Collaborative Research: REU Site: Research Experience in Digital Twins of Road Infrastructure

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $235,289 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

This REU program addresses critical national challenges related to the aging highway infrastructure and limited maintenance funding by preparing undergraduate students to apply digital technologies to infrastructure engineering. Focusing on digital twins—virtual models that mirror physical road assets—the program equips students with the knowledge, skills, and tools to improve infrastructure monitoring, decision-making, and long-term resilience. It supports NSF’s mission by advancing science, promoting national welfare, and developing a skilled STEM workforce capable of leading digital innovation in infrastructure. Through hands-on research, mentorship, and international collaboration, students gain interdisciplinary experience that blends engineering, computing, and data science. The program also broadens access to emerging research areas and prepares participants for graduate study and future careers in infrastructure systems. The objective of this REU site is to engage U.S. undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research on digital twins for road infrastructure. Over three summers, 24 students from West Virginia University, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and nearby institutions will participate in a 10-week program—eight weeks at U.S. host institutions, followed by two weeks at the University of Cambridge’s Laing O’Rourke Center. Students will conduct research on data acquisition, modeling, simulation, and decision-support tools for digital replicas of road a

Key facts

NSF award ID
2447519
Awardee
University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
SAM.gov UEI
LCLSJAGTNZQ7
PI
Zhenhua Zhu
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION, HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT, REU SITE-Res Exp for Ugrd Site, RESEARCH EXP FOR UNDERGRADS
Estimated total
$235,289
Funds obligated
$235,289
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
09/01/2025 → 08/31/2028