Andrew W. Smyth

Andrew W. Smyth

Robert A. W. and Christine S. Carleton Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics

Andrew Smyth specializes in structural health monitoring, using sensor information to determine the condition of critical infrastructure.

Recently his interest in sensor network monitoring has expanded to large fleets of vehicles in urban environments. Smyth is the chair of the Smart Cities Center at Columbia University’s Data Science Institute.

Smyth has been involved with the sensor instrumentation and vibration analysis and remote monitoring of a large number of iconic long-span bridges and landmark buildings and museums. His research interests include the development of data fusion and system identification algorithms to derive maximum information from large heterogeneous sensor networks monitoring dynamical systems, nonlinear system dynamical modeling and simulation, and natural hazards risk assessment. 

Prof. Smyth received his ScB and AB degrees at Brown University in 1992 in Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies respectively. He received his MS in Civil Engineering at Rice in 1994, an MS in Electrical Engineering (1997) and his PhD in Civil Engineering (1998) at the University of Southern California.

Research Areas

  • Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment and Mitigation
  • Safety & Reliability
  • Structural Engineering
  • Transportation Engineering
  • Resilience and Risk Analysis
  • Smart Cities (Infrastructure)
  • Sustainable Transportation Technology
  • Dynamics and Vibrations
  • Computational Mechanics
  • Dynamic Behavior of Structures
  • Multiscale Modeling and Simulation
  • Nonlinear Mechanics
  • Smart Materials

Additional Information

  • Professional Affiliations
    • American Society of Civil Engineers
    • American Society of Mechanical Engineers
    • International Association of Structural Control and Monitoring
  • Honors & Awards
    • Fellow, ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute 2013
    • ASCE Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize, 2008
    • National Science Foundation CAREER award, 2002
  • Professional Experience
    • Professor, Columbia University, July 2010 to present
    • Chair, Smart Cities Center of the Data Science Institute, Columbia University, 2013 - present
    • Director of Research, Robert A.W. Carleton Laboratory, Columbia University, 2013 - present
    • Associate Professor, Columbia University, July 2003 to June 2010
    • Assistant Professor, Columbia University, July 1998 to June 2003