Bio: Joel Conte received his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in 1990. Prior to joining UCSD in 2001, Conte was an associate professor of civil engineering at UCLA and Rice University. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute. He is also a member of the Chi Epson civil engineering honor society. Conte was named 'Civil Engineering Professor of the Year' at Rice University and is a recipient of the Research Initiation Award from the National Science Foundation.

Research: By using computers to develop complex models, data from experimental testing in the laboratory, and field data from real structures, Professor Conte's work leads to methodologies for probabilistic performance assessment of civil structures. His research leads to the design of safer and more economic structures, especially regarding the earthquake hazard. He is also developing methods based on sensor arrays and system identification techniques to detect and identify sudden hidden damage or progressive deterioration in civil infrastructure systems.