the quality of manufactured composite products, including steelwork. This system is designed to optimise inspection protocols, mitigate compliance risks, and leverage big data to enhance productivity and monitoring in service. My work also involves the development of advanced 3D printing techniques to recycle and reuse materials based on their residual properties, aligning with Circular Design 4.0 principles.

Under the guidance of Associate Professor Cao Hung Pham and Dr. Ali Hadigheh, I’m eager to see how AI can be applied to composite metals and joining processes to drive sustainability, efficiency, and compliance across our industry. I believe this project has the potential to set new standards in manufacturing quality and resource management, aligning with HERA’s mission for intelligent automation and circular design.

Van Thu’s recent kōrero