MrJavier Sanchez Fernandez

I am a PhD researcher in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London, where I work on machine learning and numerical modelling for geotechnical foundation systems. My research, carried out as part of the Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP at the Grantham Institute, focuses on developing surrogate models and deep learning frameworks for energy geotechnics and automated defect detection in concrete pile foundations. I work primarily in Python alongside COMSOL and MATLAB, and have published in Geomechanics and Geoengineering and Data-Centric Engineering, and presented at international conferences including the 21st ICSMGE in Vienna.

Alongside my research, I work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant across several modules in the Department and hold a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). I am a graduate member of the Institution of Structural Engineers (GIStructE) and a member of both the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE). I was also one of the Top 10 young civil engineers in Spain, recognised by Nova, where I am additionally a Founding Member of their UK expansion.

I grew up in Madrid and came to Imperial in 2018 to study an MEng in Civil Engineering, specialising in structural and geotechnical engineering and graduating in 2022 with First-Class Honours. My final year project on phase field modelling of creep crack growth won the Departmental FYP Award in the Materials category and I was included in the Year 4 Dean's List. As an undergraduate I also contributed to two charitable societies at Imperial: El Salvador Project and Engineering Change. The contributions involved mainly the design and construction of infrastructure projects in developing areas in Central America.