Velay
Research Group

Materials to preserve and build the future world

Our People

Dr. Mirian Velay-Lizancos

Mirian Velay-Lizancos

Principal Investigator

Dr. Mirian Velay-Lizancos is an Assistant Professor at Purdue University, Civil Engineering Department. She got her PhD in Civil Engineering at University of A Coruna (Spain) in 2016.

Her research is focused on new high performance ultra-durable eco-materials with nanoparticles and nanofibers, forensic engineering through non-destructive evaluation (NDT), properties of concretes and mortars at early ages, durability, structural behavior of full-scale components with recycled concrete, multifunctional materials.
She was awarded with "Iacobus Program Research Fellowship" of European Agency for Territorial Cooperation between Galicia and Northern Portugal and "STSM Fellowship" of Program for European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST). Before joining Purdue, Prof. Velay-Lizancos was a research engineer at the Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia (https://ctag.com/en/) , Testing engineering department.

She teaches CE 331 Engineering Materials II (Core course, spring semesters) and CE 530 Properties and Production of Concrete (Fall semesters).

PhD student
Vito Francioso

Research Topic: Sustainable and Bioinspired concrete. Vito received his Master's Degree in Construction Engineering from Politecnico di Torino (Italy), in 2017. His master thesis was focused on "The effects of TiO2 and curing temperatures on cement mortar". He is currently Ph.D. student in Civil Engineering (Materials), at Purdue University.

PhD student
Carlos Moro

Research Topic: Photocatalytic and self-cleaning concrete. Carlos received his Master's degree in Civil Engineering at University of A Coruna (2017, Spain). His bachelor's thesis received an award of "Grupo Puentes" company. He worked at "K2 Ingenieria" (consulting company of structural projects) for 1 year. He is currently Ph.D. student at Purdue-CE

PhD student
Dan Huang

Research Topic: Nano-modified durability of sustainable pavements. Dan received her Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University in 2018. Her master thesis was focused on the effects of Sc on the formation & distribution of in-situ TiB2 particles in an aluminum matrix. She is currently a Ph.D. student in Civil Engineering at Purdue.

Ph.D. Student
Marina G. Lopez-Arias

Research Topic: Ultrasustainable mulptifuctional CO2-sequestrating materials. Marina received her Master's degree in Civil Engineering at University of A Coruna (2021, Spain). During her Master's, she was awarded the TraVERSE Scholarship 2020-2021 given by the CoE of Purdue University, where she is currently a Ph.D. student in Civil Engineering since Fall 2021.

Undergraduate student
Husam Elgaali

Research Topic: Effect of external conditions on the potential of biomass ash valorization as concrete compound. Hussan is an undergraduate student at Civil Engineering, Purdue University. He joined the Velay's research group with a Scholarship from the Office of Undergraduate Research at Purdue.

Undergraduate student
Alberto Castillo

Research Topic: Sustainable cement-based materials. Alberto is a senior undergrad student of Civil Engineering. His research is focused on studying how to improve the sustainability of cement-based materials. He received an OUR Scholarship.

Undergraduate student
Molly Schrager

Research Topic: High-performance eco-mortars with nanoparticles. Molly is a senior undergrad student of Civil Engineering. Her research is focused on creating new eco-mortars with special properties by using nanoparticles. She participated on Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program and she received an APCA fellowship.

Undergraduate student
Alice Ikuru

Research Topic: Biomass ash-based eco-mortars and fire resistance. Alice is a senior undergrad student of Civil Engineering. Her research is focused on creating new biomass ash-based eco-mortars and studying the influence of biomass ashes on the fire resistance. She received the Office of Undergraduate Research Scholarship.