Brandon S
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at University of California San Diego (UCSD)
Expertise
Civil engineering, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, geotechnical engineering, aerospace engineering
Bio
Hello! My name is Dr. Brandon Schiller, and I am a Ph.D. recipient in structural engineering at UC San Diego. Currently, I work for Itron, Inc. as a data analyst consultant. I have a passion for learning and teaching engineering, physics, and mathematics. Since starting at UC San Diego in 2011, I was not completely sure what I wanted to get out of school, and it took me some time to find that out. I became a structural engineer and could not be happier with this decision. I started working in research at the end of my undergraduate degree before continuing into the Ph.D. program. Within my time at the university, I have focused on experimental design, earthquake engineering, signal processing, risk analysis, and structural analysis. My thesis works to figure out the cost of damage to houses from seismic events. Throughout this process, I have had the opportunity to mentor eight students and teach many others. It gets me excited when I see young people taking up an interest in research so early in their academic careers which is a big reason why I love to mentor. Ideally, I want to mentor students working in structural, civil, mechanical, geotechnical, or aerospace engineering. I have a strong basis in physics and mathematics as well. Outside of academia, I am an avid backpacker and musician. I grew up close to Lake Tahoe which is where I really fell in love with the outdoors. There is no better place to rejuvenate oneself than the great outdoors! Backpacking and hiking allow me to do just this. I play keyboard (piano), freestyle rap, and DJ as well. My favorite part of music is improvisation because you are creating something that is unique to you and fully your expression. I look forward to getting to know you and working together to make your idea become a reality!Project ideas
Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.
Is Your House Ready For The Big One?
Older houses tend to be constructed in less robust ways than newer houses due to building codes rapidly evolving over the years. We look at the features of older homes to figure out how well these houses will do in the event of an earthquake and what can be done to improve the homes and keep the residents safe.
Coding skills
Python, SQL, MATLAB, TclTeaching experience
I have been a mentor for students from high school to graduate school across Structural, Mechanical, and Aerospace engineering. In addition, I have a wide range of teaching experience listed below. - Professor - UC San Diego Department of Structural Engineering (2019) - Professor - COSMOS (California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science) at UC San Diego (2017) - Lab Instructor - UC San Diego Department of Structural Engineering (2016 - ) - Teacher Assistant - UC San Diego Department of Structural Engineering (2017 - ) - Tutoring (2008 - )Credentials
Work experience
Itron, Inc. (2022 - Current)
Data Analyst ConsultantEducation
University of California San Diego (UCSD)
BS Bachelor of Science (2016)
Structural EngineeringUniversity of California San Diego (UCSD)
MS Master of Science (2018)
Structural EngineeringUniversity of California San Diego (UCSD)
PhD Doctor of Philosophy (2022)
Structural Engineering