Presenting at FIU Faculty Innovation Students Success Showcase (FISSS) Mar 13, 2026 - Presenting at FIU Faculty Innovation Students Success Showcase (FISSS)
Happy to participate for the first time in this interesting event. Presenting my "In-Class Activities" and learning from the amazing work of FIU faculty! If curious about what I presented, check the abstract and pdf poster below: An Action–Reflection Model for Engaged Learning Preparing construction management students for complex industry challenges requires integrating research, professional practice, and course content. This poster presents an Action–Reflection model implemented in BCN5626 Construction Cost Analysis and Control. In the Action phase, students review key concepts, engage with research and industry materials, and attend a guest speaker session while formulating analytical questions. Guided discussions promote synthesis and critical reasoning. In the Reflection phase, students submit a written reflection integrating course, research, peer, and practitioner insights. Preliminary observations indicate increased engagement, stronger theory-to-practice connections, and enhanced critical thinking.
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Hosting Robins & Morton in Cost Analysis and Control Course! Feb 17, 2026 - Hosting Robins & Morton in Cost Analysis and Control Course!
Wrapping up the first part of the course Construction Cost Analysis and Control (BCN 5626)! We were fortunate to host Jeff Butler, Senior Preconstruction Manager at Robins & Morton, who shared valuable insights into the estimating process and effective cost management during the preconstruction phase. Students came prepared with thoughtful questions, leading to an engaging and dynamic discussion. It was a truly enjoyable and enriching session—thank you, Jeff, for contributing your expertise and time! Moss School of Construction, Florida International University - College of Engineering & Computing


Looking for a Part-time Research Assistant–Only open to FIU students Jan 24, 2026 - Looking for a Part-time Research Assistant–Only open to FIU students
@FIU Graduate students: I am looking for a part-time research assistant that support me with literature review, content analysis and manuscripts preparation. More details about the research topic will be given to interested candidates. Requirements

  • Must be a student currently enrolled at FIU.
  • Previous experience conducting literature review and/or participating in research manuscript preparation.
  • Organized, willing to learn, committed, and proactive.
  • Open to any major
Timeline
  • Work will be conducted between February and June 2026
Other conditions
  • It is expected that the graduate student will work up to 10-15 hours a week (variable depending on the progress)
  • Hourly rate between $15 and 20$ depending on previos experience and qualifications.
Interested candidates Please, email me at mcalahor@fiu.edu providing:
  • Most updated CV/Resume, that highlights research experience
  • Current GPA
  • A brief statement indicating (1) why you want this position and (2) why I should hire you.
Deadline January 30 or until the position is filled.    


Meeting future Ph.D. student! Jan 24, 2026 - Meeting future Ph.D. student!
Attending the hashtagTRBAM always feels as a new beginning: all the year ahead to start collaborations and projects leading to interesting findings to share at the next TRB! ✨ This year, I also welcomed Pritom Paul! who will be joining me at Florida International University - College of Engineering & Computing to pursue his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a focus on Construction Engineering and Management. ✨ I can't wait to see all Pritom Paul's accomplishments and growh in his Ph.D. journey! 👏


Happy to meet in person almost ALL the SB1 team Jan 24, 2026 - Happy to meet in person almost ALL the SB1 team
After more than one year working together but remotely, I really enjoyed meeting in person Ronald Shrestha, EIT, CMIT, and Ghada Gad (we missed you @Chaimae Nacir!). Our poster session on insights about public and private perspectives on the implementation of alternative project delivery in local transportation agencies was full of interesting conversations!! hashtagTRBAM ✨ What will be our next project?? ✨


New Ph.D.! Alejandro Vazquez Jan 07, 2026 - New Ph.D.! Alejandro Vazquez
Happy to be part of Alejandro Vasquez's Ph.D. defense!! Their research, entitled "Industrialized Construction in Conventional Firms: Technical and Organizational Reconfigurations in Decentralized Networks", addresses one of the main challenges of the construction industry: how to move towards industrialized construction in conventional companies, through technical and organizational reconfigurations that allow decentralized networks to be coordinated efficiently. he defense was made today, January 7, 2026 and corresponded to a double degree Doctorate with the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), strengthening the international projection of the Doctoral Program in Engineering Sciences (civil area) of the Department of Engineering and Construction Management UC and Postgrados Escuela de Ingeniería UC.


Wrapping-up the semester! Dec 09, 2025 - Wrapping-up the semester!
✨️✨️Closing out my first semester at Florida International University - College of Engineering & Computing!✨️✨️ Thank you Jason Dierker ,@Caryn Smith, @Antonio del Campo from Moss & Associates (Construction) for a great final guest lecture session bridging perfectly all the course' content with the real-world challengues and applications!!👏👏 hashtagRisks & hashtagdecisionmaking Moss School of Construction 🏗


First Ph.D. student joining me at FIU! Dec 04, 2025 - First Ph.D. student joining me at FIU!

Super happy today for meeting in person Marina Lima at Florida International University - College of Engineering & Computing !! Marina will join me to start her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering. I am very excited and looking forward to see first hand all her accomplishments! Welcome to Miami, Marina!


Aug 02, 2025 - Moving from Fresno to Miami!
🌍"A full life is a book of chapters," 🌍 a good colleague told me. After 5 years, I am leaving Fresno with my heart full of gratitude.💚 - ▶️Thank you, California State University, Fresno, Provost Fu, and all colleagues involved for recognizing my work over these years by granting me ✨️"Early Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor", ✨️that would have been effective this Fall 2025. - ▶️Thank you, Lyles College of Engineering, Ram Nunna, Bradley Hyatt , for being always forward thinking and for providing great opportunities for students and faculty. - ▶️Thank you, Fresno State Construction Management , ALL the amazing faculty in this department, and (specially) Wei Wu and Robin McNeill for all your support and encouragement over the years🤗. - ▶️Thank you, all the students that I had the privilege to teach, learn from and work with. Just to name a few: Lesly Lopez , Frances Yu , Ronald Shrestha, FE, CMIT , Avantika Dixit ,Jasman Jamarei, PMP® , Farid Orya, MSCM, PMI-SP ,Chahat Mirdha , Kiet Duong , Evilio Osorio ,Alejandro Quezada Vera, Guadalupe Cervantes- Laurean , and many, many others! 👏👏👏 And last, but not least, - ▶️Thank you to all industry partners that are always willing to work with us to enrich our students' learning experiences.🏗 Specially, my heavy civil team:✨️ Dustin Donahoo , Alex Salcedo , Valentin Ibarra,Jorge Quezada, MBA (He.Him.His) , Brent Broyles, and The Beavers Association.✨️ Also, Julianita Jauregui , Jordan Wolf, QISP and WTS- Central California Chapter, Luz Gonzalez , Laura Gromis, Ana Karina Pano ✨️and many others!! 💚One little piece of the Central Valley, and the BullDog spirit comes with me to the next chapter in South Florida!💚


May 31, 2025 - The Beavers Day! A great success!

It was not a short ride, but more than 30 students from California State University, Fresno visited last Friday the Mosquito Road Bridge construction in El Dorado County. The bridge in construction is a 1,200 foot long cast-in-place balanced cantilever bridge with approximately 300 feet over the South Fork American River near Placerville, CA. Thanks to @The Beavers Association, the students not only had the opportunity to learn firsthand the means, methods, and challenges faced during the construction of this project, but they also networked with other universities' students and senior management from renowned heavy civil construction firms. I hope this experience sparks their curiosity for the fascinating world of heavy civil construction!! Shimmick Corporation, Teichert, Kiewit, Fresno State Construction Management


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