CEE's Amma Agyekum Wins Poster Award
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Amma Agyekum, a PhD student in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), has received a Competitive Student Poster Award at the 2024 Society of Risk Analysis (SRA) Annual Meeting in Austin, TX. Her poster, titled “Network Metrics for Bridge Prioritization Considering Bridge Condition and Hazard Uncertainty,” was recognized for its scientific rigor, originality, presentation, and contribution to the field of risk analysis.
This award-winning research was conducted under the guidance of CEE Assistant Professors Jessica Boakye and Egemen Okte, whose expertise in risk analysis and transportation infrastructure significantly shaped the study. Agyekum was also granted a $500 student travel award and complimentary registration to present her work, which ultimately won Best Poster at the conference.
This research introduces a novel approach for bridge prioritization that integrates network metrics with probabilistic modeling to evaluate the impact of bridge failures on transportation networks. Her work emphasizes equitable prioritization, focusing on how disruptions affect access to essential services.
Agyekum's research focuses on societal risk analysis and probabilistic modeling to prioritize transportation infrastructure for maintenance while enhancing network connectivity to essential services under various scenarios, including normal conditions, deterioration, and hazards—one of the main goals of the Boakye research group. Her work aims to advance sustainable and resilient transportation systems, addressing the infrastructure maintenance backlog and advocating for equitable prioritization of repair over expansion.
Agyekum concluded that her contributions aim to develop data-driven policies and practices that enhance infrastructure resilience and connectivity, directly impacting societal and economic outcomes.