Saba Faghirnejad

Saba Faghirnejad is a Ph.D. candidate in Civil Engineering, specializing in structural engineering, and a graduate research assistant in the Disaster HOPE Lab at the University of Kansas. Her research focuses on disaster resilience, tornado risk, and agent-based modeling of household sheltering behavior. She develops computational frameworks that integrate human decision-making, infrastructure accessibility, and engineering risk assessment to evaluate tornado shelter access and improve community resilience. Her previous research in earthquake engineering and structural optimization contributes to her interdisciplinary approach to disaster planning.

As president of the Graduate Engineering Association, Saba aims to strengthen connections among graduate engineering students, expand opportunities for academic and professional development, and build a welcoming and supportive community across engineering departments. Outside academics, she enjoys cycling, running, seeking new adventures, exploring new places, and reading classical literature.