Keynotes Speakers
The conference is honored to feature distinguished keynote speakers, including Professors Dawood, Hastak, and Issa, as well as a keynote presentation by Professors Boton, Melhado, and Francis
“Decarbonising the Built Environment, the role of Digital Technologies” by
Prof. Nashwan Dawood
Research Director
NetZero Industrial Innovation Centre
Teesside University
Professor Nashwan Dawood, Research Director, brings a remarkable 30 years of experience in both academia and industry. With a proven history of securing over £20 million in research and innovation funding, his expertise has propelled ground-breaking advancements in BIM processes, 5D technologies, smart energy systems, and offsite construction innovation.
Having authored and published more than 350 research papers, Professor Dawood is a leading authority in his field. His extensive work experience has fostered collaborations with major industrial and research partners across the globe, from the UK and EU to Japan, Malaysia, Australia, South Korea, Qatar, and the USA.
Prof. Dawood research work extends globally as a Visiting Professor, with esteemed appointments at institutions such as Western Sydney University, ViT (India), Sendai University (Japan), Qatar University, and the University of Alborg. My collaborations with prestigious American universities encompass pioneering efforts with the University of Florida in the realm of Digital Twin technology for enhanced energy efficiency, as well as a strategic collaboration with the University of Illinois within the prestigious NZIIC framework, focusing on Carbon Capture and Storage.
For over 23 years, Prof Dawood annually organized the global CONVR conference which was held 20 countries, fostering a vast network of collaborative partnerships with diverse universities and research institutes.
With Professor Dawood at the forefront of our research endeavors, the Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre is poised to push the boundaries of knowledge and drive transformative change. Join us as we embark on a journey of discovery and shape a sustainable future together.
“Excellence through Innovation in the Construction Industry” by
Prof. Makarand (Mark) Hastak
Dernlan Family Head of Construction
Engineering and Management
Purdue University
Dr. Makarand Hastak is Professor and the Dernlan Family Head of Construction Engineering and Management as well as Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue University. He has assisted the construction industry for the past 35 years through consulting, research, teaching, and service to the community. Prof. Hastak is recognized for his scholarship in profitability of construction companies, disaster risk reduction, infrastructure management, project control, and risk management. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), a Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS), and a Certified Cost Professional (CCP). Prof. Hastak has worked on numerous projects sponsored by prestigious funding agencies. As a Fellow of the American Council on Education (cohort of 2013-14) at Cornell University his work focused on Hybrid RCM budget, engaged institution, and Public-Private Partnership in academia.
He is the current President of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) (https://cibworld.org/) and serves as the Academic Advisor to the Department of Building and Real Estate, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Prof. Hastak has authored/co-authored over 250 publications as well as co-authored and edited six books. He was Editor-in-Chief of the ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering (2009-2016). Prof. Hastak is one of the founding members and the past chair of the GLF-CEM, the Global Leadership Forum for Construction Engineering and Management programs (https://glf.cem.ecn.purdue.edu/).
Dr. Hastak received his BE (Civil) from Nagpur Univ, India, MS (Civil) from the Univ of Cincinnati, and PhD (Civil) from Purdue Univ, USA. He received a Master of Science in Law (MSL) from the Pritzker School of Law, Northwestern Univ with a focus on Intellectual Property and Contracts. He has worked at Georgia Tech, NYU, University of Cincinnati, and currently at Purdue University. For his various accomplishments, he was recently elected to the National Academy of Construction (NAC).
“From Digital Twins to Physical Twins: A Paradigm Shift” by
Prof. R. Raymond Issa
M.E. Rinker, Sr. School Constr. Mgmt
Distinguished Professor
University of Florida
R. Raymond Issa, Ph.D., J.D., P.E., F.ASCE, API is an engineer, lawyer and computer scientist and UF Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Advanced Construction Information Modeling (CACIM), Rinker School of Construction Management, University of Florida. Raymond specializes and teaches in the areas of BIM/VDC, AI/ML, industrialized construction, construction management, construction law, information technology, ontologies and semantics and structures and foundations and is an advocate for technology integration in the AECO industry.
Raymond is in demand as a keynote speaker on BIM, AR/VR, technology integration, manufactured construction, resiliency and creativity and innovation. Raymond has completed over $15 million in grants; his authorship includes over 400 publications and he has chaired over 350 Masters and over 60 Ph.D. committees.
Raymond was elected an ASCE Fellow in 2009; received the ASCE Computing in Civil Engineering Award in 2012; was elected to the Pan American Academy of Engineering (API) in 2014 and received the 2015 Best Paper Award from the ASCE Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (JCEM)and served as Chief Editor of the ASCE Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering.
Raymond currently serves as Editorial Board Member of Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management (ECAM); Chair of the International Society of Computing in Civil and Building Engineering (ISCCBE) BOD; Chair of the Academic interoperability Coalition (AiC); Member of the Board of Directors of the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER); ASCE representative to Pan-American Federation of Engineering Societies (UPADI) and Chair of the UPADI Technical Council. Raymond is also a member of or active in several other organizations including ASCE, API, Chi Epsilon, CIB W78, and EG-ICE.
“Advancing 4D Simulation for Construction Projects: Evaluating Industry Needs and Future Outlook” by
Construction Engineering Department, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), Quebec University
Prof. Conrad Boton
Prof. Silvio Melhado
Prof. Adel Francis
Prof. Conrad Boton is a Associate Professor in the Department of Construction Engineering at the École de technologie supérieure.
He is particularly interested in 4D simulation tools that have the potential to significantly enhance collaborative construction planning, provided they are well aligned with industry practices.
Professor Silvio Melhado has expertise on the management systems implementation in the AEC sector, both in construction projects and in design offices. His current research addresses the innovation in project and design management, contextualised by the evolution of management processes and practices towards sustainability and BIM requirements. His research work also includes topics on construction technology, construction management, risk management, engineering management and the design-execution interface management.
He is member of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB – https://cibworld.org/, currently acting as Joint Coordinator of CIB Working Commission W96. Silvio Melhado has authored or co-authored over 350 research papers as well as co-authored or edited nine books and twenty book chapters.
Prof. Francis is an Associate Professor specializing in Planning and Construction Management. He holds a B.Sc.A in Civil Engineering (1982), a master’s degree in Project Management (1992), and a doctorate in Planning and Management Information Systems (2004). He is a fellow of the CSCE.
His research focuses on the graphical modeling, optimization and visualization of construction projects. He has developed and implemented spatio-temporal Chronographic modeling for the planning of construction operations. He possesses computer applications, published papers, and actively participated in conferences. Over his 40-year career, he held various roles in universities, government, consulting, and contracting in multidisciplinary teams, specializing in project management, implementing integrated project management systems, scheduling, cost control, project tracking, risks analysis and value analysis.