Vikas Mehta | Statistical Computing and Programming | Research Excellence Award

Dr. Vikas Mehta | Statistical Computing and Programming | Research Excellence Award

Korean National Institute for International Education | South Korea

Dr. Vikas Mehta is a structural engineer and researcher specializing in seismic performance optimization, sustainable construction materials, and the application of advanced computational and machine learning methodologies to civil infrastructure systems. He completed his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at Keimyung University, South Korea, where his award-winning doctoral research introduced innovative modifier-based and data-driven techniques for improving shear strength prediction and design accuracy in reinforced concrete beam-column joints. His expertise spans nonlinear finite element modeling, fragility analysis, physics-informed and graph-based machine learning, geospatial analytics, and performance-based seismic assessment, supported by strong proficiency in ETABS, OpenSees, SeismoSoft, Abaqus, MATLAB, Q-GIS, SPSS, Python, PyTorch, WEKA, and OriginPro. Dr. Mehta serves as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Chonnam National University R&BD Foundation, contributing to advanced safety technologies for nuclear power plant structures under extreme hazard scenarios, including buckling resistance enhancement, retrofit optimization, and complex wind–terrain interaction studies. His professional background includes academic appointments in structural and construction engineering, where he taught subjects in earthquake engineering, finite element analysis, and structural systems while supervising graduate research and contributing to curriculum and laboratory development. Dr. Mehta has authored a substantial body of SCI-indexed research on seismic damage prediction, torsional behavior modeling, hybrid AI-mechanics frameworks, recycled and sustainable materials, computational methods, and structural performance evaluation, complemented by multiple patents in construction materials, damping devices, and waste-based composites. He has presented at leading international and national conferences and contributed to funded collaborative research, including projects involving global academic and industry partners. His professional affiliations include membership in ASCE, the Institute of Physics (AMInstP), IAEME (Fellow), and licensure as a Class-A engineer under the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Act. Dr. Mehta’s contributions to structural engineering and computational mechanics continue to gain international visibility, reflected in an h-index of 7, over 172 citations, and more than 19 published documents, underscoring his growing influence in machine learning–driven structural design, seismic resilience, and sustainable construction innovation.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Mehta, V., Jang, S. H., & Chey, M. H. (2025). Corrigendum to “Adaptive simulation and data-driven hybrid modeling for predicting shear strength and failure modes of interior reinforced concrete beam-column joints”.

Mehta, V., Jang, S. H., & Chey, M. H. (2025). Predictive framework for shear strength and failure modes of exterior reinforced concrete beam–column joints using machine learning. Structural Concrete. h.

Sagar, G. S., Mukthi, S., & Mehta, V. (2025). Analyzing compressive, flexural, and tensile strength of concrete incorporating used foundry sand: Experimental and machine learning insights. Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering.

Mehta, V., Thakur, M. S., & Chey, M. H. (2025). Enhancing seismic design accuracy of RC beam-column joints: Modifier-based approach for shear strength predictions. Structures.

Mehta, V., Jang, S. H., & Chey, M. H. (2025). Adaptive simulation and data-driven hybrid modeling for predicting shear strength and failure modes of interior reinforced concrete beam-column joints. Structures.

Jitae Kim | Econometrics and Statistical Economics | Excellence in Research Award

Dr. Jitae Kim | Econometrics and Statistical Economics | Excellence in Research Award

Environmental Planning Institute | South Korea

Dr. Jitae Kim is a distinguished environmental and resource economist serving as a Senior Researcher at the Environmental Planning Institute of Seoul National University and as an Academic Research Professor with the Korea Research Foundation. He holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. in Economics, completing all degrees at leading Korean universities, and has built a multidisciplinary research portfolio spanning environmental planning, climate economics, applied econometrics, labor-market dynamics, and carbon policy analysis. His scholarly work covers meta-regression valuation of biodiversity, cost–benefit assessments of ecological projects, econometric forecasting of energy demand, and empirical investigations of how climate extremes such as heatwaves and typhoons influence labor markets, wages, and informal work conditions. He has contributed extensively to research on carbon mitigation under the Korean Emissions Trading Scheme, the co-benefits of green remodeling, and the transition toward sustainable energy systems. His international collaborations include major research projects on climate-disaster-driven labor-market disruptions in the Philippines, conducted with academic partners at Ateneo de Manila University. His publications appear in respected international and Korean journals, complemented by multiple working papers, conference presentations, and policy-oriented studies. Based on publicly available academic profiles, he has 2 indexed documents and approximately 109 citations, with an estimated h-index of about 1, reflecting the early but growing influence of his work. Before advancing into academia and research leadership, he served in analytical roles with institutions such as the Korea Capital Market Institute and the Korea Labor Institute, contributing to evidence-based policy development in environmental, labor, and economic sectors. Through his expanding body of research, Dr. Kim continues to shape discussions on just transition, climate-risk adaptation, sustainable energy planning, and equitable climate-finance allocation, establishing himself as a rising scholar dedicated to bridging empirical analysis with practical environmental policy solutions.

Profiles: Scopus Google Scholar 

Featured Publication

Kim, J., Hong, J. H., & Kim, J. (2025). Energy consumption forecasting of neighborhood living facilities: A panel regression approach.