Numa Joy Bertola joined the University of Luxembourg in January 2024 as Assistant professor in Civil Engineering with a focus on concrete structures.
- Could you introduce yourself?
“I am a structural engineer dedicated to making the construction sector more sustainable. I am originally from Lausanne (Switzerland), where I completed my Master’s in civil engineering (MSc) in 2016. Then, I moved to Singapore, where I completed my PhD in 2020 in the Future Cities Laboratory from the Singapore-ETH Centre, which is a research center between Swiss (ETH, EPFL) and Singaporean (NUS, NTU) institutions. My thesis was on the understanding of existing bridge behaviour by combining new sensing technologies, computer science, and advanced structural modeling to extend structural service life. Next, I moved back to Switzerland, where I did my postdoctoral research on rehabilitating damaged structures using high-performance materials. I was also involved in multiple master-thesis supervisions on bridge assessment. Altogether, I am a specialist in the evaluation and maintenance of existing concrete structures.”
- Why did you join the University of Luxembourg?
“The University of Luxembourg is one of the most ambitious universities in Europe. I am happy to contribute to the development of this rapidly growing institution. With its central location in Europe and its role within the European Union, Luxembourg is a very strategic location to foster collaborations with European colleagues. Uni.Lu also offers great research facilities and amazing colleagues to work with! Finally, the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) provides vast funding opportunities to develop pioneering research.”
- What will be your main activities and challenges?
“As an assistant professor, I will conduct cutting-edge research to make concrete structures more sustainable. The main focus is to demonstrate that buildings and infrastructure can often be retrofitted, refurbished, or reused rather than demolished using new technologies, new materials, digital twins, and advanced civil-engineering knowledge. I am also looking forward to educating the next generations of engineers to be prepared for our rapidly evolving societies. Moreover, I am eager to work with industrial partners to tackle the current challenges of the construction sector in Luxembourg and abroad!”